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The third volume in this series is on packaging design and features carefully selected products that showcase the innovative use of a particular material. The book focuses on specific categories of packaging sustainable packaging, functional forms, dispensing systems, advanced protection, interactive and mass craft. Seven specially commissioned visual narratives are included. The extensive illustrated materials directory contains detailed information on over 100 materials.

Food loss and waste occur for many reasons, from crop processing to household leftovers. Even though some waste generation is unavoidable, a considerable amount is due to supply chain inefficiencies and damage during transport and handling. Packaging design and materials innovations represent real opportunities to reduce food waste within the supply chain. Besides, changes in people’s lifestyles have increased the demand for high-quality, fresh, minimally processed, and ready-to-eat food products with extended shelf-life, that need to meet strict and constantly renewed food safety regulations. In this regard, accurate monitoring of food quality and spoilage is necessary to diminish both health hazards and food waste. Thus, this work provides an overview of the most recent advances in the investigation and development of food packaging materials and design with the aim to improve food chain sustainability. Enhanced barrier and surface properties as well as active materials for food conservation are reviewed. Likewise, the function, importance, current availability, and future trends of intelligent and smart packaging systems are presented, especially considering biobased sensor development by 3D printing technology. In addition, driving factors affecting fully biobased packaging design and materials development and production are discussed, considering byproducts and waste minimization and revalorization, recyclability, biodegradability, and other possible ends-of-life and their impact on product/package system sustainability.

Food Packaging: Advanced Materials, Technologies, and Innovations is a one-stop reference for packaging materials researchers working across various industries. With chapters written by leading international researchers from industry, academia, government, and private research institutions, this book offers a broad view of important developments in food packaging. Presents an extensive survey of food packaging materials and modern technologies Demonstrates the potential of various materials for use in demanding applications Discusses use of polymers, composites, nanotechnology, hybrid materials, coatings, wood-based, and other materials in packaging Describes biodegradable packaging, antimicrobial studies, and environmental issues related to packaging materials Offers current status, trends, opportunities, and future directions Aimed at advanced students, research scholars, and professionals in food packaging development, this application-oriented book will help expand the reader’s knowledge of advanced materials and their use of innovation in food packaging.

In this study, for the first time, double-layer films based on furcellaran and gelatin were obtained, in which the 1st layer of furcellaran was enriched with various plant extracts. The aim of this work was to improve the composition of the developed innovative packaging material by using two layers of biopolymer complexes and analysing the composites to determine the effect of different model plant extracts on the physicochemical properties of the double-layered materials. Furthermore, the hypothesis that positron a nnihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) could be correlated with gas barrier properties was verified. The addition of plant extracts significantly influenced the physicochemical parameters of the obtained double-layered materials. The lowest solubility was noted in films with the addition of garlic extract (58.40%) and black pepper extract (59.26%) which also had the lowest water content (8.88%). The film with garlic extract also had the lowest oxygen transfer rate (OTR) value after 6 months of storage which is consistent with PALS. The presented data suggest the possibility of correlating PALS results with the gas barrier properties. Tests carried out using this method will facilitate the selection of new potential ingredients when designing packaging materials based on biopolymers, thus, making it possible to obtain new-generation matrices.

Green growth has resulted from resource management, setting the speed for sustainable development. Eco-innovations are essential for the improvement of a firm’s performance with societal gains, demanding special attention from policy makers. This paper deals with the effect of policy actions on the enhancement of eco-innovation adoption. The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) 2012–2014 is used to estimate the impact of ‘carrots’ and ‘sticks’ on innovations with ecological benefits. In addition, the impact of a firm’s structural characteristics in ecological strategies is investigated. Regulations and taxes enhance eco-innovation, but grants are only relevant in the case of eco-innovations with external benefits. The firm dimension and non-technological innovation also increase the eco-innovation propensity. Embedding policy actions with environmental concerns will enhance social responsibility and promote resource preservation, providing waste as an economic value. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to appraise the effectiveness of the different policy instruments applied in the adoption of innovation with ecological benefits with both internal and external benefits. Secondly, it aims to identify which firm characteristics determine these managerial strategies. Hopefully, light will be cast on the topic so that public and private decision-makers will be given recommendations for policy package design working towards smart and green growth.

PurposeThe current work aims to present a review of academic literature that systematizes the body of knowledge related to marketing and consumer behavior in order to identify the most effective variables that encourage the consumer towards a proper and better lifestyle, accordingly the paradigm of management, marketing and technology efforts to promote a “better” society preventing obesity.Design/methodology/approachA literature review was carried out to examine the studies of marketing and consumer behavior published in international peer-reviewed journals over the last twenty-three years (2000–2023). Our review finally considered a total amount of 46 articles.FindingsFindings elucidate three overarching themes and associated sub-hemes, encompassing: (1) Product design for obesity prevention, including aspects such as labeling, nomenclature, packaging and assortment; (2) Technology-supported preventive measures, involving mobile applications, self-monitoring, short message services and digital therapeutics; and (3) Marketing and communication strategies, incorporating social advertising, nudge, social influence and initiatives targeting childhood obesity prevention. Furthermore, a comprehensive research agenda is presented, delineating potential avenues for future investigations predicated on the utility of the results in fostering subsequent endeavors within the realms of: efficacy and effectiveness studies; personalization and tailoring; behavioral change techniques and gamification; user experience and acceptance; cost-effectiveness and implementation; as well as ethical and privacy concerns.Research limitations/implicationsMain limitations are related to the characteristics of the analyzed literature, resulting in only English journal articles, book chapter and so on. Thus, other relevant contributions in different languages discussing interesting insights might have been neglected.Practical implicationsThis study offers several insights to managers, marketers and policymakers involved in the issue of the obesity prevention. Since obesity represents a crucial challenge for public health at a global level, with its incidence reaching epidemic proportions in recent decades, the results may be extremely useful and powerful because suggesting – by employing a robust resulting corpus of knowledge on this domain – several practical features, actions and tactics to face such an important challenge. Moreover, this paper offers for scholar and researcher a systematized knowledge around the issues of obesity prevention, together with a detailed research agenda emerging by the critical analysis of the emerging insights, and to practitioners systematized useful insights to project and develop their future business strategies.Social implicationsBy providing several actions and tactics for obesity prevention (e.g. as for product labeling, naming, packaging, assortment; the exploitation of new technologies for mobile applications design, self-monitoring, short message service (SMS) alert systems, digital therapeutics; the role of social advertising, nudge, social influence) this work perfectly match the emerging societal orientation related to business, marketing and technology efforts to create a “better” society.Originality/valueThe study shed lights the need for a holistic approach to obesity prevention, involving interaction between individual main topics. Importantly this is the first study to analyze the issue of obesity prevention by considering a multidisciplinary corpus of literature, analyzed trough an individual-centric orientation.

By researching how to select green products for express packaging, this study provides a scientific decision-making basis and methodology for logistics enterprises, encouraging them to accelerate green transformation and meet consumer demands. This article proposes a method for logistics companies to evaluate green products using specific indicators. First, triangular fuzzy numbers and their α-levels are incorporated into the calculation process. Second, when determining the weights of each indicator, both the priority and its relative degree are considered, enhancing the evaluation in relevant scenarios. Finally, an improved approach for calculating positive and negative ideal solutions in the TOPSIS method is presented. Through numerical examples, we demonstrate that the value of α in the improved fuzzy TOPSIS method proposed in this study critically influences logistics enterprises’ selection of container bag suppliers.

Packaging is a crucial task in the pharmaceutical sector. It serves the purpose of protecting and preserving items and communicating marketing and regulatory information to consumers. In the past, packaging requirements only focused on maintaining the quality of enclosed products. Packaging has become a significant factor in the food and drug markets. It must meet criteria such as stability and shelf life, convenience and compliance of product use, prevention of product tampering and counterfeiting, ensuring product safety, and brand identity. The packaging should have a calming effect on users, complementing the healing properties of the medicine. As the packaging industry continues to evolve, industries are embracing innovations in this field to improve patient adherence to drug regimens. This article discusses the various aspects of pharmaceutical packaging, including the materials used, types of packaging, and recent trends in the pharmaceutical market.

[...]even if a product is highly beneficial if wrapped in plain paper and twine, it may not attract buyers. [...]the appearance of a product's packaging is essential to its success in the market. According to the FDA, packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use5. [...]tertiary packaging10 is used for bulk handling and includes items such as barrels and edge protectors. [...]there is a growing demand for tailored packaging solutions to ensure the effectiveness of medicines.

Coated stents are defined as innovative stents surrounded by a thin polymer membrane based on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)useful in the treatment of numerous vascular pathologies. Endovascular methodology involves the use of such devices to restore blood flow in small-, medium- and large-calibre arteries, both centrally and peripherally. These membranes cross the stent struts and act as a physical barrier to block the growth of intimal tissue in the lumen, preventing so-called intimal hyperplasia and late stent thrombosis. PTFE for vascular applications is known as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) and it can be rolled up to form a thin multilayer membrane expandable by 4 to 5 times its original diameter. This membrane plays an important role in initiating the restenotic process because wrapped graft stent could be used as the treatment option for trauma devices during emergency situations and to treat a number of pathological vascular disease. In this review, we will investigate the multidisciplinary techniques used for the production of e-PTFE membranes, the advantages and disadvantages of their use, the innovations and the results in biomedical and surgery field when used to cover graft stents.