Fresh Packaging For Your ‘Five a Day’

Somerfield and packaging company Long Life Solutions have successfully secured funding of £170,944 from WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) to support the trial of a new plastic film for fresh produce packaging. The new research project aims to extend the storage life of fresh produce by including natural additives in the standard film mix, allowing produce to manage the atmosphere within the packaging.

This is the first major project aimed specifically at reducing food waste to receive funding from WRAP’s £8m Waste Minimisation Innovation Fund.

It is estimated that around five million tonnes of uneaten food ends up in the UK household bins each year, representing £424 of food per person per year. There are many reasons for food being wasted, including overbuying, cooking too much and lack of skills in the kitchen. Of all food waste, fresh fruit and vegetables are the most commonly discarded. Acknowledging food waste as a key area of focus, WRAP has recently announced a new round of funding to specifically support projects that will reduce food waste from the home.

The project, led by Long Life Solutions, aims to improve the quality and life span of fresh produce, decreasing product loss in both the home and supermarket. It uses natural activated earth concentrate to create tiny fractures in the packaging film or sheet. The fractures allow the produce to manage its own atmosphere within the packaging, and to effectively hibernate. The film is very strong while also thinner gauge than standard film, so allowing a reduction in the total amount of packaging if successful.

Funding from WRAP will support trials of the new packaging, initially across four of Somerfield’s fruit and vegetable products. These trials will include monitoring how much food waste is reduced both at home and in store.

Stephen Ridge, Somerfield’s Technical Solutions Director, said: “Through the use of the Long Life Solutions technology, the potential reduction in waste in fruit and vegetables is huge, both in store for Somerfield and for our customers in the home.”

Andrew Wright, CEO of Long Life Solutions, said: “The reduction of waste for both the retailer and the consumer should be achieved by creating a more natural and healthy packaging environment without altering that environment through the introduction of external commercial gases, chemicals, dips or other foreign substances.”

As part of this project, detailed analysis is being carried out to fully understand any actual effect on the fruit and vegetables being trialled. This is being carried out by Writtle College’s Postharvest Unit. Dr Chris Bishop, from the College commented:

“We are delighted to be involved in this project. The project will draw on our expertise in packaging testing, evaluation and shelf life replication. We will be able to understand if the quality of the product is affected and the number of extra days that can be achieved through the use of this smart packaging.”

Launched in November 2004, WRAP’s Waste Minimisation Innovation Fund represents a major opportunity for the retail sector to access support to help kick- start new thinking in packaging design. So far, the initiative has received widespread support from within the sector and has approved 28 projects with combined funding of £4.2m, and the potential to deliver a reduction of over 500,000 tonnes of household waste. This is assuming they prove to be successful and the findings are taken up as standard practice across the retail sector.

A further funding call was announced last month. Applications are open until the 31st March for expressions of interest on Food Waste projects, and 20th April for Packaging Innovation tenders.

WRAP’s Innovation Fund Manager, Mike Robey, said: “We are pleased to be supporting a potentially significant packaging solution which could have a major impact on reducing food waste. We are keen to encourage more developments in this area, and would invite others with innovative ideas to consider applying for funding from our Innovation Fund.”

Further information and downloadable tender documents are available from WRAP: www.wrap.org.uk/innovationfund