Towards Sustainable Coffee Packaging: A Comparative Study of Current and Future Materials for Zoégas Coffee

Abstract

An important factor in preventing food waste is the ability to provide a product with a package according to its needs. The packaging material, in turn, needs to be recyclable in order to contribute to a circular use of materials rather than becoming waste. The aim of this thesis is to examine the difference between the current and future packaging material of coffee produced by Zoégas. The current plastic laminate consists of PE/SiOx/PET while the future laminate will consist of PE/EVOH/PP. The shelf life of coffee is determined by its sensory performance and its major factors for deterioration are volatile losses, oxidative reactions, and loss of moisture. The laminates used for the packaging will therefore be rated based on their performance as gas and water vapor barriers, as well as their environmental impact. A barrier calculator will be used for guidance and aid in the comparison between theoretical and experimental data to assess possible further use of theoretical tools.

The report has found that the change of materials is beneficial since the future material will offer a better oxygen barrier. No changes were found in its effect on moisture. While the future material is recyclable given current recycling technology, the current material is not. However, there is no current standard on the handling of collected plastic waste, meaning that not all collected plastic waste will come in contact with the recycling techniques required to process the future material. Although more experimental tests would be needed for comparisons, the results indicate that the barrier calculator can be a useful guideline for assessing packaging materials under different conditions. Finally, further work is needed to attain the optimal coffee packaging material, but an examination of currently relevant materials has been conducted through this thesis.

Popular Abstract

Can a change of plastic affect your cup of coffee?

Upon opening a new package of coffee, one is immediately greeted by the delightful aroma of ground coffee. No matter if you bought the package yesterday or several months ago, the aroma that sips out the moment that the seal is broken will probably fill you with the same joy.

This cherished characteristic is attributed to the packaging that has been developed specifically to keep the aroma and slight moisture inside, while effectively preventing oxygen ingress. Because no matter how dependent we are on both coffee and oxygen, the two do not really mix that well. This thesis project investigates the transition from one plastic packaging composition to another, analyzing the permeability of oxygen and moisture across the materials. The objective is to determine whether a substitution of plastic materials has any effect on the beloved product. The purpose of the change is to increase its recyclability and environmental effect, which is studied as well.
The packaging of Zoégas’ Skånerost consists of two components; a plastic laminate which directly covers and encloses the product, and a final decorative and informational paper wrapping. The plastic laminate is made up by three components, two of which will be replaced by Zoégas during the year 2023. Each one of these components have different properties, which contribute to the laminate material and product quality in unique ways. Since the shelf life of coffee is determined by its sensory profile, it is important that the package effectively prevents the loss of aroma and moisture and acts as a barrier towards oxygen. Thus, a comprehensive comparison has been conducted between the current and future packaging to ensure that the latter offers equivalent protection for the coffee. And thankfully for all Skånerost drinkers – it does. In addition, the future package not only meets the required standards but exhibits even lower oxygen transmission.
Although plastic often encounters skepticism and is criticized for excessive usage, it plays an important role of reducing food waste. The environmental impact of food waste is larger than that of the plastic packaging itself. Nonetheless, it is crucial to ensure that the plastic can be part of a circular system, where the old coffee package can be recycled and repurposed, perhaps ending up as your next pencil or chair. With existing recycling systems, the future plastic laminate will have a chance to be integrated into the circular system – a win, win situation if you ask me.

• author: Karlsson, Alexandra
• supervisor: Jenny Schelin; Åsa Halldén Björklund
• organization: Packaging Logistics
• alternative title: Mot en hållbar kaffeförpackning: En jämförande studie av nuvarande och framtida material för Zoégas kaffe
• course: MTTM10 20231
• year: 2023
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Technology and Engineering
• keywords: Food packaging, coffee, permeability, recyclability, shelf life.
• language: English
• id: 9127677
• date added to LUP: 2023-06-22 10:20:42
• date last changed: 2023-06-22 10:20:42