On the Green Packaging of Green Food (I)

China's green food production has made great progress in recent years, and green food consumption has become a trend. However, in great harmony with it, many green foods do not have corresponding green packaging, and a considerable proportion of foods are still in use today. Disposable foam plastic trays, transparent plastic packaging films or PVC plastic bags for packaging. Due to various reasons, there is no uniform requirement for the product packaging of green food production companies. Most green foods do not use green packaging, and some even use toxic and hazardous substances for packaging. Green packaging has become a barrier for developed countries to prevent Chinese goods from entering the international market. Therefore, it is imperative to promote “green packaging” in the packaging industry in China. According to relevant experts' forecasts, green foods will dominate the global market in the next 10 years. Good green packaging is a green food pass. It has important practical significance for shaping green food brands and ensuring the quality of green foods.

1 Concept

“Green food” refers to pollution-free, safe, high-quality, nutritious foods that comply with the rules of eco-economy and sustainable development, are produced according to specific production methods, and are certified by the China Green Food Center and are licensed to use green food labels. It is divided into A grade and AA grade. Grade A green food refers to the use of limited quantities of chemical fertilizers in the production process, in which the content of harmful chemical components does not exceed a certain amount and is harmless to the human body; AA grade green foods absolutely do not use any chemical products and additives. Green food has three characteristics compared to general foods:

(1) Emphasize that the product comes from the best ecological environment: Green food production starts from the ecological environment of the raw material production area, and it is determined whether or not it has the basic conditions for ecological green food through strict monitoring of the raw material production area and its surrounding ecological environment factors.

(2) Quality control of the whole process of the product: Green food production implements full quality control from land to table. Through environmental monitoring and raw material testing during the prenatal period, implementation of specific production and processing procedures in the production process, and product quality, hygiene indicators, packaging, preservation, transportation, storage, and sales control during the post-production period to ensure the overall product of green food. Quality, and increase the technical content of the entire production process.

(3) Mark management of products according to law: The green food mark is a quality certification mark, which belongs to the category of intellectual property and is protected by the “PRC Trademark Law”. “Green packaging” refers to packaging that is harmless to the ecological environment and human health, can be reused and recycled, and can promote sustainable development. Green packaging meets the “4R + 1D” principle, that is, low consumption, development of new green materials, Reuse, recycle and degrade.

2 Status

2.1 There is no uniform requirement

Most green foods in real life do not use green packaging, some green food packaging does not meet the general standards, and even some toxic and hazardous substances are used as packaging materials. A considerable part of the green food production enterprises' requirements for external packaging only stay in line with the national General standards for food labels.

2.2 The widespread phenomenon of paper packaging

For example, the carton containing milk (paper cups) uses a large number of whitened papers. Most of the whitened papers have undergone the treatment of fluorescent brighteners in the production process. The fluorescent whitening agent is a chemical substance with strong carcinogenic activity. Although it can act as a bleaching fiber, it has a very toxic effect on humans and animals.

2.3 Printing ink pollution is serious

In order to attract consumers' attention, many companies like to use colored wrapping paper to package foods, which creates opportunities for contact between colored inks and foods. In addition, some high-grade foods use tin foil packaging, and some of the tin foils contain more lead than health permits. Lead is recognized as the "killer" of acute and chronic heavy metal poisoning. Therefore, paper packaging does not mean the use of "green packaging."

2.4 more plastic bags

PVC is a commonly used plastic, but additives are used in its production. For example, dibutyl phthalate is used as a plasticizer. Packaging foods with this material will lead to chronic lead poisoning; polyvinyl chloride Products will also release toxic gases such as hydrogen chloride at high temperatures. Therefore, plastic products added with plasticizers and antioxidants are not suitable for green food packaging.

3 types and options

Green packaging material means that it can save resources and energy in the process of production, use, scrapping and recycling, and can be quickly and naturally degraded or reused after being discarded. It will not destroy the ecological balance, but also has a wide range of sources, low energy consumption, and easy Recycling and regeneration of materials or materials with high recycling rates. When the green packaging material is used as a food packaging material, higher requirements are imposed on it: it must not only satisfy the basic functions (protectiveness, convenience) of the packaging, but also be harmless to the human body or have a certain health care effect. With the continuous development of science and technology, more and more types of green packaging materials are used for green foods. According to their components and sources can be roughly divided into the following categories.

3.1 Degradable materials

A degradable material is a plastic that changes its chemical structure in a specific environment that causes a loss of performance over a specific period of time. It can be degraded and reduced by microorganisms or ultraviolet rays after use, and eventually returns to nature in non-toxic form. The degradable materials can be divided into the following types according to the mechanism of their generation:

3.1.1 Biodegradable materials Currently used mainly refers to completely biodegradable materials. It uses mainly natural polymer materials such as starch as raw materials. For example, biodegradable lunch boxes made from wheat straw, rice straw, and sucrose are typical green packaging, but Its high price inhibits its application in the food industry.

3.1.2 Photodegradable materials Polyketone materials are representatives of photodegradable materials, such as alternating copolymers of carbon monoxide and single olefins, followed by addition of other olefins and vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylates, etc. as the third component. Metacopolymers are good packaging materials for food and beverages.

3.1.3 Biocleaving Plastic bio-disrupting plastic is an incomplete biodegradable material made of existing plastics and biodegradable macromolecules coexisting. At present, biodegradable food packaging bags developed with starch as the main raw material have already been put on the market. Low-density polyethylene is used as the main raw material, and packaging films made of specially processed corn starch and other auxiliary materials have also been widely used for meat. Packaging for class, soy products and other foods. (to be continued)