Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality

This research builds a mathematical modelling to assess food waste production when designing sustainable packaging solutions integrated with an agricultural intervention in kale production. The model utilizes experimental data obtained from simulated retail and distribution storage conditions to ass...

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Main Authors: Francesco S. Giordano, Andrew Reynolds, Catherine M. Burgess, Lorraine Foley, Jesus M. Frias
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Current Research in Food Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927124002077
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author Francesco S. Giordano
Andrew Reynolds
Catherine M. Burgess
Lorraine Foley
Jesus M. Frias
author_facet Francesco S. Giordano
Andrew Reynolds
Catherine M. Burgess
Lorraine Foley
Jesus M. Frias
author_sort Francesco S. Giordano
collection DOAJ
description This research builds a mathematical modelling to assess food waste production when designing sustainable packaging solutions integrated with an agricultural intervention in kale production. The model utilizes experimental data obtained from simulated retail and distribution storage conditions to assess the probability of the product to be found out of technical specification and becoming waste. The packaging design was made using a system of differential equations describing the gas exchanges inside the packaging. The waste was estimated fitting linear mixed effect models to the postharvest experimental data, accounting for the variability between and within groups. A field experiment with kale treated with silicon during growth as a bio stimulant was used with the aim to make the product more resilient to packaging conditions. The Kale was then packaged in polylactic acid and oriented polypropylene for postharvest testing. Technological thresholds that indicate out-of-specification product were used to estimate the percentage of product that would likely end up as food waste. In total 7.2% of the product was found to be out of specification with the PLA film after 7 days. Silicon treatment was able to reduce this value to negligible, demonstrating the ability of agricultural interventions to facilitate sustainable packaging and reducing food waste in horticultural products.
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series Current Research in Food Science
spelling doaj-art-a92fa05a9a2f408ba4e5cf07a86b336c2025-08-20T02:49:49ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Food Science2665-92712024-01-01910088110.1016/j.crfs.2024.100881Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of qualityFrancesco S. Giordano0Andrew Reynolds1Catherine M. Burgess2Lorraine Foley3Jesus M. Frias4Sustainability Health Research Hub and School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Greenway Hub, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, IrelandSustainability Health Research Hub and School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Greenway Hub, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, IrelandDepartment of Food Safety, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, IrelandDept of Architecture Building and Environment, Technological University Dublin, City Campus, Bolton Street, Dublin, IrelandSustainability Health Research Hub and School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Greenway Hub, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, Ireland; Corresponding author.This research builds a mathematical modelling to assess food waste production when designing sustainable packaging solutions integrated with an agricultural intervention in kale production. The model utilizes experimental data obtained from simulated retail and distribution storage conditions to assess the probability of the product to be found out of technical specification and becoming waste. The packaging design was made using a system of differential equations describing the gas exchanges inside the packaging. The waste was estimated fitting linear mixed effect models to the postharvest experimental data, accounting for the variability between and within groups. A field experiment with kale treated with silicon during growth as a bio stimulant was used with the aim to make the product more resilient to packaging conditions. The Kale was then packaged in polylactic acid and oriented polypropylene for postharvest testing. Technological thresholds that indicate out-of-specification product were used to estimate the percentage of product that would likely end up as food waste. In total 7.2% of the product was found to be out of specification with the PLA film after 7 days. Silicon treatment was able to reduce this value to negligible, demonstrating the ability of agricultural interventions to facilitate sustainable packaging and reducing food waste in horticultural products.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927124002077Food wasteFood packagingMathematical modellingFruits and vegetablesSustainability
spellingShingle Francesco S. Giordano
Andrew Reynolds
Catherine M. Burgess
Lorraine Foley
Jesus M. Frias
Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality
Current Research in Food Science
Food waste
Food packaging
Mathematical modelling
Fruits and vegetables
Sustainability
title Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality
title_full Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality
title_fullStr Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality
title_full_unstemmed Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality
title_short Assessing baby leaf kale (Brassica oleracea) waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality
title_sort assessing baby leaf kale brassica oleracea waste production mitigation in the transition to sustainable packaging with the application of silicon through an integrative model of quality
topic Food waste
Food packaging
Mathematical modelling
Fruits and vegetables
Sustainability
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927124002077
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