OTTAWA, ONTARIO - Minimizing plastic packaging waste is a leading priority of the fresh produce industry, and a study commissioned by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), has highlighted the critical role of packaging in fresh produce supply chains by quantifying the functionality of plastic packaging in fresh produce from a needs/benefit perspective.

“Canadian Produce Marketing Association is pleased to see the Government of Canada commission an industry-informed study which highlights the critical role and function that fresh produce packaging plays to ensure that high-quality fruits and vegetables are available to Canadians year-round,” said Ron Lemaire, President. “Consumers are requesting safe, affordable, and high-quality fresh produce which is only available when respective supply chains—and the critical packaging forms they rely upon—are readily accessible.”

However, initiatives in Canada have been undertaken without fully accounting for the critical functionality that fresh produce packaging provides to meet a wide array of important supply chain-related outcomes.

The Government study, “Quantifying the Functionality Importance of Plastic Packaging in Fresh Produce from a Needs/Benefit Perspective,” provides an innovative framework for describing the critical functionality provided by fresh produce packaging, including containment (seal integrity and physical robustness), convenient (portion control and ease of handling), and communication (storage and handling instructions, as well as traceability), a press release shared.

Additionally, the study’s functionality framework also captures one of the key functions provided by packaging: protection. This includes ensuring preservation and microbial control, as well as preventing contamination during transportation and storage.

For a deeper look into this study, including the impact of packaging on fresh produce affordability, click here.

AndNowUKnow will continue to report on packaging initiatives and updates from across North America, so keep clicking back.