Food packaging technologies play a primary role in the modern food industry. Packaging technology has to balance containing and protecting food functions with other issues, including providing consumers with main information, energy and material costs, social and environmental consciousness.

The course of Materials for food packaging aims to introduce:

1. The basic principles of modern food packaging technologies
2. The main industrial products and processes related to food packaging materials
3. The basic principles of materials selection for food packaging and food industry
4. The main regulations for food packaging sector

At the end of the teaching, students must show to possess:

1. Technical knowledge, related to:

1.1. The industrial scenario and the technical needs of the food packaging industry

1.2. The materials, their main physical and chemical properties, the transport phenomena, and their effects on food

1.3. The materials selection criteria for food packaging 

1.4. The ability to solve a relevant technical problem in food packaging industry related to materials selection

2. General ability, related to:

2.1. Organize a technical text to present the solution to a case-study problem

2.2. Research, collect and critical evaluate data and technical informatio

2.3. Present, both in written and oral form, the reselts of a technical solution developed.

The course will be divided into the following modules, organized into lectures, seminars and group-works. 

1. An introduction on the basic concepts of food packaging technology:

1.1. Hystorical overview and main industrial figures of food packaging technology

1.2. General aspects: the functions of packaing

1.3. Technical terms

2. Materials for food packaging

2.1. Main physical properties of materials in food packaging

2.2. Main chemical properties  of materials in food packaging

2.3. Materials selection processes in food packaging

2.4. Classes of materials and their application in packaging:applications in industrial food products, processes of fabrication and role in food industry (metals, polymers and composites, ceramics and glasses, cellulosic materials)

3. Transport and diffusion phenomena in food packaging

3.1. Gas and vapour permeability: main parameters and effects on materials selection

3.2. Multilayer systems

3.3. Migration and regulations

4. Shelf life problems and methods of assessment

4.1. Introduction shelf life problems and shelf life packaging related problems

4.2. Food spoilage and microorganism control

4.2. Methods, assays, and devices for the study and detection of packaging-related shelf-life

Case studies

A part of the course will be based on seminars given by industrial experts. 

Materials for food packaging requires:

1. Basic knowledge on materials science and technology (Structure of materials and chemical bonds, materials classes, main materials properties).

2. A basic knowledg of transport phenomena

The final examen will be based on a case-study related to a food packaging materials problem in an industrial context. The case-studies will be proposed either by the instructor or by invited speakers at the end of each lesson.

The exam will consist of two parts:

1. A written report, to be submitted at least one week before the examination date;

2. An oral presentation, based on the selected case-study, supported by slides. At the end of the presentation, instructor will pose questions related to the presentation and to topics covered by the teaching.

The written report will assess:

1. The ability of the student to correctly define the the industrial scenario and the technical needs of the food packaging industry;

2. The ability to collect and critically evaluate information from literature, market and patents;

3. The ability to summarize results and present them in a technical/scientific report.

The oral examen will assess:

1. The quality of exposure and expertise in the use of specialized vocabulary;

2. The ability to discuss technical problems related to food packaging, by organizing discursively knowledge;

3. The level of general knowledge of the topics proposed during the teaching.

In Italian