Sensory aspects of food packaging: Applications of sensory methods for food packaging issues like shelf life, off-odours and consumer attitudes

Approximately 90% of food products in a supermarket are sold as packed. The packaging has multi-functions, such as protecting the product from spoilage and off-odours from the environment, physical protection of the product during transport, and as an information provider about ingredients, nutrition, brand etc. Concurrently, depending of the product, many demands are made on the packaging material itself as well as on the design of the packaging. The packaging has to be consumer-oriented and convenient, it should not cause any taints to the packed product, it should function at different temperatures and storage conditions, and it is should be environmentally correct. Sensory methods are vital tools in evaluating, controling and documenting the effect of the properties of packaging materials on the food. Similarly consumer tests are central in evaluating consumer preferences or attitudes towards different features of food packagings. The workshop will focus on sensory aspects of food packagings. The workshop will consist of short introductory lectures followed by group discussion. Each of the three talks cover important functions of packaging materials of food: 1) The packaging protecting food from external influences 2) The packaging improving the shelf life of the product by e.g. freshness indicators or MAP 3) The packaging for marketing and as an information provider The topics of the group discussions are related to these three subjects of the lectures. The discussions are guided by moderators in each group. Conclusions of the groups will be presented in the plenum at the end of the workshop.