A Holistic Packaging Efficiency Evaluation Method for Loss Prevention in Fresh Vegetable Cold Chain

Abstract

With the continuous push for improving packaging efficiency of current packaging practices to prevent losses in a real cold chain, a holistic evaluation method with improved indicators and a conceptual assessment framework to improve packaging efficiency continuously in a fresh vegetable cold chain was proposed. Based on two fresh leafy vegetables with typical packaging practices in a real cold chain in China, the evaluation method was performed and tested from a macro perspective, and then the packaging efficiency constitution with loss prevention perspective was better visualized. The results show that the method can be used for improving the performance of specific packaging efficiency in the fresh vegetable cold chain and improving the suggestions' sustainability orientation, and systematically summarize their impacts on packaging efficiency; specifically as follows: (1) Since the correlation between the state of fresh vegetables and the environmental stress in the package, the performance of the micro-environment parameters should be given priority for packaging efficiency improvement in loss prevention. (2) Although the use of the packaging materials in current practices was relatively better, it still can improve in food safety and packaging sustainability of the packaging practices through the selection of packaging materials with better sustainability characteristics. (3) Via the visualization of targeted packaging efficiency in cold chain, the fluctuation of loss rates in the cold chain process are well perceived, and there are still room can be performed continuously to realize more efficient packaging for better loss prevention. (4) The method has drawbacks that the optimization of the weights to the given indicators and the indicators based on nutrition and quality of fresh produce was not considered in current research, and it should be strengthened in future research. (5) It is necessary that the perception of differences in targeted packaging efficiency and the consciousness to improve specific packaging efficiency in vegetable cold chain for sustainability.Sustainability 2019, 11, 3874 2 of 18 and quality loss in the packaging [6,7] that the monitoring and controlling the process environment in vegetable cold chain can reduce losses. Losses during the cold chain contribute a lot to the losses of green produce in the cold chain. For example, losses in storage accounted for about 15-20% and in distribution about 5-10% for vegetable [3], which has an undesirable impact on the environment and resources [8], as well as social welfare in China. Increasing demand for fresh produce and the severity of food losses force us to turn to a safer and greener vegetable cold chain. Thus, responding to these issues in cold chain practices, packaging, and ongoing improvement in loss prevention [9] is imperative.Efficient packaging practices are the crux for preservation and processes management, including storage and distribution, which effectively reduce the loss and securing safety of fresh vegetables [10] in co...

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