752325 Food packaging technology


Type
Lecture and exercise
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Krauter, Victoria
Organisation
Offered in
Sommersemester 2025
Languages of instruction
Englisch, Deutsch

Content

• General introduction to food packaging technology (history, definitions, packaging functions, facts and figures)
• Packaging requirements of different food types (deteriorative reactions in foods, shelf life, hygiene)
• Packaging trends
- Sustainability and packaging including life cycle assessment, circular economy, plastics strategy etc.
- Prevention and reduction of food losses and food waste via appropriate packaging
- Active and intelligent packaging
- Modified atmosphere packaging
- Other trends including safety, digitalization, individualization, design etc.
• Packaging materials (facts and figures, production process, life cycle, application examples)
- Plastics, Bioplastics
- Metals
- Glass
- Fiber based packaging (paper and board)
- Laminates
- Other materials including wood, edible, biodegradable and renewable materials
• Packaging printing and labeling
• Packaging closures and sealing
• Packaging process
• Legislative and safety aspects
• Packaging specifications
• Quality management
• Packaging testing (chemical, microbiological, physical, destructive, non-destructive)
• Packaging design process

Previous knowledge expected

Essentials of food processing and food technology

Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

Students...
• know and understand primary and secondary functions of packaging and are able to characterize them. Moreover, they understand sustainability aspects of packaging and can explain the role of packaging in preventing food losses and food waste
• are familiar with glass, paper and board, metal, plastics and laminates as packaging materials and can assess which material or packaging solution is suited for a certain food packaging application
• know and understand packaging processes for liquid and solid foods
• know and understand current packaging trends including active and intelligent packaging solutions
• are able to initiate and promote a packaging design or improvement process taking relevant factors into account
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.