Perishable products are defined as goods that have a short shelf life or spoil easily. These include fresh foods, dairy products, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals [1]. It is important to keep this in mind when designing packaging for perishable products, as the risk of spoilage is higher than for non-perishable products. In addition, perishable products are generally consumed or applied to the body, and therefore regularly come into contact with sensitive areas. These issues mean that perishable products pose real health risks to consumers when they are improperly packaged. Governments strive to prevent these health risks by implementing regulations governing the packaging, storage, and shipping requirements for perishable products.
In the European Union and the United States, government agencies oversee the design and production of packaging for perishable foods. In the EU, the European Commission is responsible for drafting this legislation, and in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) handles it. Both regulatory bodies have similar legislation that focuses on: what can come into contact with food, manufacturing practices, the use of prohibited substances, and material-specific regulations. Furthermore, both agencies agree that the role of food packaging is to protect food products from external influences and damage, to contain food, and to provide consumers with information on ingredients and nutritional value. If packaging does not meet these requirements, it should not be permitted on the market [2,3,4].
External influences and damage to perishable foods take the form of biological, chemical, and physical threats. Biological threats are the ones we hear about most often. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 48 million Americans fall ill each year due to biological contamination of food [9]. This contamination is often caused by unsanitary conditions in home and restaurant kitchens, as well as by contaminated prepackaged foods. The three types of biological hazards are bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Bacteria are the most common because they can multiply very quickly and require nutrients to survive (which come from food). Bacteria require different conditions to survive, but they generally need temperatures between 41 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit and water [5,6]. If the packaging is broken or poorly designed, it can allow water to seep in, which promotes the growth of bacteria. Government regulations limiting what can come into contact with packaged food help prevent this problem.
Chemical and physical threats are often easier to detect than biological threats. Physical threats are primarily sharp or unwanted objects found inside packaging. The most common cause is a manufacturing issue or defective packaging that breaks during shipping. Government regulations governing manufacturing and material-specific issues address these problems. Chemical contamination can stem from various sources. Two of the most common sources of chemical contamination are harmful compounds present in packaging materials that leach into food and the interaction of food with the container itself [5,6]. EU and FDA regulations on prohibited substances protect against these risks.
Even though there is a long list of advantages to governments exercising strong oversight of food packaging, some people still argue against it. The arguments against this type of legislation stem mostly from an economic perspective and are not directed against the actual health protection it provides. At the broadest level, people argue that too much government regulation disrupts the marketplace and creates economic winners and losers among companies. Additionally, regulations inevitably lead to unintended consequences that can be very damaging. Generally, stronger government oversight means more restrictions on the manufacturing process, design, and materials used. This can negatively impact companies in many ways, such as requiring the use of more expensive materials, necessitating investments in new packaging designs, and the need to hire additional employees to ensure regulatory compliance. Each of these examples forces companies to spend more money, which they eventually have to pass on in the price of their product. This usually makes their product less appealing to consumers. Lastly, it is often argued that excessive regulation can make it difficult for domestic companies to compete with foreign companies from countries with less stringent government oversight [7,8].
There is no clear-cut line that determines when government regulation is excessive. In the case of packaging for perishable foods, many people believe that consumer safety is the most important factor to consider. This means that more regulation is better than less, given the high stakes for consumers. Government involvement helps prevent and reduce the risk of biological, chemical, and physical contamination. If there is too little oversight, the already high number of people who fall ill from foodborne illnesses will undoubtedly increase.
References
[1] "Review of RFID Applications in Perishable Inventory Management" (retrieved April 2019), by IGI Global.
[2] "Legislation on the Chemical Safety of Food Contact Materials" (accessed April 2019), by the European Union.
[3] "Food Packaging Regulation in Europe (2013)," by Charlotte Wagner
[4] "Food Packaging Regulation in the US (2013), " by Charlotte Wagner
[5] "Food Packaging -- Roles, Materials, and Environmental Issues," by Kenneth Marsh and Betty Bugusu, Ph.D.
[6] "Causes and Prevention of Foodborne Illness" (accessed April 2019) , by the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island.
[7] "Government Regulation: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly" (retrieved April 2017), by the Regulatory Transparency Project of the Federalist Society.
[8] “Handbook of Industrial Organization” (accessed April 2013), by Paul L. Joskow and Nancy Lin Rose.
[9] "Burden of Foodborne Illness: Findings" (accessed May 2019) , by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
