Plastic Food Packaging: Perceptions and Attitudes of Portuguese Consumers about Environmental Impact and Recycling

The use of plastics for packaging has some advantages, since they are flexible and inexpensive. However, most plastics are of single use, which, combined with low recycling or reuse ratios, contributes substantially to environmental pollution. This work is part of a project studying the habits of Portuguese citizens concerning plastic food packaging and focuses on aspects related to sustainability. The survey was carried out via an online questionnaire about sustainability, recycling, and knowledge of the effects of plastic materials or their residues on the environment. The results were obtained based on a statistical analysis of the data. The participants tend to think about the negative impact of plastic packages on the environment; 39% sometimes do not buy plastic; and 30% try to look for alternatives. A substantial fraction, 81%, support the avoidance of plastic utensils and reduction in the use of plastic bags. Most participants have a good knowledge of recycling and strongly agree with the use of recycled materials, and 87% of respondents practice separation of different types of waste for recycling. Changing plastic consumption habits has not been an easy task. Nevertheless, it is expected that society will increasingly move toward sustainable habits, questioning its actions and considering their impact on the environment.

Peranan Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan dalam Perlindungan Konsumen Terhadap Obat Racikan Apotek Tanpa Resep Dokter

The rise of pharmaceutical business actors, in this case, is a pharmacy, in selling concoction drugs without a doctor's prescription in several regions in Indonesia causing losses in consumers. Consumer protection is regulated in Act Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection, then consumer rights in the health sector are recognized by Act Number 36 of 2009 concerning Health. Both of these regulations require that at least the consumer is guaranteed his right to use the drug, including comprehensive information related to the drug obtained at the Pharmacy. This is not heeded by a number of pharmacies in Indonesia who pack concoction drugs in plastic packages and do not meet the information standards that must be listed. BPOM as an institution that is given authority in law enforcement for drug distribution that is not in accordance with standards can take product withdrawal as well as administrative sanctions against business actors. In addition, the Consumer Protection Act provides a platform for consumers who are disadvantaged to be able to file liability through the Consumer Dispute Resolution Agency (BPSK).Keywords: BPOM; BPSK; Compounding Drugs; Consumer Protection.AbstrakMaraknya pelaku kegiatan usaha kefarmasian, dalam hal ini adalah apotek, dalam menjual obat racikan tanpa resep dokter di beberapa daerah di Indonesia menimbulkan kerugian-kerugian dalam diri konsumen. Perlindungan konsumen diatur dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 8 Tahun 1999 tentang Perlindungan Konsumen, kemudian mengenai hak konsumen dalam bidang kesehatan diakui oleh Undang-Undang Nomor 36 Tahun 2009 tentang Kesehatan. Kedua peraturan tersebut mengharuskan setidaknya konsumen terjamin hak nya dalam penggunaan obat, termasuk pula informasi lengkap terkait obat yang didapatkan di Apotek. Hal ini tidak diindahkan oleh beberapa apotek di Indonesia yang mengemas obat racikan dalam kemasan plastik dan tidak memenuhi standar informasi yang harus dicantumkan. BPOM sebagai lembaga yang diberi kewenangan dalam penegakan hukum terhadap peredaran obat yang tidak sesuai dengan standar dapat melakukan tindakan penarikan produk serta sanksi administratif kepada pelaku usaha. Selain itu, UU Perlindungan Konsumen memberikan wadah bagi konsumen yang dirugikan untuk dapat mengajukan pertanggung gugatan melalui Badan Penyelesaian Sengketa Konsumen (BPSK).Kata Kunci: BPOM; BPSK; Obat Racikan; Perlindungan Konsumen.

Shelf life extension of peach palm heart packed in different plastic packages

ABSTRACT Peach palm heart (Bactris gasipaes) is a highly perishable product and, therefore, studies on extending its shelf life are quite necessary. Considering the high demand of this vegetable, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of using different plastic packages in order to extend the shelf life of the peach palm heart in natura. Stipes were collected from plants grown on family farms located in the municipality of Seropédica-RJ. Stipes were peeled, sanitized and packed at the Post-harvest Laboratory in Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ). In this experiment, the following treatments were applied: a control without package (C), unperforated polyethylene bag (UPB), perforated polyethylene bag (PPB), microperforated polyethylene bag (MPPB), and styrofoam tray + plastic film (STPF). The material was stored in a cold chamber under controlled temperature (5±2oC) for 24 days and then at room temperature (28±2oC) on the 25th day. Physical, chemical and visual evaluations were carried out for 25 days, with samples submitted to evaluations at 0 (initial characterization), 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 25 days of storage. Microbiological evaluations were performed for 18 days, with samples submitted to evaluations at 0, 8, and 16 days of storage. The results indicate that using plastic package combined with refrigeration was efficient in extending the shelf life of in natura peach palm hearts, by reducing fresh mass loss, maintaining visual quality and reducing sample contamination. The PPB, UPB and MPPB packages showed good performance considering the shelf life extension of the packed vegetable. Thus, we recommend the acquisition of cheaper packages, so that smallholder farmers could obtain higher profitability.

DNA Cleavage and Chemical Transformation of Nano-plastics Mediated by Surface Ligand and Size

Plastic packages and masks have been excessively used, particularly after the onset of COVID-19. Nano-plastics will very likely be fragmented and formed more than before into the aquatic environment. However,...

Storage of Amaranth Seeds: Reflex in Physiologic Potential

The aimed to evaluate the effect of packages and different environment conditions in the maintenance of physiologic quality of Amaranthus cruentus seeds in the period of 300 days. The seeds used were from the cultivar BRS Alegria indicated for use in Brazilian winter. The experimental design completely randomized in factorial scheme (storage environment × package type × storage period) with four replicates. The amaranth seeds storage in plastic packages, in refrigerator and cold chamber, resulted in better germination maintenance ability. The conditioning in PET package, in natural and cold chamber environments promoted better results in relation to germination. The storage period did not present significant effect for the seeds stored in refrigerator and PET, although, for paper package there was reduction. The amaranth seeds, cv. BRS Alegria, can be stored in cold chamber for until 300 days, conditioned in PET, without reduction of its physiologic potential.

Effect of Sodium Trimetaphosphate on Chitosan-Methylcellulose Composite Films: Physicochemical Properties and Food Packaging Application

Environmentally friendly food packaging currently attracts much interest. Sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) finds specialized applications in food, but it is rarely used as a crosslinking agent. In this study, STMP was used as a crosslinking agent to prepare chitosan/methylcellulose composite films. Both antibacterial and physicochemical properties of the composite film were improved by crosslinking with STMP. The crosslinked films, with good antibacterial activity (~99%), had increased tensile strength, a higher elongation at break, a lower swelling ratio and solubility, and a lower enzymatic degradation than the non-crosslinked films. Furthermore, the crosslinked films showed an excellent preservative effect on fresh-cut wax gourd after three days at room temperature. The obtained films crosslinked by STMP can be potentially applied to the food industry, such as food functional packaging, providing a novel alternative to traditional plastic packages.