HSN106 Food Fundamentals For Environmental Consideration Assignment

operate. (3) The PE plastic used for the packaging of the  Pauls PhysiCAL no fat skim milk is recyclable as evident from the recyclable sign present over the plastic bottle. The main disadvantage of the plastic is, it is produced form the fossil fuels like natural gas, oil and coal. These fuels emit dangerous greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals polluting the environment. Plastic on decomposition produce methane gas, which is 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide and accounts for about 4% emissions from landfill. Plastic also impose threat to the marine life. Whales, turtles and other sea birds mistake this plastic rubbish as food. Upon consumption of this rubbish, plastic gets entangled inside their alimentary canal causing death or serious injuries. (4) 

Bannister Downs fresh milk is retailed in 1 litre pouch. (5) The pouch is fully recyclable and eco-friendly. It is made up of 60% calcium carbonate (limestone), which share similar composition to glass and hence capable of maintaining the freshness of the milk. (5) It also easy to dispose, it gets flattens when empty and is also easy to crush. The pouch can also be burnt safely with no emission of harmful gasses. Another advantage of this kind of packaging is, it is microwaveable. (5) 

Environmental Consideration of Packaging

The principal environmental impact of packaging is use of non-renewable materials like non-recycled plastics and implementation of polluting energy source. Other impacts include emission of harmful fluid, suspended solids, hazardous substance that contaminate land, reactive oxygen species, and ozone layer depleting greenhouse gas. The options for disposal of plastics are biodegradation, recycling, landfilling and incineration. Landfills demands space moreover, the energy contained and chemical constituents of plastic are lost in this disposal route. Incineration returns fractional energy from plastic production but produce, negative health and environmental impacts. (6)

Here in Pauls PhysiCAL no fat skim milk is made of recycled plastic but recycling is a plausible superior solution. Moreover, recycling plastic saves twice the amount of energy that is used for burning incinerator. Moreover, energy saved via recycling one plastic bottle is suitable for powering a computer for at least 25minutes. Recycling also has certain practical challenges like accurate sorting, high price of oil and the nature of the recycled plastic. Nevertheless, since it is recyclable and biodegradable, it prevents the threat of long-term environmental damage. However, biodegradation process is slow, disrupting current recycling stream. Disposal of PE plastic bottles in landfills is unsustainable and destroys land resources which are otherwise fit for farming. Incineration causes release of a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide and other air pollutants like dioxins and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). (6)

Bannister Downs fresh milk is packaged out of unspecified plastic that has a mixture of Calcium carbonate (CaCO3). CaCO3 is the principal mineral present in limestone, chalk and marble, and is readily available in all parts of the world. It is also the principal building block of shellfish, snails and eggshells. Calcium carbonate allows polymers to cool and heat fast, resulting in energy savings, improved productivity and faster film conversion. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) film manufactured via amalgamation with calcium carbonate reduces petrochemical and energy usage and thus offering significant environmental benefits. It also minimizes carbon footprint and impact of greenhouse gas on atmosphere. (7)

Food Products Labelling Requirement under Australian Legislation

Food labelling is done to educate the consumers about the nutritional content of the food. It also ensures that the food is safe and wholesome. Food labelling also prevents fraud or deception. According to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), a label is legal requirement of all packaged food. (8)

Table: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Labelling Parameters

Source: Created by Author 

Health claim states that there exist a relationship between the constituents of food and health. Health claims include:

Nutrient function claims: It describes the role of the nutrient in the growth physiological, development and normal body functions. Example: Food X is high on nutrient. (9)

Other function claims: These are concerned with the beneficial features of food consumption in the context of the total diet and normal biological activity of the body. These type of claims create positive contribution to health. Examples: “Substance A (name) and how it helps in improving one specific physiological process of the body. (9)

Reduction of disease risk claims: Composition of the food and how the ingredients provide immunogenic protection against certain disease. The documentation of the risk claim must be sated in clear language with proper referencing. Examples: A Nutrient A in diet reduces the risk of disease D. Food X is low in nutrient or substance A. (9)

The labelling requirement in the domain of health claims is met by Pauls PhysiCAL no fat skim milk. It states that the milk have 40% extra calcium content than regular milk that promotes the absorption of Vitamin D and also acts as an calcium supplements. (2) However, there are no such specific health claims in Bannister Downs fresh milk. (5)

Nutritional Value of Food Products based on National Dietary Guidelines

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) is a food selection guide. It provided visually representation along with proportion of five different foods, which are recommended for daily consumption. 

Pauls PhysiCAL no fat skim milk is ultrafiltered skim milk, which is rich in vitamin D and scores high on calcium content. This ultrafiltered milk promotes faster calcium absorption than regular milk. (2) Bannister Downs fresh milk on the other hand is homogenised pasteurized milk and is rich in sodium (40mg per100 gram) and calcium (600mg per 100 gram).  There are however no specific nutritional benefits described over the carton. (5) 

References

1. Paine FA, Paine HY. A handbook of food packaging. Springer Science & Business Media; 2012 Dec 6.
2. Pauls - Home [Internet]. Pauls. 2017 [cited 27 September 2017]. Available from: https://www.pauls.com.au/
3. Ebnesajjad S, editor. Handbook of biopolymers and biodegradable plastics: properties, processing and applications. William Andrew; 2012 Dec 31.
4. Gewert B, Plassmann MM, MacLeod M. Pathways for degradation of plastic polymers floating in the marine environment. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts. 2015;17(9):1513-21.
5. Bannister Downs | Global Leaders in Ethical Dairy [Internet]. Bannisterdowns.com.au. 2017 [cited 27 September 2017]. Available from: https://bannisterdowns.com.au/
6. North EJ, Halden RU. Plastics and environmental health: the road ahead. Reviews on environmental health. 2013 Apr 1;28(1):1-8.
7. Sun S, Mao LB, Lei Z, Yu SH, Cölfen H. Hydrogels from Amorphous Calcium Carbonate and Polyacrylic Acid: Bio?Inspired Materials for “Mineral Plastics”. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 2016 Sep 19;55(39):11765-9.
8. Food Standards Australia New Zealand [Internet]. Foodstandards.gov.au. 2017 [cited 27 September 2017]. Available from: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
9. Nocella G, Kennedy O. Food health claims–What consumers understand. Food Policy. 2012 Oct 31;37(5):571-80.
10. Australian Guide to Healthy Eating | Eat For Health [Internet]. Eatforhealth.gov.au. 2017 [cited 27 September 2017]. Available from: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating