Investigating the Effect of Packaging Materials on Food Storage Durability: Plastic, Paper, and Glass

Abstract

The research examines how different packaging materials including plastic boxes, glass jars and paper bags influence the spoilage and moisture retention of fresh fruits. The same storage conditions were applied to apples, oranges and bananas during their 12-day observation period to measure weight changes and spoilage signs. The results demonstrated that plastic boxes provided the best protection against moisture loss and decay while paper bags proved to be the least effective. The protection level of glass jars was below expectations, possibly due to imperfect sealing. The research demonstrates that packaging material selection strongly affects the preservation of fruits. The research provides useful guidance for choosing packaging materials according to storage requirements and sustainability objectives.

Biographies

Person 1

Szeyu Chen is a first-year student in the Vantage Science program at the University of British Columbia.Her research focuses on the effect of packaging on food storage. She is personally interested in this topic because she is curious about the impact of extended storage time on food kept in different types of containers.

Person 2

Chenyan Zhang is a first-year student in Vantage One Science at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the effects of different packaging on food storage. She looks forward to learning more about how various packaging influences the extended storage time of food.

Person 3

Jiamin Lu is a first-year student in the Vantage One Science program at the University of British Columbia.Her research investigates the effect of plastic, paper, and glass as packaging materials on food storage durability, focusing on how each material influences moisture retention and spoilage in fruits. She is personally interested in this topic because her daily observations have shown that different types of packaging can significantly affect the freshness and spoilage rate of fruits. She hopes to better understand the science behind packaging and its role in everyday food preservation.