November/December 2024 - 15

SUSTAINABILITY
Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the University of
Florida to implement the program.
" USDA wanted to form these innovation labs to come up
with new designs for packaging for specialty crop exports, "
James Sternberg, assistant professor - sustainable packaging
in Clemson's Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging
Sciences, told Produce Processing. " The new regulations in
Canada and Europe that respond to plastic waste and the
need for increased PCR (post-consumer recycled material)
in packaging, as well as getting rid of one-time use
packaging - all of that is the basis for setting up the
sustainable innovation packaging labs. "
Requests for proposals will be published in early 2025,
Sternberg said, and FFAR will handle the selection process.
Clemson will guide the chosen projects in " kind of a virtual
lab where all of these projects will be going on at home
institutions, " Sternberg said.
" The idea is to do pilot projects, to do commercialization
projects, even some fundamental research, all trying to
come up with new types of materials and new types of
packaging that meet these new regulations. "
The project builds on three years of IFPA's Fresh Field
Catalyst Accelerator program, which works to scale up
industry innovation. The labs will research and explore
packaging options to help the specialty crop industry
continue to supply international markets while lessening
reliance on single-use plastics.
" The packaging and labeling requirements for export
markets are changing at a rapid pace, " Max Teplitski, IFPA
chief science officer, said in a late October news release
announcing the innovation labs. " This investment from the
USDA will turbocharge the development and scale-up of
innovative packaging compliant with emerging global
packaging regulations.
" Our partnership with FFAR, University of Florida and
Clemson University is exactly what the industry - and
frankly the consumers as well - need to continue to remove
barriers to trade and access to fresh fruits, vegetables,
berries and nuts. "
A CHANGING LANDSCAPE
Several new packaging and labeling regulations have been
introduced in recents years in the U.S., Canada, the United
Kingdom, Australia and the EU.
First implemented in the EU, Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) laws make producers of any product on
the market, including packaging and packaging waste,
responsible for the lifecycle of their products. In 2021 and
PRODUCE PROCESS ING
15

November/December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2024

Editor's Letter
Adapting to change
In the thick of things
Innovative path to sustainability
For the greater good
Premium pineapples
Innovation Spotlight
Sustainability showcase
Advertiser Index/Calendar/Right Now On
November/December 2024 - 1
November/December 2024 - 2
November/December 2024 - 3
November/December 2024 - Editor's Letter
November/December 2024 - 5
November/December 2024 - Adapting to change
November/December 2024 - 7
November/December 2024 - 8
November/December 2024 - 9
November/December 2024 - 10
November/December 2024 - 11
November/December 2024 - In the thick of things
November/December 2024 - 13
November/December 2024 - Innovative path to sustainability
November/December 2024 - 15
November/December 2024 - 16
November/December 2024 - 17
November/December 2024 - 18
November/December 2024 - 19
November/December 2024 - For the greater good
November/December 2024 - 21
November/December 2024 - 22
November/December 2024 - 23
November/December 2024 - Premium pineapples
November/December 2024 - 25
November/December 2024 - Innovation Spotlight
November/December 2024 - 27
November/December 2024 - Sustainability showcase
November/December 2024 - 29
November/December 2024 - 30
November/December 2024 - Advertiser Index/Calendar/Right Now On
November/December 2024 - 32
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