Introduction

Sustainable and smart packaging solutions are becoming increasingly important in today's world, as businesses and consumers alike are seeking more environmentally friendly and efficient packaging options. In the EU, the food contact materials for packaging are subject to severe regulations, ensuring safety for consumers. Materials such as plastics, metals, ceramics, paper and paperboard are commonly used for the manufacturing of food packaging, but also for kitchenware, cutlery and food processing equipment. The safety of such materials relies on insuring that during contact there is no migration of unsafe levels of chemical substances from the material to the food (JRC EURL-FCM, 2014). Even if packaging is responsible for 10.7 % of the embodied energy in the EU food consumption, according to Russel, 2014, improved packaging sustainability does not need to be achieved at the expense of quality. Moreover, good and long lasting packaging is an essential tool in minimising food waste and improving food durability, thus decreasing the overall energy consumption.