Center for Food & Pharmaceutical Packaging Research (CFPPR)
The Center for Food and Pharmaceutical Packaging Research explores new opportunities in packaging of food and pharmaceutical products. In the Center, the objective is to build a scientific base for making packaging decisions. Therefore, the research is medium to long term.
Research Faculty
The Center's interdisciplinary research draws on the diverse backgrounds of the faculties of the School of Packaging and the departments of Food Science, Agricultural Engineering, Biomechanics, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Human Medicine and Statistics, among others.
Research Facilities
Ten laboratories in the school and other departments are used for research. The School's Mass Transport Laboratory is uniquely equipped for research in permeability of packages, shelf life of packaged products and product/package compatibility. Our researchers use specialized analysis instrumentation such as mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron microscopy and spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry.
Benefits to Participating Companies
Members have access to a pool of potential employees trained in packaging research techniques.
Member companies help prioritize research projects; they also advise the Center's directors on budget and management matters.
Members have priority on distribution of all research results.
Member companies have access to highly specialized expertise, facilities and instrumentation in the School and in cooperating departments.
Multiple sponsorship maximizes limited research resources; individual resources are leveraged by the total funding. Companies who use the broad knowledge developed can increase their competitive advantage in specific proprietary product/package systems.
Operating Environment
Representatives from member companies prioritize research projects and advise the Center's directors on matters related to budget and management. Meetings are held twice a year, when the research staff makes oral and written presentations. Sponsors' representatives offer constructive criticism to the research staff. Every project has a closing date after a year of operation. Extensions must be approved by the Center sponsors and directors. Each project is designed to be a complete study in its own right, even though it may be an integral part of a more general research program.
Financial Participation
Member companies contribute $9,000.00 per year to support the work of the Center. Membership money supports the research projects selected by the members and the directors.
Invitation to Membership
Your company is invited to join. Contact the director and ask for an invitation to membership. We will send current information about the Center's activities along with an invoice for the first year's membership.
Joint Membership
Companies can take advantage of the opportunities in both the Center for Food and Pharmaceutical Packaging Research and the Consortium for Distribution Packaging Research at a reduced rate. The joint membership fee is $14,500.00 per year; individual memberships would total $17,500.00.
Current Research Topics
Product/Package Compatibility
- Permeation of organic vapor mixtures through plastics
- Solubility of organic volatiles in plastics
- Migration of contaminants from post consumer recycled plastics
Product Quality and Safety
- Detection of pathogens in packaged products using the electronic nose
- Modeling of contaminant transfer from recycled HDPE
- Role of packaging in controlling light induced oxidation in packaged products
Analytical Methods Development
- Development of an electronic nose method to detect off flavor contaminants in packaged products
- Correlation between analytical and sensory analyses based on electronic olfactory sensing (electronic nose)
- Development of a test protocol for evaluating the ability of functional barriers to prevent migration of contaminants from post consumer recycled plastics
- Development of instrumentation and methods for measurement of label legibility
- Gravimetric and isostatic measurement of solubility of organic volatiles in plastics
Application of Materials Science to Food and Pharmaceutical Packaging
- Effect of reaction processing conditions on the physical, morphological and barrier properties of PET/PEN blends
- Development of edible films possessing antimicrobial properties
- Milk and wheat protein based edible films
- Vitamin E impregnation of packaging materials
- Physical and barrier properties of metallocene polyoelfins
- Effect of high pressure processing of plastic-packaged foods on the mass transfer and mechanical characteristics of the package
- Lipid oxidation in products packaged in antioxidant impregnated laminated film structures
Estimation of Product Shelf-life by Mathematical Modeling
- Shelf-life modeling of moisture sensitive products
- Shelf-life modeling of oxygen sensitive juice products
Human Factors in Consumer Use of Packages
- Effect of color contrast on legibility of package labels
- Effect of type size and font on legibility of package labels
- How to specify label legibility
Solid Waste Management
Dr. Susan Selke, Acting Director
School of Packaging
Michigan State University
E. Lansing, MI 48824-1223
517-353-4891
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