On August 1, 2024, scientists from the FitNESS 2.0 project published a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Chemical Education that outlines the project’s e-learning platform. The platform is an educational initiative to address the challenges of creating responsible food packaging that is both safe and sustainable. Funded by the European Commission through the ERASMUS+ program, the FitNESS platform aims to provide interdisciplinary training for students and professionals involved in food packaging.
The platform was developed by eleven different European institutions, and it is completely open-source and can be accessed anywhere for free.
Food packaging plays a crucial role in food safety and shelf life, but it also contributes to environmental pollution and food contamination. The FitNESS platform offers a comprehensive approach to food packaging education by integrating knowledge from chemistry, materials science, food science, toxicology, sustainability, and packaging design. It includes both basic and advanced courses tailored for various users, covering topics such as health risk assessments, eco-design, life cycle tools, and circular economy principles.
FitNESS 2.0 is particularly focused on addressing the shift toward a circular economy. It highlights the importance of the waste hierarchy and designing packaging that is reusable and recyclable, while also managing the risks associated with recycled materials, such as chemical contamination.
Reference
Vitrac O. et al. (2024) "FitNESS: An e-learning platform to design safe and responsible food packaging." Journal of Chemical Education. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00137
Comments