Optimizing packaging 449 where ir is the importance of a given package characteristic as evaluated by the food manufacturer of the product, ip is the mean rating for the importance of the package characteristic as evaluated by the packaging material manufacturers of the product, i is the importance of the package characteristic as evaluated by the wholesaler, and is is the mean importance of the package characteristic as evaluated by the independent specialist for the packaging technology and plastics industry. Since food manufacturers have a very significant role in the decision-making process in terms of package performance, applicability and functionality, the weighting of i with a coefficient of 0. 4 ensures that its influence on the coefficient I is the greatest. The significance of the influence of both the wholesaler and the packaging material manufacturers is rated as being quite important and so each of their importance scores is weighted with a coefficient value of 0. 25. The influence of the independent specialists is rated the lowest and the corresponding importance score is, therefore, weighted with a coefficient value of 0. 1. The coefficients used in eqn 3 were agreed between all the participants referred to above and VTT 21.3.6 Calculating the optimization result The score, s, given to each of the characteristics of the tested packages is multiplied by the corresponding coefficient, 1, given to these nine characteristics, where OR is the optimization result of a certain tested packag type(eqn 4) OR=s1·l1+s2·+s3·l3+..+s9·l9 It is also possible to ignore some characteristics, and calculate the optimization result with, for example, only seven characters. In fact, this is the case in the examples in the section 21. 4. That is, in an optimized package, the mechanical strength of a package and its suitability with respect to packaging standards ar considered as the essential requirements that all packages should fulfil before being launched. Therefore, these requirements can be ignored when calculating the optimization result. 21.4 Examples of food packaging optimization The following examples illustrate the using of the VTT Precision Packaging Concept. The foodstuff examples are gas-packed cheese slices, raw chicken legs roasted chicken balls and ham pizza 21.4.1 Gas-packed cheese slices Storage and packaging are particularly important factors for the shelf-life of cheese. There are some basic packaging requirements that are the same for all types of cheese: firstly, oxygen must be excluded to prevent mould growth andwhere if is the importance of a given package characteristic as evaluated by the food manufacturer of the product, ip is the mean rating for the importance of the package characteristic as evaluated by the packaging material manufacturers of the product, iw is the importance of the package characteristic as evaluated by the wholesaler, and is is the mean importance of the package characteristic as evaluated by the independent specialist for the packaging technology and plastics industry. Since food manufacturers have a very significant role in the decision-making process in terms of package performance, applicability and functionality, the weighting of if with a coefficient of 0.4 ensures that its influence on the coefficient I is the greatest. The significance of the influence of both the wholesaler and the packaging material manufacturers is rated as being quite important and so each of their importance scores is weighted with a coefficient value of 0.25. The influence of the independent specialists is rated the lowest and the corresponding importance score is, therefore, weighted with a coefficient value of 0.1. The coefficients used in eqn 3 were agreed between all the participants referred to above and VTT. 21.3.6 Calculating the optimization result The score, s, given to each of the characteristics of the tested packages is multiplied by the corresponding coefficient, I, given to these nine characteristics, where OR is the optimization result of a certain tested package type (eqn 4): OR ˆ s1
I1 ‡ s2
I2 ‡ s3
I3 ‡ . . . ‡ s9
I9 …4† It is also possible to ignore some characteristics, and calculate the optimization result with, for example, only seven characters. In fact, this is the case in the examples in the section 21.4. That is, in an optimized package, the mechanical strength of a package and its suitability with respect to packaging standards are considered as the essential requirements that all packages should fulfil before being launched. Therefore, these requirements can be ignored when calculating the optimization result. 21.4 Examples of food packaging optimization The following examples illustrate the using of the VTT Precision Packaging Concept. The foodstuff examples are gas-packed cheese slices, raw chicken legs, roasted chicken balls and ham pizza. 21.4.1 Gas-packed cheese slices Storage and packaging are particularly important factors for the shelf-life of cheese. There are some basic packaging requirements that are the same for all types of cheese: firstly, oxygen must be excluded to prevent mould growth and Optimizing packaging 449