Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

Region 1

School Division Office 1 Pangasinan

BINMALEY SCHOOL OF FISHERIES

Binmaley, Pangasinan

The Effect of Using Plastic in Preserving Food

A Thesis Proposal

Presented to

((Name of Teacher) of Name of Department))

Angel Ramos

Juvylene Bernardo

Lloyd Tenafrancia

Louie Sison

Luisa Castillo

Alyssa Mararac

Cris Marilyn Mararac

Rochelle Descalsota

Grade 12 - Home Economics (H.E) B

S.Y 2022 - 2023

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER 1

- Introduction

- Background Of the Study

- Scope And Delimitation

- Significance Of the Study

- Definition Of Terms

- Conceptual Framework

CHAPTER 2 (Review of Related Literature)

- Foreign Literature and Studies

- Local Literature and Studies

- Synthesis

CHAPTER 3 (Research Methodology)

- Research Design

- Research Locale

- Respondents of the Study

The use of plastics for packaging has some advantages since they are flexible and

inexpensive. However, most plastics are single-use, which, combined with low recycling or

reuse ratios, contributes substantially to environmental pollution. This work is part of a

project studying the habits of Portuguese citizens concerning plastic food packaging and

focuses on aspects related to sustainability. The survey was carried out via an online

questionnaire about sustainability, recycling, and knowledge of the effects of plastic

materials or their residues on the environment. The results were obtained based on a

statistical analysis of the data. The participants tend to think about the negative impact of

plastic packages on the environment; 39% sometimes do not buy plastic, and 30% try to

look for alternatives. A substantial fraction, 81%, support the avoidance of plastic utensils

and the reduction in the use of plastic bags. Most participants have a good knowledge of

recycling and strongly agree with the use of recycled materials, and 87% of respondents

practice the separation of different types of waste for recycling. Changing plastic

consumption habits has not been an easy task. Nevertheless, it is expected that society will

increasingly move toward sustainable habits, questioning its actions and considering their

impact on the environment.

Introduction

Food packaging is absolutely essential and modern food systems could not function

properly without packaging. Today’s food chain is characterized by its cast geographical

spread as well as by value chains at the global level. The primary function of food packaging

is to protect the product it contains, preserving its safety and organoleptic characteristics.

Additionally, the package serves as a barrier to microorganisms and undesirable changes in

temperature, light, and moisture, protecting the product during transport and storage against

microbial spoilage, chemicals, modifications, or physical changes. Another packaging

function required for a food package system is expressed PCS, which stands for Protection,

Containment, Communication, and Convenience. The package is the face of a product and

is often the only experience consumers have before making a purchase.

The use of plastic bags to carry groceries and goods goes back to the 1970s, but plastic

materials have been increasingly used for food since then. Modern packaging can

encompass more than one type of material to explore and combine the functional or

aesthetic properties of each one. However, despite how it helps the economy, plastics also

have disadvantages. Most plastics are produced from petroleum and are discarded in

environments where they are not degradable, creating considerable environmental

problems. The incorrect disposal of plastic bags. And other forms of plastics have created a

problem, since they found a way to be everywhere, including the oceans, posing a threat to

aquatic life, agricultural lands, and the environment in general.

Background of the Study

After years of using plastic in preserving food and its quality from the year 1933 until

now, professionals such as health professionals starting to think plastic poses a concern to

human health since it may leak dangerous chemicals into our food, water supply, and
surrounding environment, which can have detrimental effects on fertility and the general

health of every living organism. But professionals in business management think that using

plastics is very essential since it is a lot cheaper, and are commonly used in the food supply

chain supports the safe distribution of food over long distances, and minimize food waste by

keeping food fresh for longer.

A study back in 2015 says that proper usage of plastic packaging in preserving food

comes in handy since it reduces the amount of food waste people produce a day. However,

in the year 2019, a study counterclaimed that home and commercial plastics affect and

damage our ecosystem, and also can ruin and spoil the food inside there are certain

chemicals in plastic that can leach out of the plastic and into the food and beverages we eat.

Some of these chemicals have been linked to health problems such as metabolic disorders

including obesity and reduced fertility.

Scope and Delimitation

This research is only focused on the course of Home Economics (HE) students which

include Bread and Pastry and Cookery and to know the reasons why plastic has this

advantage and disadvantage effect of it. This study will be conducted on Home Economics

Students.

Significance of the Study

The importance of this study is to know and find out the effects of using plastic in

preserving food, this study also consists of some ideas that can help the respondents to

open their minds, and be aware of the benefits plastic offers to consumers.

STUDENTS: Students can learn more about the impacts of using plastic to preserve food

according to the findings of this study.

to give them more information and ideas about the possible future effect or results of using

plastic in preserving food

Definition of Terms

Food Packaging

- Is defined as enclosing food to protect it from tampering or contamination from

physical, chemical, and biological sources, with active packaging being the most

common packaging system used for preserving food products.

Preserving Safety

- To keep safe from injury, harm, or destruction protect.

Primary Function

- Primary function means the basic or essential care, treatment or services provided to

residents of the home.

Organoleptic Properties

- The aspects of food or other substances as experienced by the senses, including

taste, sight, smell, and touch, in cases where dryness, moisture, and stale-fresh

factors are to be considered?

Packaging Function

- The basic function of packaging is to protect the contents from damage, dust, dirt,

leakage, pilferage, evaporation, watering, contamination, and so on. Packaging helps

in the protection of the contents of the products.

Modern Packaging

- It is the technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale,

and use.

Essential Information
 - Which a person considering acquiring securities of the kind in question would be

likely to need in order not to be misled about any facts that it is essential for him to

know in order to make an informed assessment.

Kind of Packaging

- The wrapping or bottling of products to make them safe from damage during

transportation and storage. It keeps a product safe and marketable and helps in

identifying, describing, and promoting the product.

Packaging Production

- Also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages.

Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for

transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end-use.

Thermosetting plastics and thermoplastics

- Are both polymers, but they behave differently when exposed to heat.

Thermoplastics can melt under heat after curing while thermoset plastics retain their

form and stay solid under heat once cured.

Conceptual Framework

Profile of the Home Economics (HE) Students who read the effect of using plastic in

preserving food.

I. Name

II. Age

III. Gender

The advantage and disadvantages of reading the effect of using plastic in preserving food to

Home Economics students.

I. Feeling

II. Daily life

The topic's impact on them.

I. Enhance their way of thinking skills.

II. To have a creative mind.

III. Became amusement.

Review of Related Literature

Plastics are dominant especially when the topic is about food packaging, although they

can have many usages, plastics are still in the hot spot for being an industry-friendly yet

environmental enemy. Before the invention of plastic, foods are being wrapped and kept

using natural materials such as logs, wooden grasses, and animal organs. People also used

fabrics to hold the food, but around the first or second century B.C. people uses sheets of

treated mulberry bark. As time passed by, exactly 1,500 years after that tradition, paper-

making techniques and practices were refined and transported to different places around the

world (P. Hook & J. Heimlich, 2017).

However, according to scout pack,(2017), plastics appear in 1862 and were presented by

Alexander Parkes. The material was bio-based and had been derived from cellulose. In

1933 an accidental discovery by a lab worker from Dow Chemical happened and change

how food is being packed.

Using plastics for food packaging has some advantages due to their flexible and

inexpensive features. Based on M. Macena, et al ., (2021), in the modern food system, food

packaging is a must. Food packaging protects the food and preserves its organoleptic

characteristics. Also, in food packaging materials such as embrace glass, metals, paper,

plastics, wood, textile, and cork are being used. Focusing on plastics and their usage,

plastics are flexible, inexpensive, and very lightweight. Plastic packaging prevents

microorganisms and the spoilage of the food, it lessens the contact of the food in direct heat

or temperature, and plastics can also prevent any liquid leakage or food exposure to any

surface of a liquid. However, most plastics are produced from petroleum and are discarded

in the environment which damages nature since it is not degradable. The majority of plastics

are single-use which creates a considerable problem since people often throw them away

after usage where incorrect disposal opposes a threat to aquatic life, agricultural lands, and

the environment in general. In addition, some studies have found that there are certain

chemicals in plastic than can affect the food we eat. A study from Harvard.edu, (2019).

certain chemicals in the plastic can leak out and end up in our food and beverages. Some of
these substances have been connected to health issues like obesity and metabolic

diseases, as well as decreased fertility. When plastic is exposed to heat, this leaching can

happen more quickly and to a higher extent. This implies that by merely microwaving your

leftovers in a plastic container, you might be ingesting an even larger quantity of potentially

dangerous chemicals.

Within the country of the Philippines, plastics are everywhere, and they can be visually

seen especially in urban areas such as Manila, and Metro Manila. Plastics' wide uses affect

both industrial, and environmental status of the country. Nevertheless, the use of plastics

allows us to live better lives while also contributing to sustainability, so to lessen the growing

number of plastics in the market DENR of the Philippines announced the ban on

“unnecessary” single-use plastics in all domestic government offices. This Resolution was

approved by the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) chaired by

DENR Secretary Cimatu (A. Kenji, 2020). From a different point of view, LC. Koketso Ncube,

et al., (2020), the usage of non-biodegradable materials for various packaging applications

has raised environmental pollution concerns. But Petrochemical plastics have found the

most usage in food packaging industries because they are cheap, have good tensile

properties, and represent an effective barrier against oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water

vapor. Thermoplastic or thermoset plastics can be used to describe these materials. Heat

can be used in the processing and recycling of thermoplastics. Since they can be readily

molded into numerous forms and are recyclable, this class of polymers is more suited for

use in food packaging. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl

chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE),

polystyrene (PS), and expanded polystyrene are the thermoplastics most commonly used in

food packaging materials.

To sum up, plastics play as an industry-friendly yet environmental enemy object around

the world. Plastic packaging may protect our food from any external factors that can affect

the quality of the food inside from different microorganisms that can spoil the food, and

protect it from damage during deliveries, but the plastic itself may damage the food inside

under different conditions, such as temperature, and location. Plastics can also damage our

environment, and affect how people and animals live.

Research Methodology

In this chapter, the researcher discusses the research design, where the study will take

place, qualifications of the participants, the instrument, how the data will be collected, how the

data will be analyzed to come up with the interpretation, and what are ethical considerations

the researcher will follow.

Research Design

In this research, we use the Descriptive design. We want to know the effects of using

plastics in food packaging based on students' perceptions from high school to college from

Binmaley School of Fishery and Binmaley State University. We also wanted to acquire data

on how it will affect their overall performance when it comes to cooking. The following are the

factors that affect students' insight regarding the topic.

Factors:

1. Chemical components and ingredients used in recyclable plastics.

2. Durability over time, and compatibility of plastic packaging on a certain food.

3. Professionals (such as business owners, industrialist, economists, and scientists)

recommendation and perceptions.

4. Economical and industrial effects.

Research Locale

The research will be carried out inside the grounds of Binmaley School of Fishery and

Pangasinan State University by means of using Digital forms such as Google Form to conduct

and gather responses. This research will also be conducted on students from grade 11, 12,

and college students. The goal of this research was to discover if said factors of plastics will

have an effect on how the food will be packed or the food packaging itself.
 The goal of this research was to discover if said factors of plastics will have an effect on

how the food will be packed or the food packaging itself.

Respondents of the Study

Our research study is entitled “The effect of using plastic in preserving food”. The

participants/ respondents that we will choose are those students from Binmaley School of

Fishery and Pangasinan state University. The respondents of this research are chosen based

on the following qualification.

- Willing to participate

- Must be from Binmaley School of Fishery (Grade 11, 12), and Pangasinan State

University (College students).

- Can answer all asked questions.