Packaging reduction to improve the sustainability of carbonated soft drinks

The popularity of carbonated soft drinks is mainly due to the refreshing taste which, in turn, depends on their flavour and on the carbon dioxide content. The shelf life of carbonated soft drinks is primarily correlated with the retention of carbon dioxide inside the PET bottle, hence with its barrier properties, however, other quality parameters, such as the volatiles content, should be taken into account and monitored in order to guarantee the consumers with the highest quality at every stage of the product commercial life. Considering the high incidence of packaging material on the final product, both in terms of cost and of environmental impact, the reduction of the bottle thickness could play a significant role in the overall improvement of the sustainability in the industry of soft drinks. Sibat Tomarchio s.r.l. is committed with the improvement of sustainability of productions and has decided to evaluate lighter preforms for bottling two of its core-products: Aranciata, containing 12% juice from Sicilian oranges, and Verdello, with 17% juice from Sicilian lemons. Tests on the CO2 retention performances are performed at every change (design, volume, material, etc.) occurring in the bottle, however this parameter has been considered as the only representative of the overall quality loss of carbonated soft drinks, while the aroma composition has not received sufficient attention. The research aimed at assessing alternative preforms to the one actually in use. One standard preform (clear, 34 g) was compared with two alternative ones (clear, 32 g and coloured, 32 g). During 6 months the samples were subjected to CO2 retention test, analysis of aroma profiles by HS-SPME-GC, and sensory analysis. Results demonstrate that it is possible to improve the sustainability of carbonated soft drinks by selecting lighter preforms, through shelf life studies based on the main quality parameters, supported by sensory analysis.