(Fis.com) A Thai study has found
However, the industry must improve the energy efficiency of certain associated manufacturing processes for plastic packaging types to reach their full eco-potential, scientists from Bangkok’s Kasetsart University pointed out.
The study -- Comparative Carbon Footprint of Packaging Systems for Tuna Products -- was published in the journal Packaging Technology and Science. It was sponsored by the European Union (EU) to drive the development of low carbon trade between Europe and Thailand.
Evaluating the manufacturing process for the packaging type revealed that metal can production yielded 70 per cent more GHGs than retort cups and 60 per cent more than retort pouches.
Interestingly, a full life cycle analysis (LCA) narrowed the gap and showed that retort pouches have the highest carbon footprint of the three, explained lead researcher Ngamtip Poovarodom.
The overall carbon footprint of processed tuna in retort cups was 10 per cent lower than that of metal cans and 22 per cent less than retort pouches, the latter of which had a carbon footprint of 322g CO2 eq, followed by metal cans on 280g CO2 eq and tuna in retort cups standing at 253g CO2 eq.
Differences of less than 10 per cent “should not be considered significant for global warming scores,” the authors noted.
Scientists analysed single serve packages; two-piece cans made of chrome-coated steel and an aluminium pull cap; retort pouches made from PP, aluminium foil and oriented nylon; and retort cups made of PP and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), with lids made from PET, aluminium, oriented nylon and PP. The tuna meat preparation remained the same.
They found that packaging and associated processes made up 20-40 per cent of the tuna’s total carbon footprint.
Packaging production and disposal and product sterilization stuck out, said the researchers, and the carbon footprint performance of packaging materials varied at different points in the LCA.
The metal can had the highest footprint in the manufacturing process, but its comparative carbon footprint performance improved because more tins could be processed together compared to the two retort packages. Metal also has superior recyclability.
Energy needed to sterilize the package during the preservation process was significant: the retort pouch needed six times more than metal cans and more than twice that of retort cups.
“To reduce a product’s carbon footprint, improvements in energy savings or recovery in the production line and an increase in retort capacity per batch should be given priority by the food industry,” the study reads.
Choice of food packaging is also contingent on the further processing involved.
“These findings show that the low GHG emission embodied in plastics might vanish if the associated processes are not optimized,” said the researchers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
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