High Pressure Processing on Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Trays for Food Packaging: A Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Environmental Impact Evaluation

High pressure processing (HPP) is a cutting-edge packaging technology, allowing for the nonthermal treatment of food products to increase their shelf life while maintaining the nutritional and sensorial properties. For the first time, this study evaluated the effects of HPP on packaged hummus, comparing the performance of 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) trays with that of traditional multimaterial plastic material. Packed hummus was submitted to the HPP treatment: color, water activity, pH, microbiological proliferation, and overall migration were evaluated. No significant variation between the two packaging materials was observed. The results achieved in terms of overall migration demonstrated compliance with the EU regulation. Finally, a life cycle assessment was carried out, demonstrating a potential 70% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions using r-PET and the possibility of total recycling for the PET monolayer, resulting in zero impact for the disposal of the packaging.