Optimal selection and environmental sustainability of innovative storage conditions and packaging technologies in cheesecake production

In this paper, different food packaging technologies and storage conditions are investigated to obtain the optimal combination from a social, economical and environmental viewpoint. We detect evidence of explanatory or predictable behaviours (positive studies), in order to assess the impact of each alternative, we consider the judgments and reactions of specialized decision makers towards possible packaging alternatives and regulations (normative studies), and. This paper explores the packaging selection process by linking manufacturer choices with the preferences of the food packaging demand chain. We examine the case of cheesecakes subjected to seven different combinations of storage and packaging conditions and collect and analyse the preferences of four decision makers using a multi-criteria approach. The alternatives are ranked using the Fuzzy TOPSIS technique and a sensitivity analysis of the results is presented. The application shows that packaging choices can be driven by social criteria despite the greater economic and environmental benefits of other packaging solutions.