This document outlines activities completed as part of the Al-Bairaq program exploring food packaging materials and designs. Key activities included: 1. Comparing biodegradable and non-biodegradable packing materials and their ability to protect food. 2. Examining how a popcorn bag works during microwaving. 3. Analyzing different food package materials and their uses. 4. Evaluating different packages to identify the most efficient design. 5. Researching plastics as a packaging material and its environmental impact. 6. Designing and testing a protective tomato package. 7. Comparing insulating properties of different packaging materials. The program concluded

1. AL-Bairaq
I am Discovering Materials
Food Packaging
Alshamal Group
Mesaad Mohamed Jaber Abdullah
Hamad Abdullah Rashid Al -Yafei

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Activity 1: Comparing Packing Materials
• Activity 2: Investigating Food Packaging
• Activity 3: Analyzing Food Packaging Materials
• Activity 4: Evaluating the Impact of Food Packaging
on the Environment
• Activity 5: Researching Food Packaging Materials
• Activity 6: Designing a Protective Package
• Activity 7: Comparing the Insulating Properties of
Packaging Materials
• Product Idea : Braille Food Packaging

3. Food Packaging
Food Packaging:
1- keeps food safe to eat and protect it from damage.
2- It makes food easy to handle for shipping and storage.
3- and also provides information about the food.

4. Activities (1):Comparing
Packing Materials
• we compared two packing materials :
1- white Foam (Starch)
2- Green Foam (polystyrene)
Part A:
we put them in beaker containing water
Result:
The white peanut degrades in water while The green peanut didn’t
degrade as it is non biodegradable
Part B:
we packed two eggs one with white foam and the second with the
green foam
Result:
Both have the same efficiency in protecting the egg but the white
foam degrades when the egg breaks

5. Activities (2): Investigating
Food Packaging
• We examined a popcorn package before and
after putting it in the microwave
• We examined how the popcorn bag works and
identified the use of each part in the package
Result:
- After putting the popcorn in the microwave,
The popped bag increased in size and the metal
patch became dark
Conclusion:
- in the popping bag there is a metal patch which
concentrate the microwave in one area and
provide hot surface for the corn to pop.

6. Activities (3) : Analyzing food
packaging materials
• We examined different types of food
packages
• We identified the materials used in each
package and the use of each material

7. Activities (4) : Evaluating the Impact of
Food Packaging on the Environment
• We examined different types of
Packaging
• We used an equation to calculate which
package has least weight compared to
the liquid inside
• 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔/𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 =
Packaging mass (g) / product volume (ml)

8. Activities (5): Researching
Food packaging materials
• we did a research about plastic
• Plastic is made from petroleum which is a
nonrenewable resource and most plastic is not
biodegradable so it takes large space from the
landfills

9. Activities (6): Designing
a protective package
• We prepared two tomatoes
Tomato without Package
Tomato with Package
• We dropped the tomatoes from Different
heights
Result :
The package that we designed was effective
in protecting the tomato .

10. Activities (7): Comparing the insulating
properties of packaging
Materials
• We prepared Cups containing hot water as in the picture
One set of Cups without package
The other set of Cups with insulating package
• We took the temperature every minute for 10 minutes
Result:
The package that we designed was effective in preventing
the heat loss .

11. Braille Food Packaging
Hypothesis:
• Adding braille writing to the food
packages will help the blind people to
choose the food they are buying easily
and to know everything about the
product like the direction for use and the
expiry date.

12. Braille Food Packaging
Methods and Materials
we will translate all the writing on
the food packages into the Braille
writing

13. Braille Food Packaging
Results:
• Our product will help the blind people to know
everything about the food from reading the Braille
writing on the package.

14. Braille Food Packaging
Recommendations:
• We recommend using the Braille writing on all
the food packages
• We recommend specifying certain shops for
blind people with Braille food packages to
help them do their shopping easily

15. Conclusions
We had a new experience with Al Bairaq project.
We did many activities about food packaging ,
we get knowledge about this topic. We
learned how to do a presentation in front of
peaple.

16. Acknowledgment
Many thanks to AL-Bairaq team from Center for Advanced
Materials (CAM), Qatar University for supporting us during our
journey with a AL-Bairaq.
Also, I would like to thank the sponsors UNESCO, Qatar National
Commission, Ras Gas, Maersk and Shell.