pholes that allow manufacturers to appear more socially responsible. (Dauvergne, 34). For example, on their website, Nissin claims that they use “100% mass balance, certified sustainable palm oil” in all of their products. Mass balance palm oil refers to sustainable palm oil that has been produced on certified plantations, but mixed with ordinary palm oil throughout the supply chain (Lumpur, 2013). As a result of this loophole, companies can appear to be more environmentally responsible to the consumer, and advertise so, without actually being that responsible, and without breaking the bank. Upon comparing Dr. McDougall’s noodle product to Nissin’s, oil can be eliminated all together, as dehydration techniques can achieve the intended goal of drying the noodles.
In addition to the impact that many ramen noodle ingredients can have on our health and our environment, most of the common materials used in ‘traditional’ noodle packaging also come with a plethora of negative environmental consequences and health concerns, during all phases of the supply chain. In Nissin cup noodles, the dehydrated noodle block is placed into a polystyrene cup, sealed with a paper lid, covered with a plastic film, and placed into a lightweight cardboard holding package. This is a prime example of unnecessarily excessive material usage in the food industry. In Nissin Top Ramen noodles, which contain less packaging overall, the cylindrical block is sealed into a plastic wrap.
Plastics and styrofoam contribute to approximately 30 percent of landfill volume in the U.S. (Dilthey, 2018) and take approximately 500 years to decompose (Dineen par. 1-3). Food companies use styrofoam for a number of reasons. It has a “long shelf life, remains sanitary during storage, and is highly cost-effective” (Dilthey, 2018). Styrofoam, or polystyrene, is manufactured from petroleum byproducts (Friend, 1) and can result in significant health problems in exposed factory workers (“Styrene”).
According to the Environmental Production Agency, Styrofoam is the fifth largest source of hazardous waste in the US (qtd. in Farrelly and Shaw, 2017). During production, hydrofluorocarbons are released into the atmosphere. These substances deplete the earth’s upper ozone level and, in terms of global warming, are between ten to thirteen hundred times more detrimental to our atmosphere than carbon dioxide (Tsai par. 8).
In 2015, Nissin introduced their new, ‘microwave-friendly’, customizable cup noodle package that claims to have a 20% reduction in overall carbon emissions through “less overall exterior packaging material” (Chung, 2015). The noodle container is made from a foam-like material. Nissin removed both the plastic film that covered the original Cup Noodle container and the lightweight cardboard carrying case and replaced the styrofoam with a less familiar foam-substance. Consequently, there is a lack of published information regarding the material of their newer packaging. There is also an increase in the amount of ingredients added, from 37 in the Original Cup Noodle, to 48 different ingredients in the new ‘customizable’ cup.
Examining the materials used in alternative noodle packages reveals that traditionally-used materials are no longer necessary to achieve a durable protective packaging that is also microwavable. For example, Bou You Soup Cup noodles are contained within a microwavable and 100% recyclable noodle container, of which Maruchan has adopted a similar version for one of their noodle products. Dr. McDougall’s organic ramen noodle products are packaged within a recyclable paper container that is sourced from “responsibly managed forests” ("Dry”).
While we have yet to discover a perfect, cost-effective and biologically safe, packaging product that also comes with a 0% carbon footprint, there are many, more environmentally responsible, packaging alternatives currently in use within the food industry. It should be policy for all food manufacturers to adopt these packaging alternatives.
In comparing standard instant ramen noodles with more environmentally-respons