I. Ilhan PhD (Ilknur)

Assistant Professor
ET-DPM-IdPDE
Horst Complex
i.ilhan@utwente.nl
+31534899376
Business card

I am working on sustainable packagign with the focus of preventing seal integrity issues that occur during sealing and closing of food packaging and cause food waste.

After my bachelor's degree in Food Engineering at Istanbul Technical University, my interest in food loss and waste prevention drove me to work on novel food packaging solutions in my master's. I synthesized shape memory polyurethane films for dynamic packaging applications that can reduce postharvest losses in modified atmosphere-packaged fresh fruits and vegetables. Since the success of modified atmosphere applications depends on seal quality, in my Ph.D. research at the University of Twente, I focused on understanding the reasons behind seal integrity issuesoccur during the heat sealing of flexible packaging and impact quality of food products negatively through their shelf life.

Research areas:

  • Seal integrity in flexible films
  • Dynamic modified atmosphere packaging
  • Extending the shelf life of fresh produce

Expertise

  • Material Science

    • Film
    • Polypropylene
    • Mechanical Strength
    • Filler

  • Engineering

    • Seals

  • Physics

    • Polyethylene
    • Heat
    • Temperature

Organisations

Publications

2023
Understanding Seal Integrity: Sealing and Closing of Flexible Packaging. University of Twente. Ilhan, I.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036555814Observing the effect of pressure and temperature on the seal integrity of critical seal regions of various flexible bag designs, Article 101088. Ilhan, I., ten Klooster, R. & Gibson, I.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2023.101088Developing a design method and tool for producing customizable forming shouldersIn 31st IAPRI Member Conference on Packaging (Mumbai 2023) (pp. 251-265). Lucas, E., Ilhan, I. & ten Klooster, R.https://pure.udem.edu.mx/ws/portalfiles/portal/73632852/IAPRI_2023_Mumbai_-_Conference_Proceedings.pdf#page=256Estimating minimum required dwell time for the heat sealing of talc containing polypropylene/low‐density polyethylene packaging films, 349-361. Ilhan, I., ten Klooster, R., Gibson, I. & van Drongelen, M.https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2716Effects of film tension and contamination on the seal quality of flexible food packaging films made of polypropylene and low density polyethylene blends containing talc filler, 55-64. Ilhan, I., ten Klooster, R. & Gibson, I.https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2692
2021
Thermoresponsive polyurethane films for packaging applications: Effects of film formulation on their properties, Article 100695. Ilhan, I., Kaya, M., Turan, D., Gunes, G., Guner, F. S. & Kılıç, A.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2021.100695Effects of process parameters and solid particle contaminants on the seal strength of low-density polyethylene-based flexible food packaging films, 413-421. Ilhan, I., ten Klooster, R. & Gibson, I.https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2567Understanding the factors affecting the seal integrity in heat sealed flexible food packages: A review, 321-337. Ilhan, I., Turan, D., Gibson, I. & ten Klooster, R.https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2564

Research profiles

Courses academic year 2023/2024

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.

Address

University of Twente

Horst Complex (building no. 20)
De Horst 2
7522 LW Enschede
Netherlands

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Organisations

Additional contact information

Room W238

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