FOOD PACKAGING IN 21ST CENTURY

摘要

Food Packaging is of prime importance in the chain of food production, distribution, storage and marketing. The future emphasis will be on the maintenance of quality, hygiene and safety, convenience in handling, usage and dispensing as well as environmental concerns. The key sectors in the future developments are innovations in the novel processing methods and techniques, packaging materials and package forms and, improvements in infrastructural facilities in package transportation, distribution and storage practices. In the first category, the developments in the packaging of fresh produce include Modified atmospheric and Controlled Atmospheric Packaging (MA & CAP), Active packaging and individual film wrapping while packaging for processed food products concerns the packaging of minimally processed foods, retort packaging and micro ovenable packaging. The innovation in packaging materials and forms comprise (ⅰ) Flexible materials of polyamides, silicon dioxide and aluminium-coated plastics and Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs), and (ⅱ) Rigid packages made of Electronically coated chrome-steel (TFS), Aluminium and high performance plastics and (ⅲ) Edible and Biodegradable materials. The specifications and standards of packaging materials and packages in future will depend on International Standards, Multimodal distribution patterns concerning distribution, transportation, palletization and containerization, Packages should also meet the required specifications of hazard analyses, health and hygiene as well as safety aspects. The major concern of food packaging will be on effective use of raw materials, recycling and development of eco-friendly, packages.