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TRENDS IN PLASTICS PACKAGING

Trends dominating Packaging industry are:
• Sustainability: green packaging, importance of light weighting and use minimal resources.
• On-the-go lifestyle: Packs designed to fit the cup holders in cars, Pet bottle for beer
• Convenience: packaging that minimizes mess, easy-pour pouches, single use sachets.
• Trust: Brand perception where packaging can play an important role in its creation.
• Value for money: product with performance and perceived value.
From cling wrap to the latest pouches plastics have played an integral role in smart
packaging solutions.
Most widely used active packaging technologies for food today are those
engineered to remove oxygen from the interior package-environment. Thanks to
the latest developments in plastic-chemistry, by binding oxygen, condensation of
carbon dioxide, or by incorporating anti-microbial substances via 'smart foils',
packaged foodstuffs are able to retain a maximum level of quality and freshness.
Active Packaging : actively changes the condition of the packaged food to extend
the self life or to improve food safety or sensory properties while maintaining the
quality of the packaged food. Main goal is Protection of contents from Light,
Microbes, Oxygen, Water vapor. Hi-tech composites foils have been developed in
an attempt to achieve superior barrier properties for plastic packaging. These foils
absorb oxygen that penetrates the packaging from outside. In addition, oxygen -
depleting additives in the foil absorb the oxygen remaining in the head space of a
filled package. Other Active Packaging Systems are:
Antimicrobials : When antimicrobial agents are incorporated into a polymer, the
material limits or prevents microbial growth. This application could be used for food
effectively not only in the form of films but also containers and utensils. The first
basic approach to anti-microbial packaging consists of binding reactants which can
be an enzyme or other form of anti-microbial proteins, to the surface of the packs
with the aid of a molecular structure that is large enough to maintain the microbial
activity on the cell walls even if trapped in the plastics. The second approach
involves the release of agents in the food or drink or the localized removal of
essential nutritional ingredients for the growth of the microbes.
Vacuum Packaging: Shelf-life of many products, particularly foodstuffs depends
on exclusion of oxygen from the package. One method of doing this is by vacuum
packaging, whereby the air is removed from the package by vacuum pumps. The
prevention of subsequent oxygen ingress obviously demands a packaging material
with very high barrier properties which is achieved by the use of multi - layer webs.
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (Map): In most MAP applications, conventional
multi-layer, high-barrier plastic film is used as a barrier layer. The function of this
packaging system is removal of oxygen and to extend the shelf-life of the product by
modifying the atmosphere inside the structure; by injecting a inert gas mixture
inside the container - either CO2, N2 oxygen or a combination before sealing. CO2
additionally inhibits bacterial growth within packages when stored at low temp.
Oxygen Scavengers: Oxygen scavengers are capable of absorbing significant
amount of oxygen within very short periods, (usually within the space of one or two
days from the date of packaging) which reduce oxidative effects in the contained

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