The rising emphasis on improved quality & extended shelf life for packaged foods are leading to greater demands on food packaging in terms of protecting quality, freshness & safety of foods. The passing of several regulations governing food packaging only reinforces the need for more innovative & intelligent packaging concepts. Many of the regulations have come into force due to rising health concerns regarding carcinogenic ingredients used in the packaging materials. For example, bisphenol-A used in plastic food containers is being linked to breast cancer & miscarriages. Other regulations require food packages to use biodegradable & environment friendly material. For the PET industry, the most significant is the EC's proposed Super Regulation, briefly described in this article.
