Food Packaging in a nutshell

With the increase in different types of food and drink packaging, there is a need for a resource to explain the different types of packaging, use and recyclability. Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) has released a new Food Science Fact Sheet to provide clear, concise and scientifically reliable information on this topic to the lay public.

Packaging is used to protect and preserve its contents from any damage during transportation and storage. It’s also used as a medium for labeling ingredients, allergens, origin, quantity, use-by date, etc. and a variety of other functions. Packaging is also heavily regulated to ensure they are safe to store food and drinks.

The Food Science Fact Sheet on Food and Drink Packaging answers the following questions:

  • Why is packaging used?
  • Where is packaging used?
  • What materials are used?
  • Can materials be combined?
  • What is biodegradable packaging?
  • What is compostable packaging?
  • How can shelf life be extended?

You can access this Food Science Fact Sheet along with fact sheets on other topics (e.g. food allergens, hand hygiene and food additives) on our website, please visit: https://www.ifst.org/our-resources/food-science-facts/food-science-fact-sheets

Direct link to IFST Food and Drink Packaging Food science Fact Sheet; https://www.ifst.org/sites/default/files/Food%20and%20Drink%20Packaging.pdf