Evolution in food packaging: Meeting quality needs
The self-service format of the organised retail stores has pushed the concept of packaging to the forefront of all the food processing companies. In fact, it is the massive display of packages that attracts the customer when he or she steps into the store. Production of packages means proliferation of waste, since packages are finally thrown away.
Ultimately, packaging is blamed for the environmental pollution and damage - that it supposedly causes. Plastics constitute about 50 per cent of the packaging used. Considered as wonder materials not too long ago, plastics particularly are now getting bad publicity due to their non-biodegradable nature.

About the author:
G C P Rangarao, a post-graduate in Chemistry from Andhra University, is heading the Food Packaging Technology Department of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, since 2004. He is working at CFTRI, since 1974 and has had a year long stint at Federal Research Institute for Cereal & Potato Processing, Detmold, West Germany. He has served as chief editor for Indian Food Industry during 2001-03; and an organising secretary of FoodPlus-2005 - a conference on value addition to foods.
Email: gcp_r@yahoo.com