Covid 19 times : Relevance for Food Grade packaging materials

COVID-19 has possibly challenged every perception we had, some for good reasons and some for not so good reasons. COVID-19 has established the fact that packaging of food products is indispensable and has set a positive trend for the packaging sector. Today , consumers are in this hyper aware world and they are so much concerned about the hygiene that it will lead to a new category of packaged foodstuff – foodstuffs which were usually thought to be consumed only fresh and for same reason were never packed. These times have also challenged the perception that – “Plastics are bad” and it seems people now are realising again that plastics are indispensable. 

But this COVID-19 has also set one more trend on fire - Packaging Safety. Consumers are now more aware and more vigilant than before. Today , consumers not only seek information about the ingredients of the food , but also about the components of packaging in order to be sure that their packaged food is safe and chemical free. As consumers are getting more and more interested in clean food , they are taking a critical look upon the packaging of the foodstuff as well. Recent changes in regulations pertaining to Food packaging safety has brought packaging materials under the spot light. In the midst of this crisis , packaging companies which will be authentic in their communication and will provide transparent information to stakeholders in the supply chain will emerge as the market leaders.

Food grade packaging has been the buzz word in the market . Consumers today (including other stakeholders of the packaging supply chain) relates “Food Grade” to a number of characteristics such as “ Edible Packaging” or “ made from natural materials” or “free from chemicals or bad chemicals” or “ compliant to regulations”. However, Food grade packaging has been recently defined by Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) as packaging which shall not endanger human health as well as which should not deteriorate the quality and organoleptic characteristics of food being packed. However , this is practically possible only when the communication among the supply chain stakeholders is transparent in terms of sharing information on all chemicals going into a packaging component and efforts are made to minimise the use of chemicals (or bad chemicals) from the packaging material.

While speaking about bad chemicals in packaging materials , I am referring to chemicals which can endanger human health i.e. chemicals which can be toxic or carcinogenic or mutagenic or repro-toxic or even the endocrine disruptors. The most common example of bad chemical to which most people would be able to relate to is Bisphenol-A (BPA) - a industrial chemical used to make certain plastics and resin and this chemical has been linked to a variety of health problems including cancer , obesity, and heart diseases. You must have seen a BPA free label almost every time you went to a supermarket to buy feeding bottles /drinking bottles.

However , this is not the only chemical. Among the packaging material, probably inks are the most nasty element in the packaging structure as it involves a lot of chemicals. ITX , a chemical coming from inks lead to one of the biggest packaging safety scandal in the history, where millions of litres of juice and baby milk was recalled from the European markets in 2005-2006.

The new normal world ahead will be the world of consumers who will be more aware and more empowered to bring a real world change through the use of social media. Consumers in new normal world will not limit themselves to the existing regulatory framework of the countries and will demand for food which is more safe and which is packed into a more safe packaging. For Example- A large section of consumers today doesn’t like consuming food which is wrapped in newspapers or a plastic polythene. Consumers are now developing a perceived food safety concern against the chemical contaminants from the food and hence are looking for packaged foods which is free of all hazardous chemicals. Consumers today are looking for transparent communications from the brand owners about the chemicals used in food as well as packaging.

As on the date , the consumers as well other stakeholders in packaging supply chain doesn't lay much emphasis on the Food grade packaging but times are changing now. Consumers in future will react more out of their sentiments (esp. post Covid-19 times) and hence will reward only those brands which will be proactive on the subject of packaging safety , thereby staying ahead of the curve and safeguarding consumer safety. Food grade packaging is a concept which needs to be adapted by not only the multinationals but even the MSME’s as this will give the message in the community that consumer safety is a priority for all the brands.

Packaging Supply chain has to play the most crucial role in ensuring consumer safety by developing Food grade packaging. Each supply chain partner in the supply chain weather it is the Ink manufacturer, adhesive manufacture , substrate manufacturer has to collaborate and share transparent communication about the chemicals in their respective packaging component , particularly which can migrate from the packaging material to the foodstuff , thereby impacting consumer safety.

Ultimately, safe packaging will help brands to build the vision of Consumer safety around the safe food products they are putting on the shelves of the super market. Safe packaging will be the next focal point for the brands which will provide the opportunity to the brands to show more transparency to consumers , thereby building the consumer trust.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are in my personal capacity and not those of my employer. Further, it does not represent any intentions, plans or strategies of my employer. The views at times are influenced by Journal Articles, Research Papers, and Interactions with experts.Other Company Logos and Names are used purely for informational purpose.