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Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs are a policy approach where producers are given a significant responsibility for the treatment of post-consumer products. They involve building the cost of disposal into the cost of the product. These programs are meant to boost collection and recycling. They can also result in increased reusable and refillable packaging and encourage material reduction in packages. Any EPR program for food packaging needs to take into account food safety requirements and comply with applicable food packaging regulations. Any changes in food packaging must continue to protect the food after filling, during transportation and storage, and throughout its shelf life. Currently, four states—Maine, Oregon, Colorado, and California—have food packaging EPR laws, with more states expected to follow. However, EPR laws impacting food packaging are still in their infancy. States are looking for the most efficient ways to meet the requirements in the statues.

Primera Technology Inc. has announced its new AP-CODE Lot and Date Coder for product labeling. AP-CODE, in combination with Primera’s AP360 and AP362 label applicators, now allows customers to apply their labels and simultaneously print dates, lot codes, and more directly onto containers with one, integrated machine.

Sabert Corporation recently announced the launch of the new Pulp Plus and Pulp Max proprietary molded fiber blends without the intentional inclusion of added per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS). 

Premium Label & Packaging Solutions has announced that Overnight Labels, its facility located in Farmingdale, New York, has received Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification.

The Food Date Labeling Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill, has been reintroduced in Congress to standardize and clarify food date labels to prevent food from being wasted. 

Innovative packaging technologies that contribute to food safety include, but are not limited to, antimicrobial packaging, controlled-release packaging, nanotechnology, and biosensors. These technologies can aid in the control of not only spoilage microorganisms, which make the food product undesirable (but not necessarily unsafe), but also pathogenic organisms, which can cause illness and even death in humans. In the current economy, it may be difficult to make the decision to transition from a traditional packaging solution to an alternative; however, when product food safety is jeopardized and consumers are at potential risk, the food industry must do everything it can to prevent adverse scenarios.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined the food safety of plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) when produced by a recycling process called Poly Recycling for use in food contact materials.

BASF SE and StePac Ltd. have joined forces to create the next generation of sustainable packaging specifically for the fresh produce sector, using chemically recycled plastics.

A high level of commitment and resources is needed in the pursuit of clean packaging. This article covers the background of the issue, addresses why action is needed now, and uses per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates as examples of the complexities. It also covers recommendations for brands and packaging converters.

After conducting a study on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) oversight of substances used in food contact materials, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that FDA request certain authorities from Congress in order to adequately review the safety of such substances.