It is unlikely that there will be many new materials used in future food packaging, but there will be new combinations of materials and new uses to which they are put. Changes in relative costs may reverse certain trends.
Developments in the following areas are covered: metals, such as tin-free steel and the combination of aluminium and plastics; paperboard, such as tubs and ovenable board; glass, such as ‘Plastishield’, and plastics, themselves, dealing with developments in processing, such as stretch blow moulding and solid phase pressure forming.
Developments in the newer materials such as poly(ethylene phthalate), the nitriles, poly(vinyl alcohol) and ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer and polycarbonate, are also considered.