ABSTRACT
Three decades of explosive growth have made plastic a
dominant form of food packaging worldwide with plastics
encroaching upon areas previously the bastions of metal
and glass packaging. As food and beverage producers seek
to distribute their products on a global basis, there is a
demand for products with a longer shelf life. For many
foods and beverages, the factor limiting shelf life is the
barrier, which the package provides to water vapor, gases,
and aromas. Polymer-based packaging materials provide a
very efficient way to tailor-made packages for food pro-
ducts in terms of performance, economics, and environ-
mental impact.
