ABSTRACT
In the beginning, food was consumed where it was found. Then, if transportation of food was necessary, man began to use various forms of food packaging. Initially, they were obtained directly from the environment, such as leaves, tree bark, or seashell. Afterward, the earthenware vessels appeared, and from 1500 BC to 500 AD ceramic vessels and amphoras were used. Glass was rst industrialized in Egypt in 1500 BC. In ancient age, paper appeared (Egypt, China) and metal production process was discovered (silver, gold, bronze, iron, lead). Lead has been used for at least 5,000 years and early applications included pigments for glazing ceramics, pipes for water supply, and sweetener for wine (lead acetate). It is speculated that in ancient Rome, the consumption of lead by some Romans was at the level of 1 gram per day (Järup 2003).
