MCMA to conduct seminar on packaging and food safety

According to MCMA, the panel elected for the knowledge-sharing forum will comprise of eminent speakers from the metal packaging industry, food technologists, and academicians.

Venu Ayyar of MCMA, said, "Metal containers are the most advantageous form of packaging, as they are 100% recyclable and environment-friendly. The aim of the seminar is to create awareness of the need for good quality food to be delivered to consumers. And also to impart knowledge and promote metal container as a 100% recyclable packaging medium, which can preserve food quality for a longer duration.”

Today, packaging of food is mainly done in multilayer plastic pouches, glass bottles, PET bottles, and metal containers. Government of India is trying to stop the use of single-use plastics and in the future, it may also stop the use of multi-layer plastics on account of environmental pollution, recyclability and other issues.

“The main advantage of metal containers is that it is 100% recyclable. It is safe, too, even during storage and transportation, including refrigeration; and environment-friendly. Steel/Tinplate is a permanent sustainable material and once produced will stay forever. Collection from waste is comparatively easier as it can be collected magnetically,” Ayyar said.

According to Ayyar, the speakers will majorly focus on topics such as advancements in food packaging, overview of current packaging products and scope for innovation, packaging requirements from a laboratory perspective, advantages of metal packaging, and regulatory and compliances requirements of food packaging.

“People working in the food, beverage and pharma sectors will benefit from the seminar,” he added.

Ayyar further elaborated that food safety in India is an issue on account of improper cleaning, sorting, refrigeration and storage, wastage, and packaging. The reasons for many of the issues are lack of proper information, infrastructure, and power, in addition to food adulteration in many areas.

“Government of India is addressing all these issues and FSSAI is continuously in the process of implementing and upgrading standards for food packaging,” he concluded.