Food manufacturers today are employing effective food packaging methods with different variety of materials that protect the food for a longer period. The type of materials used in food packaging depends on the food products that are being packed. However, the most common food packaging materials that are used today are either glass, cardboard, metal, or plastic. As per recent statistics, it has been revealed that the global food packaging industry generated a revenue of almost USD 350 billion in 2022 and is further expected to expand at a CAGR of ~5% during 2023-2035. Food packaging is described as enclosing food to protect it from tampering or contamination from physical, chemical, and biological sources. Companies all around the world are now responding to the push for creativity with packaging made of food-derived goods, eliminating plastic from the equation. Eco-friendly packaging has opened the floodgates to the invention. In many nations, there is a rising desire for convenience foods. As a result, packaging that is simpler to open and provides many servings has become more popular. The packaging of food has advanced significantly in recent years. Nowadays, food packaging is capable of more than merely preserving food due to innovative technology and materials.
flexible plastic packaging materials are kind to the environment as they can completely degrade in the correct circumstances, unlike the majority of petroleum-based plastic packaging. There are numerous plant-based ingredients available for different types of food. Organic material and renewable vegetal sources (related to plants) are used to create sustainable packaging for products in plant-based packaging. Most packaging made of plastic is non-toxic and allergy-free. According to a recent study of The Plant-Based Products Council (PBPC) more than 50% of consumers are interested in plant-based products and packaging. The first company in the food and beverage sector to produce milk carton packaging made entirely of plants was Tetra Pak. The carton is constructed from plant-based polymers that can be entirely traced back to sugarcane. 75% of the Tetra Pak carton is made from paperboard, 20% of polyethylene, and 5% of aluminum.
Below mentioned are a few types of plant-based packaging: