Technological watch

Monash Lens Senior Lecturer Thoo Yin Yin, School of Science, Monash Malaysia, explains how good packaging plays a vital role in the food industry. Good packaging can ensure that food and beverages are protected from contamination or tampering and retain their desired quality throughout their shelf life. Despite the importance that packaging plays, the packaging industry hasn't kept pace with the continuous innovations made in technology.

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Biopolymer film: An alternative to single-use plastic food packaging Lifestyle changes have led to an increase in convenience foods. Many of these packaged foods are often individually packed with at least two layers of packaging involving primary and secondary packaging. With the advancement in engineering, packaging now comes in multilayered structures, making it difficult to recycle.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the way foods are sold. Few foods are sold unpackaged or displayed at the counter without being individually packed.

The practices we have followed have contributed to the