L emballage a travers les agesNicolas Appert invented ‘appertization’, a sterilization process. This marked the manufacturing, steel appeared in 1786. In 1795, during the French

Packstory

Exhibition

Packaging throughout the ages

Guided tour

ation. product while including a mass of additional inform

can guarantee the traceability of a longer, and radio frequency identification systems

order to keep our products fresher for the atmosphere within our packaging is modified in

n a product is past its use-by date ; manufactured from plants ; smart labels show us whe

ns. Our plastics can now be Since then, there have been more and more innovatio

these supplies.

transport, protect and preserve them, some means of packaging had to be invented to

ankind took food supplies with movements of people and trade began to spread and m

uman history. As the prehistoric The history of packaging cannot be separated from h

Showcases

first appearance in 1959. calling them ‘tin cans’. The aluminium can made its

milar to cans, people started of tin-coated iron. Because their appearance was si

the USA in circular boxes made As early as the 1930s, certain drinks were sold in

ionism. the countryside, thus fostering the rise of Impress

is enabled painters to roam boxes and, from 1850, also for soft paint tubes. Th

used for manufacturing Aluminium was discovered in 1827. It was initially

beginning of the cans.

ation process. This marked the Nicolas Appert invented ‘appertization’, a steriliz

ing the French revolution, manufacturing, steel appeared in 1786. In 1795, dur

Following evolutions in metal Tin-coated iron was first used in the 13th century.

years BC.

ss appeared around 50 around 1,000 years BC. The technique of blowing gla

ancient Egypt, sometime The first flasks and jewels made of glass date from

ds such as drinking water. it was used to preserve beer and to transport liqui

ntion. Stronger than an amphora, The wooden barrel using iron hoops is a Gallic inve

reusing the pieces for lining a watercourse.

e production of mortar or sauces. They were often recycled by crushing for th

live oil, and fish were the most commonly used vessel to carry wine, o

es, these clay containers The amphora appeared around 6000 BC. In ancient tim

food. animal skins, or horns were used to carry water and

when leaves, fruits, barks, The origins of packaging lie buried in pre-history

quickly.

d that would otherwise perish modified in order to increase the shelf life of foo

ckaging, the atmosphere is from sugarcane was marketed. In certain types of pa

containing PET produced incorporate recycled PET. In 2009, the first bottle

the 90s, PET bottles also bottles appeared in the early 90s. Since the end of

HDPE in 1953. The first PET synthesized throughout the 20th century, including

polymers were in 1907 by Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland. Numerous

olymer was Bakelite, discovered The first industrial plastic based on a synthetic p

on of snooker balls. to serve as an alternative to ivory in the producti

luloid (1856), which was manufactured were employed. The first artificial plastic was cel

where gelatine-based glues The history of plastic goes back to ancient Egypt,

m in 1961 vacuum-packed instant coffee was marketed in Belgiu

oorganisms. The first Vacuum packaging prevents the proliferation of micr

milk, thus enabling a longer preservation period.

the sanitized packaging of in America. In 1961, a Swedish manufacturer enabled

ginning of the 20th century The first drink cartons for milk appeared at the be

Braille writing.

es safety systems and machine appear. Modern cardboard packaging integrat

cardboard manufacturing component. That year also saw the first multi-layer

lp became the primary rags were first used but from 1850 onwards, wood pu

nasty in 105 AD. Old The Chinese invented modern paper during the Han dy

A dream or a nightmare ?

A world without packaging:

easy as possible.

identification of the products as packaging should make handling, transport, use and

and functionally. For consumers, enable them to put products on the shelves quickly

a truck. For retailers, packaging must space available on a pallet, in a container, or in

kaging must have a shape suited to the product in an attractive way. For distributors, pac

orm consumers and present the For producers, packaging must protect, help and inf

hygiene !

sport, their protection and their presented in packaging devised to assure their tran

e products we use were not Let us imagine for a minute what would happen if th

Marketing

Biomimicry

for its pollination.

uitable strategy: it targets and attracts only the insect s

particular moth. The orchid has a very selective

this Its bright white colour is an added attraction for

erfume. nightfall, the flower emits a particularly strong p

. So, at Angraecum sesquipedalthe orchid called

de of gather the nectar which is concentrated on the insi

able to a moth which has a sufficiently long proboscis, is

, praedictaXhantopan morganiiIn Madagascar, only the

Nature creates packaging …

decorated.

fully intended for women is often more colorful and skill

products intended for men. Conversely, packaging

ed for colors, combined with clean lines, are generally us

en dark and designs to selectively attract us. Cold and oft

ns The packaging of cosmetic products uses graphic mea

… which inspires man

Schockproof protection

Biomimicry

survival of the species !

mechanical protective role. Packaging ensures the

s develop into a new plant. The shell thus fulfils it

let it environmental are favorable to release its seed and

split open naturally once it’s dry and when

will – can crack them open to eat them. And yet the nut

Ara hyacintheorangutans, and one species of parrot, the

shell. Few animals – with the exception of rats,

Macadamia nuts have an extremely hard and resistant


prolonged preservation of the product over time.

microorganisms that may be present and ensure

treatments. These destroy all pathogenic

also be subjected to special high-temperature

an its content. Thanks to the can, the food products c

n to qualities. It provides maximum mechanical protectio

fic A can is a unique type of packaging with very speci


Prolonged life

Biomimicry

protection around the growing chick.

to take place while providing a sufficiently solid

anges calcium structure of the egg shell enables the exch

orous its waste in the form of carbon dioxide. The microp

s chick. The embryo needs to capture oxygen and eject

to a An egg mut be able to help the embryo to develop in


much longer period.

r a an ideal atmosphere. Products are thus preserved fo

with for example, with fresh vegetables, providing them

sed, and the external world. This type of packaging is u

level of oxygen and CO2 exchange between a product

pecific Certain specially designed plastic films enable a s


Ease of storage

Biomimicry

object of mathematical researches.

arrangements of the sunflower seeds has been the

husks, which makes for optimal storage. The

ped This is because the seeds are packed in diamond-sha

A sunflower contains an impressive nomber of seeds.


be stacked on top of each other.

tes to the crates is also optimized, allowing up to 90 cra

f maximum amount of schokproof protection. Stacking o

28 bottles within a minimum amount of space and a

or Here, the hexagonal compartments optimize storage f

t. whose function is the optimal storage of its conten

ckaging A bottle crate is a simple example of artificial pa


Information of the state of a product

Biomimicry

maturing process through its aspect and color.

e skin of the banana informs us about the state oh th

been marketed, the process is no longer curbed. The

has Cold preservation slows down this process. Once it

ure. After it has been picked, a banana continues to mat


with the freshness of the product.

long unfalsifiable way. The color of the label evolves a

preservation of the product on an accurate and

ate of the continuity of the cold chain and control the st

fy items have a label using thermochromic inks to veri

ing freshness of perishable goods. Some of these packag

So called smart packaging informs us about the


Easy closing system

Biomimicry

fall in salinity and dehydration.

m the is dissolved in water. They are also proteccted fro

n it from lack of oxygen, which they can only access whe

ed water is retained inside. Mussels are thus protect

e sea consequently, their shells close tighly and a littl

ment : are exposed to air, they are in a stressful environ

ey and exposed to the ambiant air at low tide. When th

tide Mussels are generally covered by sea water at high


food waste.

the prolonging its preservation and reducing therefore

maintains the texture and the flavor of the cheese,

m to open and close the bag several times. This syste

system cheese in plastic bag. It often come with a zipper

to the consumer’s needs. A good example is grated

ng packaging which are easy to open and close, accordi

In today’s supermarkets we find many types of


arBelgians throw away 15 kg of food per person per ye

Food wastage

How to reduce food wastage?

use-by date in the wrong way.

the time, and sometimes we interpret the much more demanding, we lack space, we do not take

tes us to use these left-overs. We have become excess food left over. Our culture no longer stimula

difficult to plan purchase. This translates into and live according to a different rhythm, making it

s, people increasingly have different lifestyles More and more people live alone, while in household

Why such waste?

Make a shopping list

requirements

Comply with cold chain

the packaging is not damaged

When out shopping, check that

areas

account the different cooling

freezer while taking into

Put things away in the fridge and

your household consumption

Buy food in suitable portions for

the fridge

Plan meals around what is left in

Check use-by dates

with others

into the freezer, or share them

Use up the left-overs, put them

Packaging and its role against wastage

Food wastage

consistency for much longer.

ey remain fresher and keep their color and packaging prevents foods from spoiling too fast. Th

resh food products. The reduced oxygen level in Modified atmosphere packaging extends the life of f

waste.

thus reducing the amount of food that goes to increase food security and prolong its shelf life,

ackaging actively interact with the food to Active packaging means that the components of the p

Active packaging: An answer to wastage ?

ions (temperature/use-by date) • It provides information on storage and use condit

packaging)

g, modified atmosphere packaging, resealable • It extends the life of a product (vacuum packagin

lies, at home, outdoors, etc. and by different population segments : single, fami

to enable their optimal use in different situations• It presents products in a range of portion sizes

pathogens • It prevents degradation of food due to shock and

nst food wastage: Packaging plays an important role in the fight agai

(MJ) Energy necessary for the weekly consumption of food

Packaging and the environment

& the Environment Table for One: the energySource: INCPEN – the Industry Council for Packaging

http://www.incpen.org/displayarticle.asp?a=49&c=3

Production

Packaging

factory from

Transport

packagingTransport

Retailing

cooking Home

storage Home

household shop - Transport

toes (MJ) Energy necessary for the weekly consumption of pota




Production Packaging

factory from

Transport

packagingTransport

Retailing

cookingHome

storage Home


(MJ) Energy necessary for the weekly consumption of meat




Production

Packaging

factory from

Transport packagingTransport

Retailing

cookingHome

storage Home


emissions Impact Impact of food packaging on eq.CO

Packaging and the environment 2

emissions as opposed to 5% for packaging.

s, which are in fact responsible for 95% of CO2 spoilage and the useless production of food product

and protecting it, packaging helps to avoid environmental nuisance. However, by conserving food

ary and represents an important source of There are many who think that packaging is unnecess

Documents

L emballage a travers les agesNicolas Appert invented ‘appertization’, a sterilization process. This marked the manufacturing, steel appeared in 1786. In 1795, during the French