Desjardin Blog - EN

Government regulation in the food packaging industry serves to protect consumer’s interests and health. The downside is that it can also stifle industry growth if there is too much regulation in place. Regulation by both the EU and FDA covers packaging manufacturing practices, banned substances, food contamination, and material specific policies. The FDA is often seen as less restrictive than the EU because it has faster approval times and allows for a less restrictive packaging material designation known as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS). Regulation is important because when food packaging fails it can lead to bacteria growth and human health problems.

The food packaging industry has gone through many changes since the rise of the first metal packages. Industrialization was the driving force behind metal being an early choice of material for the mass commercialization of food products. Here are key turning points in history since the industrial revolution that have led to the current state of increasing demand for packaging made with aluminum and other metals.

Food packaging is much different today than most of the 20th century. It has gone through a metamorphosis from plain, simple and utility-based packaging to more elaborate and creative designs. Metal is steadily gaining favor over plastic for sustainability reasons, as consumers are becoming increasingly more aware of environmental issues. Here's a deeper look at important food packaging trends heading into the 2020s.

The packaging of biscuits and confectionary involves creativity, as well as paying attention to safety regulations and consumer behaviors. Here's a deeper look at what a food packaging designer should be aware of when deciding on suitable materials.

As online shopping increases, people view products digitally before making a decision to buy. The photographic quality of digital printing which uses the RGB colour model has an important role to play.

The European Union wants a circular economy that is sustainable and environmentally friendly, and is promoting recycled packaging materials as one of the means to achieve this objective. Aluminium and tinplate are considered ideal due to the various environmental and economic advantages they have over ubiquitous plastic containers.

The colour separation technique or CMYK printing, which made colour prints possible, has been around for more than a century. Since the 1990s, it is possible to print with the eight-colour-process with a single pass.

Printing on circular and round objects is often a very challenging task. When an image designed for a flat surface is placed on a curved object it can become distorted. This can be seen on maps of earth. This article explains how anamorphic correction can produce compelling results. 

Waste of all kinds has become a pressing issue in today’s modern world. One of the most prevalent forms of waste we see on a daily basis is packaging waste: often from food, drinks, or other perishables.

The amount of packaging waste created has been steadily increasing and the EU is currently at the staggering yearly per capita rate of 167 kg [6].