7 Packaging Innovations That Have Revolutionized Food the Last Half Century7 Packaging Innovations That Have Revolutionized Food the Last Half Century

From the rise of PET bottles and aseptic cartons to advances in metallized films and digital printing, these groundbreaking packaging developments have shaped the way we package, store, and consume food — and have revolutionized our daily lives.

Claire Sand

January 30, 2025

4 Min Read
Metallized film packaging
Alpaksoy / iStock via Getty Images Plus

At a Glance

  • Food packaging innovations over the past 50 years have improved preservation, convenience, and sustainability.
  • Advancements in materials and technology include PET bottles, metallized films, and aseptic cartons.
  • Safety and efficiency improvements through migration testing and digital printing have shaped modern food storage.

Ah, 2025. We are in a new quarter of a century! It’s a milestone date, worthy of taking a breath and looking back at how far we’ve come.

Packaging engineers have been busy these past 50 years and the impact of these seven food packaging innovations from the last half century (1975-2025) is powerful.

1. Paperboard coatings

Paperboard used for food packaging is coated to create a uniform surface for printing, protect food from water vapor, protect the paper from external moisture, and remove grease and oil from the food. To align with regulations and maintain a non-cellulosic content of less than 5%, paperboard manufacturers now apply pH-balanced oil-in-water emulsions as dispersion coatings onto paperboard.

For instance, nanoscale components with set aspect ratios are used in Foopak Bio Natura, which is Flustix-certified as plastic-free and contains less than 0.75% plastic. This meets the plastic-free criteria, EN13430 recycling, and EN13432 compostability standards.

Video: Gypsy Picture Show / Creatas Video+ via Getty Images Plus

2. Metallized film.

The use of metallized film for food packaging in the mid-1970s emerged from developments in the late 1880s. Switching from PET to metallized PET lowers the oxygen permeability by a factor of 100. For this reason, brands use metallized films for high-barrier lidding and pouches. Paperboard laminated with metallized film creates a susceptor that absorbs microwaves and concentrates heat. Since susceptors were first used for packaging foods in the early 1980s, consumers have better appreciated the convenience and crispiness of microwaveable food.

Related:FDA Issues Front-of-Pack Food Labeling Rule. How Will the Trump Freeze Affect It?

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3. PET bottle.

When Owens-Illinois (O-I) produced its first 32-ounce polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle in 1976, it was praised for its lightweight (67 grams) and non-breakable design. PET water bottles have provided consumers worldwide with access to potable drinking water. Tom Brady, Founder of Plastic Technologies Inc. and former Technical Director and VP at Owens-Illinois, has provide a major resource in writing the History of the PET Bottle.

4. Migration testing.

Migration testing experienced a surge of innovation in the 1980s and early 1990s as the European Union (EU) standards were developed and refined, and research methodology in understanding the sorption and desorption kinetics and migration from packaging into different food types was elucidated. We are seeing a resurgence in migration testing. This is because brands need to ensure that packaging — specifically packaging that can come into direct contact with food — does not contain chemicals of concern that may pose a health risk. This is critical since only approximately 40% of approved food-contact chemicals have undergone rigorous food safety assessments.

Related:FDA Redefines ‘Healthy’ Food Claim on Packaging

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5. Aseptic cartons.

Tetra Pak, Lami Packaging (Kunchan) Co., SIG Combibloc, and others supply paperboard-based multilayer packaging to the food industry. More than 179 billion Tetra Pak packages produced in 2023 provided access to shelf-stable foods and beverages. The aseptic cartons represent the elegant optimization of each layer, with aluminum providing extended shelf life, the sealant layer ensuring an intact seal, and paperboard providing rigidity.

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6. PP woven totes.

In the 1970s, woven polypropylene (PP) replaced fabric and paper bags to deliver food aid; and now they are used in ingredient packaging. The food industry uses reusable totes to distribute grains, oats, rice, coffee beans, and other low-moisture products from suppliers to food manufacturers. The woven bags decreased food waste, increased cube efficiency, and offered and encoded counterfeit/diversion resistance within the PP weave. Interestingly, totes are often reused to distribute other food to market and in areas external to food, such as tarps and floor coverings.

Related:Cadbury Launches 80% Recycled Plastic Packaging

7. Digital print.

Minor ingredients, nutritional, smart label, and other information adjustments can be made rapidly today through digital printing. Kim Connolly, Owner of Loupe Graphics, expands, “For wine clients, digital print has reduced the lead time by 30% when updating labels to include the CA CRV endorsement [California Redemption Value (CRV) fee] and other vintage-specific details. Using digital print, there are no plate costs to consider, making the cost lower than that of conventional print.” 

About the Author

Claire Sand

Packaging Technology and Research

Claire Sand, PhD, has 30+ years of experience in industry and academia. She is owner of Packaging Technology and Research and Gazelle Mobile Packaging and an Adjunct Professor, CalPoly, Michigan State University, and the University of Minnesota. You can reach her at packagingtechnologyandresearch.com or using the email below.

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