A new European Commission directive will allow the introduction of active and intelligent packaging

A new European Commission directive will allow the introduction of active and intelligent packaging

The European Commission is to propose a directive later this month that could see new forms of packaging introduced into the European market. European commissioner for health and consumer protection David Byrne said the commission will propose a new directive to allow the introduction of “active” and “intelligent” packaging.

A spokeswoman for the commissioner told PRW.com the proposal would set basic safety and labelling guidelines. She added: “However, as active and intelligent packaging may be sophisticated systems, more detailed rules need to be established.” Active and intelligent packaging tend to be laminates of plastics, paper, metals and adhesives. “Active packaging” is designed to extend the shelf life of packaged food, and “intelligent packaging” monitors the its condition.

They can be used as oxygen scavengers, preservative and antioxidant emitters, ethylene absorbers and freshness indicators. The spokeswoman said the directive would include traceability requirements. She added that a voluntary committee co-ordinated by the European Plastics Converters Confederation was producing a document on how traceability could be best implemented.