Introduction R. Ahvenainen, VTT Biotechnology, Finland The packaging sector is an important global industry, representing about 2% of the Gross National Product(GNP)of the developed countries. The value of the packaging industry is about 345 million euros worldwide, of which Europe presents a third. Fifty per cent of this market is packaging for food. Forecasts suggest that the sector will continue to grow in size and importance Many cooking and preservation processes still largely depend on effective packaging, for example canning, aseptic, sous vide and baking processes Processes such as drying and freezing would be lost without protective packaging after processing to control product exposure to the effects of oxyge light, water vapour, bacterial and other contaminants. However, modern food packaging no longer has just a passive role in protecting and marketing the product. It increasingly has an active role in processing, preservation and in retaining the safety and quality of foods throughout the distribution chain. Indeed, packaging development has changed the preservation methods used for food products. Ten to fifteen years ago all poultry products or industrially prepared raw minced meat were sold as frozen. Nowadays, thanks to modified- atmosphere packaging based on protective gases and novel gas-impermeable packaging materials, they are mainly sold as chilled products. The modern reparation and often international distribution of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables for retail sale is also possible today because of respirable packaging films. Nowadays packaging plays an increasingly important role in the whole food chain 'from the field to the consumers table. As an example, many fresh agricultural products such as berries and mushrooms are picked in the field or the greenhouse directly into consumer packages and plastic or fibre-based tray The product is thus touched only once before it reaches the consumer. Another example is ready-to-eat food and snack products which are packed inThe packaging sector is an important global industry, representing about 2% of the Gross National Product (GNP) of the developed countries. The value of the packaging industry is about 345 million euros worldwide, of which Europe represents a third. Fifty per cent of this market is packaging for food. Forecasts suggest that the sector will continue to grow in size and importance. Many cooking and preservation processes still largely depend on effective packaging, for example canning, aseptic, sous vide and baking processes. Processes such as drying and freezing would be lost without protective packaging after processing to control product exposure to the effects of oxygen, light, water vapour, bacterial and other contaminants. However, modern food packaging no longer has just a passive role in protecting and marketing the product. It increasingly has an active role in processing, preservation and in retaining the safety and quality of foods throughout the distribution chain. Indeed, packaging development has changed the preservation methods used for food products. Ten to fifteen years ago all poultry products or industrially prepared raw minced meat were sold as frozen. Nowadays, thanks to modified￾atmosphere packaging based on protective gases and novel gas-impermeable packaging materials, they are mainly sold as chilled products. The modern preparation and often international distribution of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables for retail sale is also possible today because of respirable packaging films. Nowadays packaging plays an increasingly important role in the whole food chain ‘from the field to the consumer’s table’. As an example, many fresh agricultural products such as berries and mushrooms are picked in the field or the greenhouse directly into consumer packages and plastic or fibre-based trays. The product is thus touched only once before it reaches the consumer. Another example is ready-to-eat food and snack products which are packed in 1 Introduction R. Ahvenainen, VTT Biotechnology, Finland