PVG's national conference on food packaging

The show saw a diverse gathering of research scholars, food processors, academicians and industry experts, from different institutes and states. They explored and discussed the trends, advancements, and challenges transpiring in the field of packaging.

Managing director at Toyo Inks Arets India, Prashant Atre was invited as the chief guest for the event. In his keynote speech, Atre painted a picture of the role of inks in food packaging, said, “Ink for packaging is what food for the body is.” Joining him was Devender Sharma, senior general manager UV business at Toyo Inks Arets India, who chaired as the guest of honour.

The conference featured a diverse range of presentations, each shedding light on different facets of food packaging. Vaibhavi Pimpale provided an insightful overview of food packaging for mithai (sweet) products, discussing current practices, materials, and future advancements. Anil Rastogi from Hi-Tech Inks spoke about innovations in packaging materials that included features such as aesthetics, functionality, and food-friendly barrier coatings.

Dharam Mentor of Design Horse captivated the audience with his presentation on “Design Thinking in Packaging” elucidating the five stages of the design thinking process and showcasing case studies illustrating the impact of unique branding strategies on business success. Anuj Agarwal of Texochem addressed the pressing need for heat sealable barrier coating replacements to polyethylene, and how this innovation will benefit the environment.

On a lighter note, to add a touch of inspiration to the conference, Girish Khatri, owner of Khatri Bandhu, shared his journey of building a successful brand amid challenges.

Further enriching the discourse were presentations by Bijendra Kaushik and his students from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Haryana - Deepanshu Verma and Akash Soni. They delved into topics such as permeability comparison of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials used for blister packaging applications, and comparative analysis of glass and plastic-based packaging materials used for liquid fill packaging applications.

Swati Dutt, research scholar at Coimbatore-based Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, presented a paper titled as “unwrapping the impact of extensive PET film usage for food packaging on environment.”

Subodh Kulkarni's session on the importance of food safety in liquid food packaging offered insights into the intricacies of aseptic packaging and Tetra Pak production, highlighting the critical role of packaging in ensuring product integrity.

Overall, the event presented different perspectives of food packaging, encompassing the dynamic system of the food product, packaging material, visual and structural designs, transportation and distribution.

The show was attended by PVG’s chief patrons including chairman Rajendra V Borhade, directors SP Redekar and RG Kaduskar, and patron-cum-principal MR Tarambale. Their participation added encouragement and expertise to the session.

Convenor and department head of printing technology, Madhura Mahajan and co-convenor and faculty, Padmaja Joshi, with a select second-year printing engineering students organised the event. Known for bakarwadi (a traditional sweet-and-spicy snack in Western Maharashtra), Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale was a silver sponsor for the event. The overwhelming response received in the inaugural edition prompts the department to organise the NCFP in the coming years.