By EDD K. USMAN, SDN, Twitter: @edd1819, Instagram: @bluestar0910, Facebook: SDN — Science and Digital News
(SDN) — SCIENCE Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña will lead a battery of speakers today, October 22, 2019, in the Asia Packaging Network’s (APN) international conference.
The “APN International Packaging Symposium’ is back to back with the “International Safe Transit Association-Asia Pacific Division (ISTA-APD) International Symposium on Distribution Packaging” which are organized by the Packaging Technology Division of the Industrial Technology Development Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ITDI).
It is being held at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City, Metro Manila, from October 22 to 24.
De la Peña, head of the DOST, will deliver the Keynote Address titled “The Role of Packaging in Disaster Preparedness in the Philippines and in Asia.”
This marks the first time the Philippines is hosting the International Packaging and Innovation Symposium and the 6th APN Meeting through the DOST-ITDI.
“APN is a network of researchers in packaging related universities and research institutions in Asia. The symposium will serve as a venue to update and share among packaging researchers and industry experts the latest packaging technology development, innovation and regulations,” the ITDI said in an email message announcing the dual events.
Organizers have invited internationally recognized packaging experts from across various countries who are expected to share their valuable experiences and best practices.
The APN symposium will be on October 22-23 and the second, the ISTA-APD is on October 24. APN participants were invited to the second forum.
To be discussed in the second event includes the latest development on packaging structural and cushion design, performance testing of transport packaging, measuring environmental hazards in the supply chain, e-commerce and parcel shipment packaging.
Here are the topics:
Smart Packaging Technology
o Active packaging
o Intelligent packaging
o Application of RFID in distribution packaging
Packaging materials, Trends, Innovation and Sustainability
o High barrier packaging
o Nanomaterials for packaging
o New coating materials
o Developments in biodegradable packaging
o New materials for shelf life improvement
Packaging for Food and Agriculture
o Modified atmosphere packaging for fresh cut fresh produce
o Packaging design for efficient distribution of fresh produce
Packaging Regulations, Testing and Impact to Trade
o Safety issues related to packaging contaminants
o Latest labelling requirements in Asia, USA and EU
Packaging Design, Printing and Branding
o Trends in packaging design and printing technology
o Packaging design and branding as marketing tools
Distribution Packaging
o Effective packaging design
o Performance testing
o International testing protocols for distribution packaging
The DOST-ITDI has opened the twin events to researchers, packaging engineers, designers, suppliers of packaging materials and equipment, users of packaging, personnel in regulatory agencies, and technical personnel in testing laboratory and production .
Management level executivess such as CEO, R&D production managers may also join to enhance the technical knowledge that is important in building the packaging competitive advantages of the company.
Among the other speakers are DOST Undersecretary for R&D Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara; Al Gruber, president/CEO of ISTA Global, United States; APN Chairperson Daisy E. Tañafranca; Senior Enterprise Development Officer Dr. Rosa Rolle, Nutrition and Food Systems Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations, Rome, Italy; Kentaro Ono, Society of Packaging Science and Technology, Japan; Stefano Paolo Buñag, president, Packaging Institute of the Philippines;
Ms. Ariana Susanti, Business Development director, Indonesian Packaging Federation; Associate Professor Dr. Jinkarn Tunyarot, Kasetsart University, Thailand; Senior Lecturer Dr. Siti Hajar Othman, Department of Process and Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia; Dr. Yang Jai Shin, president, Korea Society of Packaging Science and Technology, South
Korea, and many others.
ITDI is headed by Director Dr. Annabelle V. Briones. She will close the three-day activities with her remarks.