Consumers expect the food industry to provide safe products that comply with the latest regulations. FEICA, the Association of the European Adhesive and Sealant Industry, recommends avoiding the use of epoxy silanes in food contact applications, and the European Union is expected to set new limits during the course of this year. These limits will require complex testing methods that lead to challenges for converters and packaging manufacturers.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) continue to gain traction in the broad category of packaging. PSAs are rapidly changing the way goods are packaged and delivered to consumers in traditional retail and via ecommerce.

H.B. Fuller recently announced that it has launched a series of products that are free of epoxy silane commonly known as GLYMO within its Flextra™ range of adhesives for flexible packaging.

With its new RE range that is “designed for recycling,” Henkel reports that it is introducing adhesives and coatings that both improve the recyclability of flexible packaging and make it possible to use recycled content in new packaging.

H.B. Fuller marked 20 years of Advantra food-safe packaging adhesive performance with the launch of additional adhesive technologies in the Europe, India, Middle East, and Africa (EIMEA) market.

Worldwide sales of compostable foodservice packaging reached approximately 6,400 tons worth $16.7 million in 2018; the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 5% through 2029.