Turkey gets tough on food packaging
In the last decade, Turkey's food production capability and quality of packaged foodstuffs has risen appreciably, with a panoply of local products hitting European supermarket shelves. One influential player in this area has been the Food Institute at the Marmara Research Center (MRC), which is part of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Tubitak). In support of such progress, the EU-funded project Safetechnopak helped the MRC become a world-class institution in food packaging. The project upgraded the Institute's research in chemical contamination and developed new food packaging materials through nanotechnology and other novel packaging advances. It helped MRC acquire modern laboratory equipment and recruited two researchers who were trained in Italy, Finland and the United Kingdom on nanotech applications, intelligent packaging and safety of food contact materials. The project team also sent the Center's researchers on technical visits to Germany, France, Italy and Finland. In a bid to enlarge MRC's sphere of influence, the project organised three brokerage events in Turkey to attract national stakeholders in the food and packaging industry. In parallel, the Center's researchers participated in several world conferences on the topic, including the prestigious Anuga 2009 and Emballage 2010 events, sharing their valuable research with other global stakeholders. Towards the end of the project, Safetechnopak hosted an international food packaging conference in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, inviting notable industry speakers and attracting participants from around the world. The project website was launched in both Turkish and English to help involve regional industry players and disseminate research, thus serving as a vital national and international platform for exchange. As a result, the MRC became Turkey's primary specialist in food packaging analysis, representing an achievement that will raise quality standards and invigorate the country's food industry, both locally and globally.
