Owing to stricter regulatory and industry requirements, as well as growing concern over food safety, the need to track the movement of food products is of increasing importance. In particular, when implementing traceability systems for businesses, the purpose, scope, and flexibility of phasing the rollout should be clarified depending on the need. SATO's Trace Eye FOOD-Pro is a system that helps food and beverage manufacturers manage their entire production process from receiving raw materials to shipping out finished products. To ensure traceability, the system is capable of logging data of the work done at each production stage. As Trace Eye FOOD-Pro comprises different modules, it is also suitable for manufacturers who wish to use only selected functions or adopt the system in phases. While QR code labels are the medium that most traceability systems rely on to track product information, new media such as temperature-sensing RFID tags are also being applied.

Greater awareness of plastic marine waste is drastically changing needs for plastic packaging. Single materials (monomaterials) might allow for easier recycling, the monomaterial concept poses challenges for transparent barrier films, which extend food shelf life by suppressing the permeation of gas molecules that cause spoilage. In this paper, we discuss how Toppan is working to meet these challenges. Toppan's GL FILM products are mainly based on physical vapor deposition coating technologies that achieve highly stable oxygen and water vapor barrier properties. Toppan has recently combined mechanically recycled PET (MRPET) with our coating technology to create a product with similar properties but lower CO₂ emissions (by 17%). We have also developed a monomaterial transparent barrier film based on polypropylene—GL-X-BP—that can withstand boil-sterilization and hot filling. Although it is notoriously difficult to apply barrier coatings to polyethylene, we have also adapted our technology to create GL-X-LE. Toppan's barrier films are now being used in various packaging systems to support efforts to reduce food waste. This is useful in that switching from standard films to a high-barrier film (GX-P-F) effectively extends the shelf life of confectionery and dried foods. In this manner, Toppan is continuing to apply our experience and innovating new products to offer solutions for some of society's most urgent problems.

In several situations, people have called for safety and trustworthiness. In particular, interest in food safety has been increasing as consumers have been paying more attention to the subject. As such, “food safety” is now one of the most important topics worldwide. Food containers and packages (paper cartons, cosmetic boxes, corrugated cardboard, plastic trays, retort pouches, plastic bottles, cans, glass jars, bottles, etc.), which are closely related to foods, serve to attract consumers and maintain food quality. Under these circumstances, the amended Food Sanitation Act came into effect in Japan on June 1, 2020. Specifically, the “introduction of the PL (Positive List) system, which allows only substances whose safety has been evaluated to be used in food containers and packaging,” was established. In the past, there were no clear national regulations (as rules were set by the voluntary regulations of industry associations and companies), whereas now the rules have been clearly defined. This article summarizes the topics of each region's regulations on printing inks that are coloring food packaging materials and attracting attention. Furthermore, the article reports the efforts of printing ink manufacturers in response to the amended Food Sanitation Act. In particular, we focus on film packaging inks that are widely used in food containers and packaging and are expected to become more common in the world.

In Japan, the Act partially amending the Food Sanitation Act was enforced on June 1, 2020, and the Positive List (PL) system of Resin was promulgated by the government. However, more than one to two years are needed to complete the PL, meaning that the discussion on Printing Ink will continue to be a theme in the future. As the EU is also discussing the regulation of printing ink, the Japanese Act must develop in line with this.

Flexible packaging materials that consist of layers of film and metallic foil can be made suitable for various use cases by changing the combination of film and metallic foil to be laminated. The adhesives that laminate these films are designed along with the use case. In particular, as adhesives for flexible packaging material come into indirect contact with the foods through the films, only adhesives whose safety and hygiene can be confirmed are used. These flexible packaging materials are lighter and save resources compared to glass bottles, cans, and plastic bottles, and they are becoming more prevalent. Domestically, the need for such packaging is increasing due to the increased tendency of solitary eating as a result of COVID-19, as well as the improved dietary standards and development of food processing export bases. The same is true in developing countries, where there are increased food production and a reduction in food loss due to the long-term population growth. Simultaneously, as flexible packaging is a consumable material that is produced and consumed in large amounts every day, there is a call for cleaner materials and production processes requiring fewer resources. In this report, we will introduce the latest development trends in flexible packaging adhesives that are both safer and better for the environment.

In Japan, the Food Sanitation Act has been revised to restrict the use of chemical substances in manufacturing utensils, containers, and packaging (in other words, the positive list system). This article will introduce the safety tests required with the start of the positive list system, as well as the safety confirmation tests required by the Food Sanitation Act. In addition, it will introduce the safety confirmation test in Europe and the US (where the positive list system was adopted prior to Japan), and the safety test of printing ink for containers and packaging. In the safety test, a food simulant is selected according to the type of food with which the utensils, containers, or packaging come into contact, and the test conditions are determined by considering the environment in use (contact temperature and storage period). Subsequently, the contaminants in the simulant were measured. If you use chemicals that are not on the positive list, you need a test to determine whether they are genotoxic, carcinogenic, or mutagenic.

Pen and paper are still widely used, even in the age of digital media. This study aims to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire to evaluate the personal ability to use pen and paper in everyday life. We asked 1,264 office workers to respond to the questionnaire, which was designed to measure activities and attitudes related to using pen and paper in various situations. The results of the factor analysis revealed seven factors, where using pen and paper is valued: (1) the use of handwriting for communication; (2) the use of handwriting for thinking activities; (3) the feel of paper and its usability; (4) the preference of reading on paper; (5) the use of printed materials; (6) the custom of keeping paper documents; and (7) reliance on printed media as sources of information. Based on this analysis, we developed a multidimensional “pen-and-paper utilization capability scale,” consisting of the seven subscales. Several statistical indicators suggest that this scale is valid and reliable. We also analyze how the inclination to use pen and paper differs according to age, gender, and occupation, and we discuss how to use this scale in various situations.