ITENE closes the 24th IAPRI World Packaging Conference in Valencia with the largest participation of this event in its history

• It brings together more than 300 researchers, experts and packaging professionals and more than 150 speakers in an event focused on the dissemination of knowledge about packaging in the Spanish city.
• Paula Llobet participates in the opening and Felipe Carrasco in the official dinner of the 30th anniversary of ITENE.

Advanced materials, sustainable packaging and packaging technologies or solutions for the safety of packaging systems were some of the innovations presented at the 24th IAPRI World Packaging Conference, held from 18 to 20 June in Valencia (Spain), which attracted the largest attendance in its history: more than 300 attendees and 150 speakers.

After a welcome event and guided tours of the headquarters of the ITENE research centre, organiser of the conference, the Spanish city has been the stage where, during this week, more than 150 speakers from 32 countries in America, Asia, Europe and Oceania have presented the latest trends and developments in packaging. Finally, the IAPRI General Meeting and the IAPRI Awards Ceremony brought the event to a close.

The event began with a welcome session held in the Oceanográfico of Valencia by the Managing Director of ITENE, Javier Zabaleta, who highlighted “the key moment for packaging in which we find ourselves” in view of “the central role that sustainability has come to occupy in the priorities of public administrations, companies and consumers”. The event also featured speeches by Roland ten Klooster, President of IAPRI, and Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction of Valencia City Council, who highlighted the fact that this event, with its focus on sustainability, is being hosted by this city, European Green Capital in 2024, and is also relevant in the field of innovation in the industry.

Subsequently, they gave way to the interventions of the Keynote Speakers Mattia Pellegrini, Head of the Unit “From Waste to Resources” of the European Commission, and Remigio Marano, Official Scientist for Food Contact Materials of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Pellegrini presented the future European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which he said “will be complemented by secondary legislation through a series of delegated acts and implemented with planned stakeholder consultations” and “will be applicable 18 months after its entry into force”.

Marano also focused on the importance of assessing the suitability for food contact of materials such as recycled plastic, which he pointed out can carry health risks “due to the possible migration of contaminants present in recycled plastic into packaged food“.

This was followed by presentations and poster exhibitions, which focused on the latest trends in innovations under six main themes: packaging materials, sustainable packaging in the supply chain, packaging design and development, improvements in the safety and efficiency of packaging systems, packaging machinery and technologies, packaging technologies and product packaging.

ITENE’s 30th anniversary

In parallel to the celebration of the conference, the official dinner of the 30th anniversary of ITENE also took place, which commemorated the three decades that separate the start of its activity from the present and its evolution throughout these years, marked by a strong commitment to R&D.

During the evening, the President of ITENE, Marta Codoñer, and the Managing Director, Javier Zabaleta, presented awards to different personalities who were key in the history of the centre. First of all, Javier Zabaleta and Ramón Catalá, author of the feasibility and design study of ITENE, and currently scientific advisor of the centre and honorary professor at the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-CSIC, were honoured. Acknowledgements were also given to Luis Oliazola, Ángel Sánchez and Pedro Ballester, former presidents of ITENE; as well as to CIPASI, TECNICARTÓN and AGLOLAK, the oldest members; and Roland ten Klooster, President of IAPRI.

In addition, the support that the Generalitat Valenciana dedicates to technology centres such as ITENE was highlighted with a recognition given to Felipe Carrasco, Regional Secretary of Innovation, Trade and Consumer Affairs, who closed the event.