Packaging and processing giants see huge potential in the Middle East as new challenges and pressures are applied to the processing and packaging elements of the supply chain, according to the organisers of Gulfood.

In a region where climatic, logistics and storage elements have a direct impact on the protection, quality and safety of food products and the world’s largest annual trade show for the food industry from February to 27 to March 2 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre is expected to be a major opportunity for packaging and processing companies.

“Globalisation and accelerated emerging market growth are key drivers in bringing international food practices to the region, of which packaging and processing solutions play a crucial role. This presents excellent opportunities for companies that are able to adapt and deliver to these markets, and many will be visiting Gulfood 2011 to capitalise on this,” said Helal Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of Gulfood.

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Consistency is a key requirement in food processing and packaging, particularly with the expansion of brands into international markets. Ishida Europe, a key exhibitor at Gulfood, uses its expertise as a world leader in the design, manufacture and installation of specialist machinery to develop weighing and packing solutions that ensure consistency in batches for a diverse range of food products, from seafood to confectionery, for customers with manufacturing plants around the world.

With food safety heading the agenda of many governments and regulatory authorities throughout the Middle East and beyond, food processing and packaging is coming under even closer scrutiny. Packaging assumes a critical role in the protection of food in order to ensure that it remains nutritionally sound and hygienically safe. Tetra Pak, the world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, holds protection at the core of its business, with its motto “Protects What’s Good” reflecting the company’s vision to make food safe and available worldwide. The company supplied a record 150 billion packages in 2010 to more than 170 countries around the world.

Sustainability also remains a growing trend in almost every industry, with packaging a major issue within the food and beverage industry, the organisers added. Driven by public environmental concern, increasing retailer pressure and the growing commitment by manufacturers to conserve natural resources, the packaging industry is taking steps to produce more ethical and sustainable solutions. All paper used in Tetra Pak packaging is now sourced from responsibly managed and certified sustainable forests, and all packages carry the FSC logo.

New technologies to reduce the impact of packaging on the environment also include recent innovations by global packaging giant DuPont in the area of sustainable lightweighting. Using Dupont Surlyn packaging resins and the company’s packaging expertise, it is possible for producers to now consider a reduction in film thickness, weight and cost while maintaining or upgrading packaging performance in terms of seal integrity, hot tack, perforation resistance and stiffness.

“DuPont is a leading player in the development of materials that combine sustainability with affordability to create new packaging solutions that delight consumers in terms of their convenience, freshness and appeal,” said Heike Van de Kerkhof, business director DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers EMEA. “Our collaborative approach with customers has resulted in us becoming a packaging technology partner of choice for many of the globe’s leading brands. It is with this same commitment to sustainable innovation that we are now addressing the needs and requirements of the Middle East’s food and drinks industry, achieved through an increase in presence and resources in the region.”

Gulfood is strictly a trade-only event and is open to business and trade visitors from within the industry only. Complimentary registration is available in advance online. Industry business professionals on the day of the show will be able to buy either a Day Pass for AED 75, or a Four Day Pass for AED 150. Gulfood is open from 11am – 7pm Sunday 27 February 2011 to Tuesday 1 March 2011 and from 11am to 5pm on Wednesday 2 March.