Book excerpt: Packaging is an essential feature of modern life. The science and art of packaging is so vast that no single book or even a multivolume work could hope to cover the entire scope of topics, from Artwork to Zipper. This volume has selected some of the most commonly raised questions in the field of flexible packaging of food. No claim is made for comprehensive coverage of the field-nor even for an in-depth exploration of a limited number of topics. The novice should find sufficient material here to gain a broad understanding of flexible packaging. The expert's knowledge may be enriched by the case studies and the additional reading lists. The first topic covered is "Who needs packaging?" We conclude that everyone depends on packaging. Western civilization as we know it today would cease without modern packaging. The advantages of controlled atmosphere (CA) or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP are reviewed, especially as they apply to the preservation of meat cheese and produce. The need for a moisture and oxygen barrier is analyzed, and materials that provide these properties are presented. The legal aspects of packaging are confronted-including FDA and USDA oversight, EPA and toxic waste disposal, bar codes, and nutritional labeling. Machinery-especially form-fill-seal (ffs)-is covered in detail, and the influence of the computer on the modern packaging operation is discussed.