Book excerpt: For the first time, engineering for the packaging industry – and for the biggest packaging user, food processing – is presented in a way that clearly demonstrates its interconnected, globally integrated nature. Food and Package Engineering is a groundbreaking work that serves as a comprehensive guide to the complexities and the potential of the industry. Packaging draws on nearly every aspect of science, technology, business, social science, and engineering. Rather than present a traditionally linear view of these topics, the author takes a "Packaging Cycle" approach by guiding readers through the life of the package from raw materials and conversion, operations, distribution, retail, all the way to recycling or disposal by the consumer. Food and Package Engineering includes many essential topics usually not addressed in other food engineering or packaging texts, including: Raw materials production and conversion Inventory management and production scheduling Regulations, security and food safety Recycling and landfill issues Transportation systems and distribution packaging Evaluation of developing technologies The comprehensive approach of this volume provides a framework to discuss critical interrelated topics such as economics, politics, and natural resources. Intended for readers with varying levels of experience, Food and Package Engineering provides multi-level accessibility to each topic, allowing both students and professionals to find useful information and develop technical expertise. Rather than being a simple exposition of technical knowledge, the book provides both real-world examples and challenging problems that require consideration at several different levels. Extensively illustrated and meticulously researched, Food and Package Engineering offers both a technical and a real-world perspective of the field. The text serves the student or industry professional at any level or background as an outstanding learning and reference work for their professional preparation and practice.