Materials play a critical role in the food packaging industry, driven by the need for improved food quality and longer shelf life. With consumers getting more health conscious, there is an increasing demand for healthier and safer food packaging. The use of active and intelligent food packaging, spurred by advances in nanotechnology, is growing at an unprecedented rate. At the same time, however, there are growing concerns over the use of nanomaterials and other chemicals such as bisphenol-A that are associated with health risks in humans. The demand for smart packaging combined with eco-friendliness poses a tough challenge for packaging developers. Materials innovation is therefore at the forefront of the food and beverage packaging, which represents a multi-billion dollar industry. This newsletter highlights some of the recent developments in materials for food and beverage packaging.