Food packaging can be traced to the leather, glass, and clay containers of the earliest Western commercial ventures. The Industrial Revolution dramatically changed the processing and packaging of food. Many trademarks filed with the Secretary of State reflect these changes. 

The most widely used material in the packaging of food items is the cardboard carton. It is light weight, inexpensive and easy to manufacture, print, and store. Other container materials are glass, cans, plastic, cellophane and paper. The labeling of trademarks varies depending on the type of product container.