4. Conclusion

The wood industry has demonstrated that wood is a foodstuff, as shown by the results of numerous recent publications on the subject.

Wood, a natural material that has been used for centuries in direct contact with food, is still used today in the food industry, as it possesses a number of characteristics that make it a unique material:

• its natural antimicrobial properties help protect foodstuffs from microbiological attack and have led to it being described as a "hygienic material";

• its sustainable nature is attracting consumers, sparking new interest in its use as a food packaging material;

• its composition and particular structure are its assets for use as a technological tool for improving agri-food products.