biopolymer

Agri-supply chain startup WayCool Foods has signed a three year MoU with Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, to develop antimicrobial food packaging material by using biopolymers, the company said on Wednesday.

The objective was to develop an economically viable and biodegradable packaging that would retain the freshness of fruits and vegetable longs, leading to a reduction in food wastage across the supply chain by 20 per cent, the city-based company said in a statement.

Packaging plays a vital role in the food industry. Good packaging can ensure that food and beverages are protected from contamination or tampering and retain their desired quality throughout their shelf life. Despite the importance that packaging plays, the packaging industry hasn't kept pace with the continuous innovations made in technology.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the way foods are sold. Few foods are sold unpackaged or displayed at the counter without being individually packed.

With the bioplastic Röchling-BioBoom, Röchling Automotive is the first company on the market to have a patented polylactide (PLA)-based biopolymer that consists of at least 90 percent renewable raw materials. In this way, the company offers an ecological and economical alternative to most conventional materials such as polyester (PC, PET, PBT) but also polystyrene (ABS), polyolefins (such as PP) and polyamides (PA6).

The goal of the European Dafia project is to provide the food packaging and automotive industries with sustainable options through the development of biopolymers, flame-retardant additives and barrier packaging.

Results have included flame retardants that provide an alternative to halogenated models, sustainable barrier packaging and edible coatings that extend the shelf-life of food, and chemical substances that can be used to produce new plastics from renewable resources.