Researchers develop biodegradable packaging for oily foods

The BIOMAT research group from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has responded to the demand for longer shelf life coupled with sustainability, with the development of a biodegradable/compostable container for both liquid and solid oily products.

The container is transparent but provides a barrier against ultraviolet light and gases like oxygen. The product has only a single layer, which reduces the cost considerably, and can be thermally sealed and is printable.

According to the researchers, the new packaging is no longer a mere container, as it performs an active role in the maintenance and even improvement of the quality of the food. The main function of the packaging container is to prolong the useful life of the packaged food through the control of permeation phenomena, either through the use of barrier materials or through the retaining of harmful substances and/or the incorporation of beneficial substances for the packaged food. The raw materials used originate from renewable sources, which have the capacity to biodegrade.

World production of bioplastics in 2013 was 1.6 million tonnes and is expected to reach 6.2 million tonnes by 2017, according to the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites. One of the lines of research of the BIOMAT group is to prepare renewable, biodegradable polymer blends so as to improve the properties of the materials and cut their costs.