VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers from SINTEF, Norway, have developed plant-based food packaging that extends the shelf-life of food and also lets consumers know it is no longer fresh enough to eat. Researchers are ready to demonstrate the packaging which they have made from PLA (polyactic acid) and bio-PET (polyethylene terephthalate). “The packaging is made of biopolymers to which we have added nanoparticle components”, said Åge Larsen at SINTEF.

“This provides the packaging with new and improved food preservation properties. It is designed mainly to protect the contents from their surroundings and thus extend shelf-life. We achieve this by means of improved oxygen barriers. Standard plastic packaging allows the entry of air which places restrictions on shelf-life. Moreover, the new approach considerably reduces the carbon footprint,” added Larsen.

Larsen said plant-based food packaging is an expanding field. Four packaging designs are currently being made using PLA and bio-PET. These include a blow-moulded bottle, a pot that can be used to hold seafood, bowl-like containers made with a three-layer coating, and a blow-moulded film (similar to plastic) that can be used for making bags and oxygen-protective coverings. In addition the researchers have developed sensors that will let consumers know when the product is no longer suitable to eat.