Next generation sustainable packaging solutions

Plastics are an integral part of our everyday life owing to their wide use in different applications, such as food packaging. However, plastic packaging has come under scrutiny due to the high volume of waste it generates and its effects on the environment. The EU strategy for plastics recognizes the need for a green shift and circular economics towards plastic. The green shift entails producing plastics from renewable bio-based resources instead of traditional fossil resources. In circular economics, the materials and energy are kept in circulation before returning to nature. The main challenges in recycling of plastic waste is the poor collection and sorting and the use of multilayer and complex materials.

Packtech aims to develop next generation sustainable packaging solutions through the design of green and optimal packaging solutions that ensure high food quality and reduce the amount of plastic and food waste.

To achieve this, the project will make use of functional nanomaterials to improve mechanical and barrier properties of the packaging materials as well as to incorporate sensing, antimicrobial and antioxidant functionalities.

Division of labour

Scientists at Nofima’s Division of Food Science will work with the development and characterization of functional nanomaterial and their application in the active and intelligent packaging systems in three steps:

• Synthesis and characterization of functional nanoparticles in addition to loading and controlled release of active components from porous particles.
• Demonstration of novel packaging solutions by utilizing the developed functional nanoparticles. These functional particles will be coated on the substrate (type of materials e.g. biobased materials) or developed into active packaging as sachet or pads.
• Application and validation of these new materials and packaging concepts will be performed for selected food product(s) storage conditions.

Scientists working at Nofima’s Seafood Division will work on the effect different processing technologies have on packaging materials, and application and validation of developed nanomaterials in active and intelligent packaging systems.

The work will include:

• Evaluation of the effect of different processing technology (such as Cold Plasma, MW, HPP, US, UV and RF) as well as their effect on the barrier, migration and mechanical properties of different packaging materials.
• Application and validation of new materials and the food packaging concepts of the future will also be of importance.

About

The project is led by Marit Kvalvåg Pettersen. Main project group:  Jawad Sarfraz, Julie Nilsen-Nygaard, Bjørn Tore Rotabakk and Morten Sivertsvik. The project includes two 3-year Post Doc positions.