[LUM#4] Eco-Friendly Packaging
How can we eliminate the ubiquitous plastic from our food packaging? In Montpellier, researchers are working on new materials that are more environmentally friendly.
Millions of tons of plastic are floating in the Pacific Ocean. A vortex of waste that spans an area six times the size of France. This“seventh continent”of plastic is slowly breaking down, with environmental consequences that are still poorly understood. And we keep adding to it with every meal… “Three-quarters of food packaging is made of plastic, ” explains Nathalie Gontard. “Plastic takes 100 to 200 years to degrade, even though its widespread use began only 50 years ago,” notes the researcher at the Agropolymers Engineering and Emerging Technologies Laboratory.
To reduce our environmental footprint, she is working on developing new, more eco-friendly packaging.“These plastics are derived from petroleum chemistry. Replacing them with materials derived from renewable resources that are biodegradable under natural conditions represents a long-awaited breakthrough in research,”emphasizes Nathalie Gontard. While “bioplastics” already exist, they still pose a major problem: they are made from starch derived from food crops such as wheat, corn, or potatoes.“Starving half the planet so that the other half can consume in an eco-friendly way would make no sense,”the researcher points out.
From Waste to Packaging
What if we imagined packaging made not from food resources but… from our waste? A real challenge. Because we must meet significant requirements: preserving the nutritional and sensory qualities of food for as long as possible to minimize post-harvest loss. But we must also demonstrate that it is completely safe for consumers and has no impact on the environment.
As part of the European Ecobiocap project coordinated by Nathalie Gontard, researchers rose to the challenge and developed a new generation of packaging made from food industry waste. The ingredients in this revolutionary formula: a polymer derived from the fermentation of liquid waste from the dairy industry, and lignocellulosic fibers obtained by grinding wheat straw. By mixing these components according to a precise protocol and assembling them using innovative technologies, the researchers have produced a material that looks just like plastic—but is completely biodegradable.
Circular economy
The resulting tray is perfectly suited for storing fresh fruits and vegetables.“Just toss it in the compost with the rest of your food waste,” explains Nathalie Gontard. A true revolution. Because this innovation paves the way for a form of circular economy that operates in a closed loop and therefore generates no more waste.“We’re creating a sustainable system that respects the planet; we have to think long-term,” emphasizes the specialist.
These eco-friendly materials now face another challenge: establishing themselves in the packaging market as a replacement for petrochemical-based plastics. “We need to identify the obstacles we might encounter,” explains Nathalie Gontard. “To that end, we’ve developed a decision-making tool for industry stakeholders.” Today, only 1% of packaging is biodegradable.“The goal is to reach zero non-biodegradable packaging.”
Packaging is innovation
The primary purpose of packaging is to protect. “It ensures food safety. Its role is also to create an environment that helps preserve the food’s taste and nutritional qualities,” explains Nathalie Gontard. In recent years, technological innovation has taken on this mission with the advent of “active” and “smart” packaging.
- Active packaging helps slow down food spoilage. Oxygen absorbers, for example, are commonly used to reduce oxidation reactions in vitamins and essential fatty acids, thereby extending the shelf life of the food and preserving its nutritional qualities. There are also antimicrobial packaging materials, moisture absorbers, and CO2 emitters that help preserve food for longer periods.
- Smart packaging provides real-time information on the condition of food. For example, smart labels can detect the presence of harmful bacteria. They indicate whether the food is still safe to eat without relying on an often arbitrary "best-by" date, which often leads to the disposal of products that are still edible. A perfect ally in the fight against food waste.
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