Packaging ¦ IDM
The InnoCamp Sigmaringen, where research projects on sustainable packaging concepts are being carried out in the near
future. (architektenwerkgemeinschaft weinbrenner.single.arabzadeh)
May 2020 ¦ international-dairy.com · 7
recycle in order to minimise the amount of plastics entering
the environment, especially marine waste (European Commission,
2018).
Many foods, including most dairy products, are packaged
in multi-layer composite films or polystyrene, often with ethylene
vinyl alcohol (EVOH) co-polymers to provide sufficient
flavour and oxygen barrier properties. It seems that a decision
has to be made whether one wants a material-efficient
thermoplastic composite material that cannot be recycled, or
can only be recycled to a limited extent, or mono-materials
that can be recycled but are mostly not material-efficient and
provide less barrier properties (Kaiser et al., 2017).
Research into more sustainable packaging materials as an
alternative to petrochemical plastics has already been investigated
in several research projects, including the completed
EU projects "Wheylayer" and "Thermowhey". These projects
showed that certain biopolymers have a high potential to
provide sufficient barrier properties as coating materials to
produce different types of packaging such as trays and blisters.
Sustainable whey coatings were developed that showed
improved barrier properties, suitable to replace expensive
polymers such as EVOH and thus increase recyclability. For
example, it has been shown that trays coated with whey protein
have improved oxygen barrier properties to meet the
requirements of modified atmosphere fresh meat packaging
(Schmid et al., 2011). The barrier properties of packaging
materials are decisive for the protection of the packaged
foods, but the mechanical properties as well as those relevant
for processing must also be taken into account. For
example, the EU project ThermoWhey has developed formulations
with whey protein coatings with improved thermoformability
and processing properties that are suitable for
the production of cups and trays.
Building on the previous research results, the current EU
research project BIOnTop (Grant Agreement Number GA
837761) is researching innovative, fully bio-based and recyclable
packaging and textiles with the aim of developing a
more environmentally friendly alternative to the plastic packaging
currently produced from crude oil. The 4-year research
project, which started in 2019, is being carried out by 21
teams of experts from industry and science. These include
representatives from trade associations, research institutes,
the mechanical engineering sector and food and packaging
companies from 8 EU countries.
In the project, thermoplastic composite materials for trays
and foils are to be developed, which are suitable for packaging
in modified atmosphere such as dairy products or personal
care products. To this end, the BIOnTop project is pursuing
various strategies to optimise biopolymers to meet the requirements
of MAP packaging. The following goals are being
pursued with the bio-based packaging alternatives; they shall
• Have tailor-made properties
• Have optimized barrier properties
• Enable new end-of-life options
• Consist of bio-based polymers
• Have a coating with residual protein-based materials.
Polylactic acid (PLA)-based films are used for this purpose.
PLA-based plastics are produced from biomass and are the
most researched synthetic biopolymers with promising properties
for use in sustainable packaging concepts (Auras et al.,
2010). The optical and mechanical properties of PLA films
are comparable to conventional polyester films. Furthermore,
PLA-based plastics can already be produced on an industrial
scale and account for a considerable share of 13.9% of global
bioplastics production capacity, as of 2019 (European Bioplastics).
PLA-based plastics are thus among the most promising
biobased packaging materials. However, PLA films are not
suitable for products with a medium to long shelf life or for
sensitive products. Especially the low oxygen and water vapour
barrier properties of PLA films are insufficient to protect
sensitive food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical products. In order
to achieve good oxygen barrier properties, an EVOH layer is
commonly used. However, these composites are not recycla-
/international-dairy.com
/international-dairy.com
