Food wrappers based on extract from algae

In Qingdao, Shandong province, China, the research team led by Xu Jiachao, a professor at the College of Food Science and Engineering at Ocean University of China, made food wrappers to replace plastic from alginate, an extract from brown algae, that is renewable and nontoxic, and shows excellent film-forming properties when crosslinked by calcium ions.

The team added another ion to make the wrapper stronger. Thanks to this “double-ions film-forming technology”, the food wrapper can achieve 100 percent degradation in 6 to 12 months, without any environmental pollution. It can endure temperatures ranging from -80 to 120°C. Research on the biofilm which began in 2012, will continue to improve the technology.
(Packaging Strategies, September 2, 2020)

Part of 651 issue – October 20. All rights reserved except agreement written by Emballage Digest or mention of the magazine