Innovations in Food Packaging: The SISTERS Project and BIOMI’s Advances in Biobased Films

In the quest to tackle waste across the food value chain, the SISTERS project stands out with its commitment to reducing all types of waste. This ambitious initiative employs a range of innovations, including smart containers, new online platforms for farmers, and novel biobased materials for food packaging. Among the key contributors to this project is BIO-MI, which is making strides in the development and industrial production of biobased and biodegradable films designed for food packaging.

BIOMI’s Role in the SISTERS Project

BIO-MI’s involvement centers on scaling up biobased and biodegradable films, primarily made from polylactic acid (PLA). These films are integral to developing sustainable food packaging solutions. Throughout the SISTERS project, BIO-MI has focused on scaling up the best materials to meet the needs of the food sector. The project required BIO-MI to produce films with specific widths, lengths, and thicknesses to fulfill the end-users’ requirements.

The Production Process

The production process at BIOMI involved several key stages:

  • Material Selection: Two final formulations were chosen. One was for seal and pouch films, and the other for stretch films. Both were biobased but initially biodegradable only in industrial composting conditions.
  • Incorporation of CARBIOS active Additive: To enhance biodegradability, an CARBIOS active additive was incorporated during blow extrusion. This resulted in four formulations for industrial trials

  • Challenges and Optimizations: The extrusion process presented challenges, particularly with seal and pouch films, which struggled with wrinkling due to the high PLA content. Through meticulous optimization of processing parameters, including temperature, air blowing, extrusion speeds, and die head settings, BIOMI successfully produced over 400 kg of defect-free films with excellent optical and mechanical properties.

  • Stretch Films Production: Produced using a cast extrusion machine, stretch films were easily made due to their different material composition and less demanding end-user specifications. More than 100 kg of these films were produced.

Impact of CARBIOS active Additive

The inclusion of CARBIOS active additive demonstrated significant benefits:

  • Reduced Wrinkling: The addition of CARBIOS active significantly minimized wrinkling in seal and pouch films, enabling thinner films and reducing both material use and cost.

  • Enhanced Mechanical Properties: The additive improved the mechanical properties of the films, particularly elongation at break, which is a common limitation of PLA materials.

Next Steps and Future Prospects

BIO-MI is now in the process of shipping all produced films to the end-users. The ongoing efforts aim to revolutionize food packaging with sustainable, high-performance materials. In conclusion, the SISTERS project highlight significant advancements in the field of biodegradable food packaging. The innovative use of CARBIOS active additive is paving the way for more sustainable solutions, potentially setting new standards for the industry.