H2020 BioBarr Project: New bio-based food packaging materials with improved barrier properties – BioBarrier
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2017 -2021
- Assigned Budget 3.253.437,5 €
- Scope Europeo
- Main source of financing H2020
- Project website Proyecto BioBarr
To preserve the environment, the food packaging industry is undergoing a transformation with the development of advanced bio-based and biodegradable materials. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are good candidates, but their insufficient moisture absorption and barrier properties have limited their use as food packaging materials, preventing their widespread adoption as replacements for conventional polymers.
The EU-funded BioBarr project aims to improve the barrier functionalities of PHAs and validate new materials for packaging selected bakery products intended as "case studies," with the goal of increasing their shelf life. To improve barrier performance for food packaging applications, BioBarr will explore various surface treatments, as well as a novel technique using PHA lamination with polylactic acid.
Based on the activities carried out over 54 months of the project, the project produced a prototype of a PHB-based flexible packaging reel. It is biobased, compostable, and biodegradable, compatible for food contact, printable with conventional solvent-based and compostable inks, functionalized with multilayers or surface treatments, and suitable for applications in the food sector for short-shelf-life products. The barrier properties still need to be improved, and the fragility issue often reported in the literature regarding these polyesters is difficult to overcome, thus limiting the mechanical performance of the final packaging solution.
Food is the only product class that people typically consume three times a day; consequently, in terms of volume, food packaging accounts for almost 50% of total packaging waste, which is a significant amount (Vimal Katizar, 2017). Traditional packaging products used in the food market are made up of 99% fossil-based plastics and only 1% bioplastics.
However, this indiscriminate use of synthetic films for packaging has led to a serious ecological problem. As active drivers of sustainable development, the BioBarr Consortium has joined forces to proactively seek alternatives to fossil-based raw materials for use in the food packaging sector, contributing in an innovative way to addressing and addressing the economic and environmental challenges posed by the use of fossil fuels.
The BioBarr project aims to develop, over 54 months at the European level, a new food packaging system based on the innovative family of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers. The biopolymer, derived from the natural bacterial fermentation of agricultural waste or by-products, will serve as the support for subsequent functionalization, based on surface treatments or lamination, to obtain an environmentally sustainable package capable of ensuring optimal food preservation. This solution is a potential alternative to current fossil-based packaging solutions, such as PP or PE.
Innovative functionalization treatments have been tested, taking into account the criteria applied to conventional food packaging materials: barrier properties (water, gases, light, aroma), but also optical properties, strength, welding and molding properties, marking and printing properties, migration/scalping requirements, chemical and temperature resistance, machinability, shelf life in end applications, cost-benefit ratio, market, environmental and economic sustainability of the process. The project involved companies and research centers from four EU countries, capable of covering the entire value chain. The project coordinator is Tecnoalimenti, a research organization for the food sector with more than 40 years of experience in food industry research and multidisciplinary projects.
BioBarr focuses on the development of new biodegradable and bio-based food packaging materials by improving the barrier functionalities of PHA biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoates) and validating the new material in the food industry. PHAs are a potential substitute for conventional polymers, as they possess similar properties; compared to polylactic acid (the most widespread bio-based/biodegradable material), PHAs show higher biodegradability and improved functional properties and mechanical strength. However, applications of PHAs as food packaging materials are subject to some limitations. PHAs show average transmittance values for O2 and H2O, while many of the most critical factors for some foods (such as dry products like bakeries) in relation to packaging are moisture absorption leading to loss of crispness and fat oxidation.
To overcome this limiting factor in PHA food applications, BioBarr aims to improve PHA's vapor and gas barrier properties through material functionalization. The first line of research focuses on using biodegradable materials with suitable properties to be composited into multilayer structures specific to the food product category being packaged, in order to optimize functional properties. The innovation involves laminating PHA with PLA (polylactic acid). The second challenging line of research at BioBarr is surface treatments (nanoform metallization with AlOx or SiOx or aluminum metallization process) of PHA films. New materials will be validated on a limited number of food products in the bakery sector, representative of different shelf-life and durability requirements, with the goal of increasing shelf-life by at least 10%. The ultimate impact will be the creation of a new bio-based value chain.
The proposal takes into account the needs and growth opportunities of stakeholders operating at each step of the value chain: bioplastics producers, extrusion and filming players, converters, ink producers, and end users in the food industry.
Food packaging waste constitutes a significant environmental pollutant and arises from non-degradable packaging, such as plastic. Therefore, there is a pressing need for alternatives to fossil-based raw materials in the food packaging industry. Bio-based food packaging: Packaging materials associated with food must ensure food protection, freshness, and overall quality during transport and storage.
The EU-funded BioBarr project focused on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), conventionally produced by non-pathogenic bacteria under nutrient-limiting conditions. From a literature review, researchers found that a member of the PHA family is a good candidate to replace polypropylene and polyethylene and, unlike equivalent fossil polymers, is biodegradable in both soil and seawater. “The idea was to implement a biotechnology for bacterial fermentation of residues derived from sugar beet industrial processes, such as molasses and its juices, for the extraction of PHAs,” explains Marianna Faraldi, project coordinator and senior researcher at Tecnoalimenti. Researchers studied the processability of PHAs from powder, granules, and then flexible films. This revealed their potential for functionalization for surface treatments or lamination to improve barrier properties against oxygen and water vapor. BioBarr also studied their properties, strength, biodegradability, and compliance with safety regulations. During the project, significant technical knowledge was gained, while new methods were developed to improve the state of the art.
The surface treatment of PHAs with aluminum oxide or silicon did not compromise biodegradability, the key characteristic of PHAs. "After 54 months of research activities, the development of compostable and biodegradable bio-based packaging material with sufficient barrier properties for food products remains a challenge," Faraldi emphasizes. The consortium developed a biodegradable PHA-based flexible packaging winder with promising characteristics, which complies with current legislation for food packaging. However, it cannot yet be exploited in a wide range of applications in the food sector due to limited barrier properties and fragility issues that remain unresolved. Further research is needed. Nevertheless, PHA has the potential to be produced from agricultural or food processing waste instead of sugar, leading to process scale-up. Looking ahead, although costs remain high compared to fossil-based solutions, the expected investment by PHA suppliers, coupled with growing consumer demand for bioplastics, will effectively reduce the final cost of the resulting bio-based packaging. A new bio-ink for food packaging. The adhesives and inks used in biodegradable packaging solutions must also be biodegradable or must represent a maximum of 5% of the total packaging.
Another key objective of the BioBarr project was to replace synthetic resins and organic pigments while maintaining good printability and adhesion on the polymer substrate. The project tested resins from different biological sources, such as soy protein, milk protein, rice starch, and polylactic acid emulsions. They generated prototypes of fully compostable bio-inks that met the technical requirements for industrial implementation. The ink prototypes demonstrated printability on both conventional and biopolymer-based packaging materials. BioBarr received funding from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership between the EU and industry.
The final result of BioBarr is a new, fully compostable and biodegradable bio-based packaging for food applications. The innovative solutions implemented in this project involve the intelligent combination of advanced technological elements:
- A biodegradable material transmitted by bacteria.
- New coating treatment technologies.
- Completely biodegradable bioink for food packaging.
The benchmarking analysis conducted during the first 36 months of the project, as well as the study of the operating environment, have outlined a discussion about the possible scenarios BioBarr will face after the project's completion. Considering that:
- The food industry is interested in bioplastics.
- Consumers also tend to attribute positive meanings to this term, especially in relation to environmental impact, and are willing to select products packaged in eco-friendly packaging and pay more (even if it does not exceed 10%).
- Legislation generally favors solutions like the one proposed by BioBarr, and forecasts predict a gradual but significant increase in PHA production, from the current 1.8% to 6.4%.
We can say that the chances of market success are high in the near future. Even though significant results have been achieved, BioBarr's solution cannot yet be considered ready for commercialization. In fact, some gaps remain. By overcoming these, moving from the current TRL 5 to 7-8, commercialization will be possible.
- TECNOALIMENTI SCPA (TCA)
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