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Innovative transparent barrier food packaging from starch.

Food packaging market is projected to reach 306 billion USD by 2019 (3.0-3.5% annual growth) [1, 2]. The global environmental concerns and legislations are encouraging the industry to shift to eco-friendly packaging. Unfortunately, current bio-based plastics are either too expensive or cannot meet all technical requirements for food packaging applications [3, 4]. 

Winpak Ltd., a global leader in food packaging, wants to develope innovative eco-friendly food packaging products for rigid and semi-rigid barrier applications. More specifically, they want to develop bio-based materials to replace their current petroleum-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Thermoplastic starch (TPS) has been identified as a promising solution due to its abundance, low cost, superior oxygen barrier properties, acceptable mechanical properties and compostability [5]. In collaboration with NRC, Winpak has recently investigated the potential of NRC’s patent US 9,045,625 [6]. This patent presents a cost-efficient method to convert starch into TPS which can be processed as conventional plastics. The outcome of this preliminary investigation was very promising thus encouraging Winpak to intensify their efforts on TPS. However, the hygrophilic nature of TPS leads to high sensitivity to moisture and poor long term stability which need to be enhanced in order to meet requirements for food packaging applications.

In this project, NRC and ITEGA, 2 public research centers operating in Quebec, will work with Winpak (food packaging manufacturer, QC), ADM (wheat and corn starch producer, QC), BioAmber (bio-based additives supplier, QC), Dow (chemicals and performance plastics supplier, QC) and Ampacet (compounder, USA) to develop cost-competitive bio-based packaging containing at least 40% TPS. The final products will have to meet the food packaging requirements in terms of processability, oxygen and moisture barrier properties, mechanical properties, optical properties, stability and recyclability.

The specific objectives of the project are as follows: 1. Develop new TPS formulations for improved oxygen barrier, mechanical performance, transparency, processability and product consistency 2. Develop new TPS based multi-layer sheets with good oxygen and moisture barrier, mechanical integrity, transparency, and processability 3. Develop eco-friendly food packaging products from these TPS based multi-layer sheets with acceptable cost, durability and recyclability 4. Scale up the manufacturing process for demonstration purposes and evaluate the technology viability in food packaging applications.

This project will demonstrate the possibility of utilizing abundant starch resources available in Quebec and in Canada for the fabrication of innovative, cost-competitive and eco-friendly food packaging products. The success of this project will allow the commercialization of this technology, bringing significant economic and environmental benefits to Quebec and Canada.

Hongbo Li

Research Officer
National Research Council Canada (NRC Canada)

CRIBIQ's contribution

$ 186 500

Partners

Industrial participants:

  • Winpak Ltd. (Winpak)

  • Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM)

  • BioAmber Inc. (BioAmber)

  • Dow Chemical Canada ULC (Dow)

  • Ampacet Corporation (Ampacet)

QPRI*:

  • ITEGA, Collège de Maisonneuve

  • National Research Council Canada (NRC)

*Quebec public research institutes