FOOD SAFETY: The bioplastic that indicates food quality

 

This multidisciplinary team composed of undergraduate students in biotechnology, nanotechnology, biophysics and marketing, polymer science and technology and alumni of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) has designed and manufactured a biodegradable plastic packaging that reveals the food quality. The product, called "Plasticor", changes color when the contents are not suitable for consumption. A new sustainable option that could prevent food waste.

 

According to the United Nations, 30% of the food produced, which represents 1.3 billion tonnes each year, is thrown away. This new biodegradable plastic would be a way to better manage food consumption, giving preference to foods with the nearest expiry date but also guaranteeing the reliability of expired foods that can still be consumed safely.

 

This smart packaging is also environmentally friendly as it uses no chemical additives and does not take years to degrade (“just 6 months”, whereas plastics typically used in the food industry can take up to 500 years) Admittedly, it remains to pass to the manufacturing stage and therefore to find potential investors …