Innovative nanocellulose bioplastic film from fruit waste

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Cellugy has developed EcoFLEXY, a biopolymer from fruit waste. EcoFLEXY ready-to-use packaging films can be produced at a comparable cost to fossil plastics, due to an innovative “white biotechnology” production process: aerobic fermentation produces a unique, 100% pure, nanomaterial combining the positive attributes of cellulose with qualities such as extraordinary mechanical strength. Most food packaging solutions made from fossil-based plastics are produced and consumed in an unsustainable manner. They emit greenhouse gases during production and degradation; the majority of food packaging is intended for single-use, while it takes hundreds of years for the material to degrade; large volumes of food plastic packaging ends up as litter, resulting in high waste management costs and the pollution of our ecosystem; and plastics are entering the food chain with potential harmful effects on human health. There is an urgent need for bio-based alternatives. Given the emphasis that policy makers and consumers are placing on environmental issues, bio- based food packaging is likely to grow by 28.3% between 2018 and 2024. Related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 12, Cellugy is taking action and facilitating the transition towards more sustainable food packaging solutions. EcoFLEXY is: produced from food waste (second-generation feedstocks); simple and cheap to produce through a near carbon-neutral production process; avoids microplastics pollution in the ocean; is home compostable and is recyclable in the existing system. By 2026, Cellugy aims to be a leading player in the €0.9bn global market for flexible packaging for the food industry with a market share of 2.4%. This feasibility study will permit Cellugy to confirm customer requirements for sustainable packaging, explore different food applications and specify target markets, validate the production process and identify the resources required to support growth.