Wood pulp could make poultry packaging more sustainable

A byproduct of the paper industry could serve as an eco-friendly barrier coating for use in poultry packaging.

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Rfischia | Dreamstime.com
Rfischia | Dreamstime.com

A byproduct of the paper industry could serve as an eco-friendly barrier coating for use in poultry packaging.

“In order for your product to have a long shelf life, you need protection against environmental substances, such as water, vapor, oil and oxygen,” said Dr. Shaul Lapidot, CEO of Melodea. “Nowadays, we’re using all sorts of materials that give us those very products, but they are not recyclable and compostable.”

Single-use plastic, traditionally used as a barrier coating to prevent contamination, accumulates in landfills.

Traditionally, single-use plastics have been used as a barrier coating for poultry packaging. However, a growing number of consumers are taking steps to curtail the amount of single-use plastic in their lives because of sustainability and climate change concerns. In a 2019 survey from Innova Market Insights, about half of those surveyed indicated they would pay more for products from companies dedicated to reducing plastic waste.

Paper- and forestry-byproduct

The sustainable packaging is derived from cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), “tiny particles that exist in all plants on earth,” Lapidot explained. 

When chemistry is applied to plant fibers known as cellulose, what’s left is a transparent dispersion of particles in water. Once the liquid dries, it forms a film that can be used as a barrier coating on poultry packaging.

The paper- and forestry-byproduct is biodegradable, fully recyclable, non-toxic and able to withstand high humidity. It can be used in several applications, including pouches, lids and molded pulp products.

“That means that every consumer can simply put it in the paper bin and it will be used to make corrugated boxes, etc.,” Lapidot said

In addition, “we’ve already industrialized CNC manufacturing in Israel,” he added, noting that the company plans to open a toll manufacturing plant in the U.S. soon and enter the North American market in early 2023.

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