In the future, you can eat your food packaging

A new research and innovation project aims to create a food film that looks like plastic, protects your ground beef, but smokes in the pan. The edible film becomes part of the meat sauce - and there is no waste. Innovation Fund Denmark has invested DKK 10.1 million. DKK in the EAT-pack project.

We all know how quickly the plastic from food packaging piles up in the bin. Worldwide, plastic packaging based on synthetic polymer totals 367 million tonnes annually. The research and innovation project EAT-pack will do away with that.

The project will develop an edible food film from the side stream from powder that is extracted from citrus and orange peels from the juice industry. Research must be done into which ingredients the powder must be mixed with to give the right properties as an edible food film.

The foods "portions of rice", frozen pizza and minced beef are to be tested in the project. First of all, the food film must be able to keep the product fresh and safe, not change the appearance and taste of the food negatively, but also be able to "disappear" during cooking.

The revolutionary food film is expected in 2028 to be able to reduce food film based on plastic, but also create value for a side stream from the pectin industry. In this way, you can reduce both food waste, water consumption and CO2 emissions.

The new food film will also save Denmark a CO2 emission from importing and disposing of plastic equivalent to 5,400 tonnes of CO2 per year.

- When we show that there will be future alternatives to food packaging, we hope that this is only the start of development in the right direction. It's research that ends up right in the consumer's kitchen, and we hope that consumers are ready for this edible food film. Alternatively, the packaging can end up in the compost pile at the consumer's home, while commercial kitchens will be able to use it from the start, says project manager Susan Løvstad Holdt, associate professor in the DTU Food Institute.

The researchers from the universities DTU and KU and the company CP Kelco have already been involved in previous research projects on the development of packaging from side streams. What is new in this project is that there is collaboration on an edible food film that becomes part of the food and not waste.

The project has a focus on the technical development of the edible food film, but also on the chemical and microbial food safety and not least a behavioral focus on investigating the consumer's perception and taste experience.

Facts

• The Innovation Fund's investment: DKK 10,093,385 million. DKK
• Total budget: DKK 13,457,418 million. DKK
• Duration: 3 years
• Official title: EAT-pack: Edible food films: an environmental and economic sustainable alternative type of food packaging

About the partners

DTU Food Institute
The DTU Food Institute prevents disease and promotes health, develops new and better foods for the growing population and creates sustainable technological solutions. The research group for Food Production Technology focuses on food processing with the aim of contributing to sustainable and efficient food production, optimizing resource consumption, utilizing side streams and developing process technologies and food products for special needs. In addition, Research groups focusing on food safety, sensory, consumer analysis and using technologies to increase the functionality of ingredients also participate.

CP Kelco ApS
CP Kelco is a global company that produces ingredients to increase the texture, consistency and stability of food, medicine and industrial products. In Lille Skensved, the main products are the ingredients pectin and carrageenan based on hhs. Citrus peels and seaweed - used in jams, fruit tea milk drinks, confectionery and baked goods. Sustainability is essential for CP Kelco and there is a strong focus on recycling resources and by-products.

KU Food
KU Food focuses on reducing the environmental impact of food production and sustainable consumer preferences, as well as developing green food production systems throughout the food production chain.