Using by-products in food packaging design

By-products obtained during food production and processing are unavoidable, and their disposal is one of the main problems. Bio-waste can pose a serious socio-economic and environmental hazard. If the residues are not treated properly, they can release toxic pollutants. Thus, it can become a serious environmental threat. However, it has been shown that bio-waste can be a source of biologically active compounds, for example, it can be a source of dietary fiber, protein, fat or trace elements. In addition, these wastes may have prebiotic and antioxidant properties. 

Currently, innovative solutions for the use of bio-waste for the production of food packaging are being studied. The "new" packaging must be made from materials that are edible and / or biodegradable. Edible packaging must be made from ingredients that are allowed to come into contact with food, have functional, biologically active (for example, antibacterial, bacteriostatic, antioxidant), physical and mechanical (for example, strength) characteristics. Changing the concept of food production and consumption is critical to reducing global malnutrition and preventing environmental collapse. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Green Governance encourage and support businesses to produce food and food packaging in a sustainable manner, while protecting environmental interests. 

By-products of plant origin

When processing cereals, a large number of by-products are obtained, such as bran, beer thresher, husk. These products are often used as animal feed. They are rich in biologically active compounds. They contain proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, polyphenols, and dietary fiber, including hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignins. Sometimes grain bran is used to develop grain products with a high fiber content. However, their use is limited, as the sensory acceptability of these products is not always positively perceived by consumers. When processing vegetables and fruits into juices, wines, jams, a significant amount of residues is formed in the form of cake, pulp, peel, seeds. These foods are rich in biopolymers such as starch, cellulose, and pectin. When processing grapes into wine, about 5-9 million tons of waste is generated annually. The peel of the fruit was found to contain more than 15% more polyphenols than the pulp of the fruit. Fruit and vegetable waste has a great potential for making edible packaging. In addition, these bags can be of additional value due to the biological properties of fruit and vegetable waste, namely dietary fiber, antioxidants, and essential oils. 

Animal by-products 

The dairy industry generates a lot of protein waste, in particular whey and casein. These residues have a high nutritional value and are converted, for example, into protein concentrates and protein isolates at enterprises with advanced technology. However, it is estimated that about 50% of the whey produced in the world is considered waste without further use. Milk proteins are characterized by good barrier properties. Gelatin, which is obtained from the skin and bones of animals, has gelling, stabilizing, thickening properties. Gelatin is an important biopolymer used in food packaging. It has good barrier properties, but due to its hygroscopicity, combinations with other biopolymers are preferred to improve the functional properties of the package. Gelatin can also be obtained from fish. Fish waste usually makes up 25-50 % of raw materials that can be used not only for the production of gelatin, but also for the production of protein powders or nutraceuticals. 

Table 1. Biomaterials from by-products that can be used in the design of edible packaging.

* biopolymers - compounds with filmogenic properties that form the basis of edible coatings

Source: in-house development based on Hamed et al., 2021

Use of packaging derived from by-products

Developing natural packaging materials can help achieve sustainability and promote food processing. Using "natural" packaging, you can save a certain shelf life, improve sensory and functional characteristics. Adding essential oils and plant extracts to the packaging increases microbial resistance and increases the antioxidant potential. One type of packaging derived from by-products is edible coatings. These are thin layers of edible materials that are applied as liquids of varying viscosities to the surface or between product layers by spraying, dipping, or brushing. Then they are left to dry on the product. Edible coatings improve the barrier to moisture, gases and protect the product from mechanical damage and microbiological, chemical contamination. Table 1 shows examples of biomaterials from plant and animal by-products that can be used in the development of new packaging solutions, for example, in the creation of edible coatings. 

The scientific literature describes the use of gelatin coating for storing rainbow trout fillets, corn coating for covering peanuts, and alginate-pectin coating for extending the shelf life of mango fruits. Scientific studies have shown that chitosan coating obtained from shrimp waste has a higher antimicrobial activity than commercially available chitosan. In addition, it can extend the shelf life up to 10 days for some fruits. Serum coatings with the addition of sage extract increase the oxidative stability of the product. Protein shells of fish with the addition of catechin demonstrate inhibition of microbial growth and improve organoleptic properties (when used for storage of blue fin tuna). The starch-chitosan coating of cassava can prevent weight loss of coated foods, such as tomatoes.  

The world offers sustainable solutions for food packaging. Skipping Rocks Lab from the UK has developed an edible material from plants and algae for packaging drinks, water and sauces (https://www.notpla.comThe French company Lactips produces casein-based packaging materials (https://www.lactips.comEvoware, an Indonesian company, has developed rice-derived beverage straws (https://rethink-plastic.com/homeOther companies with innovative projects appear on the market. M.in. Apeel (https://www.apeel.com/), Semperfresh (https://www.agricoat.co.uk/industries/processors/semperfresh), Loliware (https://www.loliware.com), Biotrem (https://www.biotrem.pl), E6PR (https://e6pr.com), MarinaTex (https://www.marinatex.co.uk), Bioplastic Skin (https://valdissteinars.com/Bioplastic-Skin). 

To sum up

Food production leads to the formation of a large number of by-products that are used in the design of food packaging. The concept of obtaining natural packaging is based on residual biomass, which can contribute to improving food security and protecting the environment. By-products are easily accessible, inexpensive and 100% unused biomass with the potential to produce cheaper and more environmentally friendly packaging, such as edible films. In order to fully utilize the concept of designing sustainable packaging systems and thus achieve sustainable development and a closed cycle in the food economy, it is necessary to provide an effective by-product recovery infrastructure and raise public awareness. 

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