Biodegradable and edible films for food and pharma packaging

Veena to incubate environment-friendly film from BARC

By
admin
-
286
Biodegradable
Packaging is said to constitute one of the largest markets for plastics which are largely non-biodegradable and can only be sustainable if they are collected and recycled

Nagpur-based Veena Industries has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BARC Centre for Incubation of Technologies (BARCIT), a part of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), for the use and scaling up of technology for manufacturing biodegradable and edible films for food and pharmaceuticals packaging.

BARC has developed biodegradable edible films for food and pharma packaging from natural resources for overcoming some of the disadvantages of plastic packaging materials that need to be collected and sorted for recycling. The newly developed films have comparable mechanical and barrier properties to commercially used PVC cling films.

Production and scaling up of this technology will be carried out at BARCIT, the incubation centre of BARC together with Veena Industries in Nagpur for applications in the packaging market. While scaling up this technology, economically viable and user-friendly packaging film products with improved mechanical and barrier properties will be given emphasis.

A suitable dose of gamma radiation will be given to the raw material to improve mechanical and barrier properties such as tensile strength and water vapour transmission rate. BARC will provide its technical know-how and infrastructure, whereas Veena Industries is to provide market search, human resource and material at its own cost for the incubation plan. The technology developed jointly will be licensed to Veena Industries.

Packaging is said to constitute one of the largest markets for plastics which are largely non-biodegradable and can only be sustainable if they are collected and recycled. Large-scale use of such packaging material is thus a major environmental concern and has led to a search for packaging materials that are biodegradable as well as recyclable.

One of the alternatives is the development of packaging material from biopolymers that are biodegradable, non-toxic and made from completely renewable resources. However, a major limitation in the use of biopolymers as packaging materials is their relatively poor mechanical and barrier properties such as tensile strength and water vapour transmission rate in comparison to non-biodegradable packaging films and material.

Packaging South Asia is the cooperating media partner for drupa 2016 which is scheduled to be held from 31 May to 10 June at Dusseldorf, Germany

The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.

A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia.is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.

As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.

The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.

Even given the disruptions of supply chains, raw material prices, and the challenge of responsible and sustainable packaging, packaging in all its creative forms and purposes has significant headroom to grow in India and Asia. Our context and coverage engulf the entire packaging supply chain – from concept to shelf and further – to waste collection and recycling. We target brand owners, product managers, raw material suppliers, packaging designers and converters, and recyclers.

In an admittedly fragmented and textured terrain, this is the right time to plan your participation and marketing support communication – in our impactful and highly targeted business platform. Tell us what you need. Speak and write to our editorial and advertising teams! For advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in , for editorial info@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in

– Naresh Khanna

Subscribe Now