Food Waste reduction: materials research & development round up | 21-08-2026 |

Its been a while since the AIPIA materials guru has taken a swing through the myriad research and development projects developing antimicrobial, antibacterial, gas scavenging or shelf-life extending materials. It is his opinion that there are still too many of these projects and most will never see the light of day commercially, however worthy of note they are. But here are a few which caught his eye:

- Researchers at Hasanuddin University, Indonesia, have developed a biodegradable material reinforced with cellulose derived from fermented coconut water that combines oxygen-scavenging functionality with enhanced mechanical performance, offering an alternative solution to normal plastic packaging, they say. The research, published in ASEAN Journal for Science and Engineering in Materials, explores the possibility of creating multilayer polylactic acid (PLA) based films reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and enhanced with an oxygen-scavenging compound, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The biodegradation rate of the material was found to be 28.86% over 25 days.

- In Brazil the Federal University Uberlandia researchers have created a fluorescent chitosan-anthocyanin biopolymer for food packaging that shows 40% reduced thermal diffusivity and antifungal activity on strawberries over 19 days, it reports. The research concluded: “Promising
results were achieved regarding the inhibition of S. aureus growth with an acidified chitosan/anthocyanin blend coating, highlighting their potential as alternatives to conventional food packaging and as tools for improving food safety.”

- Researchers at Akdeniz University in Antalya, Turkiye have developed oak acorn starch bioplastic films with halloysite nanotubes and clove oil for food packaging, achieving 87.5% stronger tensile stress and antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus, it claims. The experimental results revealed that low-cost and ecofriendly oak tree acorn starch-CEO-HNT bioplastic films are promising for the food packaging sector.

- The University of Madras in India is where researchers have developed biodegradable nanocomposite films offering strong antibacterial activity and environmental sustainability as promising alternative to plastic packaging, they say. The study shows biodegradable nanocomposite films developed from carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium alginate, and chitosan, reinforced with halloysite nanotubes and pectin-capped zinc oxide nanoparticles. The halloysite nanotubes improved mechanical performance, while the zinc particles imparted strong antibacterial activity against pathogens. The films also showed good transparency and biodegradability.

- Finally Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea has developed nacre-inspired carboxymethyl cellulose/layered double hydroxide film that preserves grape firmness for 16 days while minimizing weight loss and suppressing microbial growth, it reports. A dual-crosslinked nanocomposite film inspired by nacre was created by embedding exfoliated layered double hydroxide into a carboxymethyl cellulose matrix, followed by chemical and physical crosslinking with citric acid and carbon dots. The self-assembled brick-mortar structure, reinforced by covalent ester bonds and secondary hydrogen bonding interactions, formed a dense and continuous hybrid network with excellent interfacial cohesion, say the researchers. This biomimetic reinforcement strategy provides a practical method for developing competitive cellulose-based films with both structural strength and active functionalities, they believe.

For more information on most of these projects please refer to www.elsevier.com or the University
websites.