Researchers used bio-cellulose to create edible, transparent packaging

Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have created edible, transparent and biodegradable composite packaging for the food industry. The team has been experimenting with bacterial cellulose (BC), an organic compound derived from certain types of bacteria, which has garnered attention as a sustainable and readily available non-toxic solution that could replace the use of plastics. They published their work in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Professor To Ngai from the Department of Chemistry at CUHK, said: “Extensive research has been conducted on BC, including its use in intelligent packaging, smart films and functionalised materials created through blending, coating and other techniques. These studies demonstrate the potential of BC as a replacement for single-use plastic packaging materials, making it a logical starting point for our research.”

He explained that the tensile strength and high versatility of BC are key to its potential. In contrast to the cellulose found in the walls of plants, BC can be produced through microbial fermentation, eliminating the need for harvesting trees or crops, which makes it a more sustainable and environmentally friendly material alternative to plant cellulose.

Nonetheless, it presents its challenges, as iBC has an “unfavourable” sensitivity to moisture in the air, which can detrimentally impact its physical properties. In the paper, the researchers incorporated certain soy proteins into the structure and coating it with an oil-resistant composite to address these limitations, and “successfully created an edible, transparent and robust BC-based composite packaging”.

“[The packaging] does not require specific reaction conditions like chemical reactions, but rather a simple and practical method with mixing and coating,” Ngai added. 

- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

The study demonstrated that the plastic alternative could be completely degraded within 1-2 months without the need for industrial composting conditions.  Additionally, the material is completely edible, which is said to make it safe “for turtles and other sea animals to consume without causing aquatic toxicity in the ocean”.

Now, the researchers at CUHK hope to advance the versatility of modified BC films to make them suitable for a wider range of applications. Ngai explained: “One of the main challenges with bacterial cellulose films is that they are not thermoplastic, which limits their potential for use in certain applications. By addressing this issue, we hope to make bacterial cellulose films more competitive with traditional plastics while maintaining their eco-friendliness.”

Share This Article