By Tamsin Brown • Published: 02 May 2022 • 20:57
Algarrobo researchers develop biodegradable bioplastic suitable for food packaging. Image: IHSM
A group of researchers from an institute in Algarrobo, Axarquia, have managed to develop a bioplastic that is safe, biodegradable and suitable for food packaging.
A group of researchers from the Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture (IHSM) La Mayora in Algarrobo, in the Axarquia region of Malaga, has developed a bioplastic made from cellulose and a fluorine-rich compound that is safe, biodegradable and resistant to fats and oils. These qualities make it suitable for use in the packaging of foods such as biscuits or snacks. They made the announcement on April 29.
Researcher Susana Guzmán said that the bioplastic was developed “by adding a certain amount of fluorine to cellulose”, a natural polymer that degrades in seawater in a much shorter period of time than conventional plastics, which can take a few hundred years to degrade. Other interesting properties of these bioplastics are their hydrophobicity (resistance to water and other liquids), their resistance to water vapour, oxygen and oily substances and their mechanical versatility.
Interestingly, the chemical reaction between the cellulose and the fluorine-rich compound means that these compounds “cannot separate” during the useful life of the material, thus offering great resistance and safety to the consumer.
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Originally from London, Tamsin is based in Malaga and is a local reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering Spanish and international news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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