Edited by Claus J Weber Materials

1 For- og bagside 12/02/01 13:00 Side 1. Biobased Packaging Materials for the Food Industry This report is a result of the combined effort of the project partners of the Food Biopack Project funded by the EU Directorate 12. For more information, please contact: Dr Claus J Weber Department of Dairy and Food Science The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University Rolighedsvej 30, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark Tel. +45 3528 3238. Fax +45 3528 3344. E-mail: Or visit http: Biobased Packaging Materials for the Food Industry STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES. Edited by Claus J Weber November 2000 ISBN 87-90504-07-0. A European Concerted Action . Biopack 12/02/01 13:06 Side 1. Biobased Packaging Materials for the Food Industry STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES. Edited by Claus J Weber A European Concerted Action Biopack 12/02/01 13:06 Side 4.

2 Preface be made when dealing with biobased food packaging. Compos- tability, legislative demands and the process of documentation in At the turn of the last century most non-fuel industrial products; relation to compostable packaging are described in Chapter 5. dyes, inks, paint, medicines, chemicals, clothing, synthetic fibres Chapter 6 deals with the environmental impacts of using bioba- and plastics were made from biobased resources. By the 1970s sed Materials . The market of biobased Materials , and moreover petroleum-derived Materials , had to a large extent, replaced the future of the same, are the objectives of Chapter 7, and fi- those Materials derived from natural resources. Recent develop- nally in Chapter 8, a joined conclusion of the potential of bioba- ments are raising the prospects that naturally derived resources sed packaging for the food industry is outlined.

3 Again will be a major contributor to the production of industrial products. Currently, scientists and engineers successfully perform To produce a state-of-the-art report of biobased food packaging developments and technologies that will bring down costs and turned out to be quite a challenge, taken the rapid pace of de- optimize performance of biobased products. At the same time velopments seen in this area into consideration. The presented environmental concerns are intensifying the interest in agricultu- publication does only report the information being part of the ral and forestry resources as alternative feedstocks. A sustained public domain and information on industrial R&D developments growth of this industry will depend on the development of new are not included.

4 The state-of-the-art is very likely already to markets and costs and performance competitive biobased have moved on when these lines are being read. However, the products. A potential new market for these Materials is food report may also be read as a general introduction to the chal- packaging, a highly competitive area with great demands for lenge of using biobased Materials for food packaging. performance and cost. The aim of this EU-concerted action project, Production and Acknow- This report is a result of the EU concerted action project: Produc- application of biobased packaging Materials for the food indu- ledgements tion and application of biobased packaging Materials for the stry , is to evaluate the potential of biobased Materials as food food industry (Food Biopack), funded by DG12 under the con- packaging.

5 The mission of the report is to present the state of tract PL98 4046. the art of biobased food packaging, and furthermore to outline the future scenarios and developments. In order to cover the whole area, project partners represent the whole production A definition of Biobased food packaging Materials are Materials derived from chain, from producers of biobased resins to converters, and food biobased food renewable sources. These Materials can be used for food appli- packaging users together with food scientists and polymer che- packaging Materials cations . mists. The report consists of eight chapters and an executive summary, which altogether aim at covering all aspects of biobased food packaging Materials . Chapter 1 gives a general introduction to the background of the project as well as to the interest in bioba- sed food packaging.

6 The biobased polymers, Materials and packaging are presented in Chapter 2 together with an introduc- tion to their properties. Chapter 3 focuses on the potential food applications of biobased Materials and furthermore outlines the specific packaging demands of a range of food products. The emphasis in Chapter 4 is on legislative demands for food contact 4. packaging Materials and further, if any, specific considerations to 5. Biopack 12/02/01 13:06 Side 6. Abbreviations Table of Contents Al Aluminium Executive summary 3. APET Amorphous Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Preface 4. BRED Biomass for Green House Gases emission RE-Duction, 1 Introduction 10. a European project References 12. CEN The European Committee of Standardization 2 Properties of biobased packaging Materials 13.

7 ECN Energy Research Foundation Introduction 13. EPS Expandable Polystyrene Food biobased Materials a definition 13. EVA Ethyl Vinyl Acetate Origin and description of biobased polymers 14. EVOH Ethyl Vinyl Alcohol Category 1: Polymers directly extracted from biomass 15. FDA Food and Drug Administration (USA). Category 2: Polymers produced from classical chemical GHG GreenHouse Gasses GWP Global Warming Potential synthesis from biobased monomers 22. HDPE High Density Polyethylene Category 3: Polymers produced directly by natural or LCA Life Cycle Analyses genetically modified organisms 25. LDPE Low Density Polyethylene material properties 27. LFP Loose-Fill-Packaging Gas barrier properties 27. LLDPE Linear Low Density Polyethylene Water vapour transmittance 29.

8 MAP Modified Atmosphere Packaging Thermal and mechanical properties 30. MDPE Medium Density Polyethylene Compostability 32. OPP Oriented Polypropylene Manufacturing of biobased food packaging 34. PA Polyamide Possible products produced of biobased Materials 34. PC Polycarbonate Blown (barrier) films 36. PE Polyethylene Thermoformed containers 37. PET PolyEthylene Terephthalate Foamed products 37. PETG Copolymer of PET and cyclohexane-dimethanol Coated paper 38. PHAs Poly(hydroxyalkanoates) Additional developments 38. PHB Poly Hydroxy Butyrate Conclusions and perspectives 39. PHB/V Poly Hydroxy Butyrate/Valerate References 40. PLA Polylactic acid 3 Food biopackaging 45. PP Polypropylene Introduction 45. PS Polystyrene Food packaging definitions 45. PVC Poly Vinyl Chloride Primary, secondary and tertiary packaging 45.

9 PVdC Poly Vinylidene Chloride Edible coatings and films 46. RCF Regenerated Cellulose film Active packaging 47. RH Relative Humidity SCF Scientific Committee on Food Modified atmosphere packaging 47. SiOx Silicium Oxide Combination Materials 47. Tg Glass Temperature Food packaging requirements 47. TiO2 Titanium Oxide Replacing conventional food packaging Materials Tm Melting Temperature with biobased Materials a challenge 49. UHT Ultra High Temperature Biobased packaging food quality demands 50. WOF Warmed-Over Flavour State-of-the-art in biopackaging of foods 52. 6 Potential food applications 53 7. Biopack 12/02/01 13:06 Side 8. Fresh meat products 53. Natural Materials 112. Ready meals 65. Biodegradability under other environmental conditions 113. Dairy products 67.

10 6 Environmental impact of biobased Materials : Beverages 68. Lifecycle analysis of agriculture 114. Fruits and vegetables 69. A sustainable production of biobased products 114. Snacks 71. What is LCA? 115. Frozen products 72. Environmental impact of agriculture 115. Dry products 73. Crops for biofuels 116. Conclusions and perspectives 74. The ECN study 117. References 75. Environmental impact of biobased products 117. 4 Safety and food contact legislation 85. The Buwal study on starch-based plastics 118. Introduction 85. The case of hemp-based Materials : LCA does not allow Biobased Materials and legislation on food contact Materials 86. generic statements 118. Common EU legislation 86. Composto's study on bags for the collection of organic Biobased Materials 90.