High oxygen barrier packaging materials from protein-rich single-celled organisms

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Fossil-based packaging materials contribute to pollution and climate change due to their persistence and carbon footprint.
• Current synthetic films like EVOH, used in food packaging, have environmental drawbacks.
• There is a growing need for sustainable and microplastic-free packaging solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel bioplastic packaging alternatives from protein-rich microbial biomass.
• To evaluate the film-forming, mechanical, and gas barrier properties of these bioplastics.
• To assess the potential of microbial biomass-based bioplastics as a sustainable alternative to fossil-based packaging.

Main Methods:

• Utilized protein-rich microbial biomass and glycerol as a plasticizer.
• Employed compression molding for film and tray fabrication.
• Characterized mechanical properties and measured oxygen permeability coefficient.

Main Results:

• Microbial biomass demonstrated excellent film-forming capabilities.
• The resulting bioplastics exhibited good mechanical properties.
• Achieved excellent gas barrier properties with an average oxygen permeability coefficient of 0.33 cm³ mm m⁻² day⁻¹ atm⁻¹ at 50% RH and 23°C.
• Highlighted potential as a microplastic-free solution.

Conclusions:

• Bioplastics derived from microbial biomass are a promising sustainable alternative to fossil-based packaging.
• These materials offer excellent oxygen barrier properties comparable to synthetic films.
• The development addresses microplastic pollution and environmental sustainability challenges in the packaging industry.