The Fifth Framework Programme · EU

Introduction

PROPOSAL: QLRT-2000-00799
QUALITY OF LIFE AREA: 5.2
EU CONTRIBUTION: 1485138 Euro
DURATION: 36 months

Title: Proactive Biobased Cheese Packaging

Abstract:

BIOPACK is a new concept in food packaging. This will involve new approaches to the use of oxygen scavengers and preservatives encapsulated in cyclodextrins (CDs) incorporated into PLA (polylactic acid) as active protective agents in this biobased system. In the first instance, this new proactive packaging will be targeted at the problem of improving quality and safety of cheeses. The objective is to improve the quality and extend the shelf-life of cheeses. BIOPACK will aim to be cost-competitive and a successful concept could help to expand the market for cheeses considerably, especially through providing a new packaging, which makes increased exports from Europe possible. This could be of major economic benefit to cheese producers directly and farmers indirectly in many regions of Europe. The BIOPACK principles may also be exploitable for the packaging of other foods.

Objectives:

The objective of BIOPACK is to develop new types of proactive biobased packaging. This is expected to extend the shelf-life of whole cheeses by using oxygen scavengers and incorporating preservatives encapsulated in CDs into PLA. This will expand the export volume for these products considerably, in particular to overseas markets. Additionally, the project will improve the shelf-life after opening due to incorporation of the active components in the packaging, reducing the growth of moulds and development of rancid taste. The incorporation of preservatives in CDs into a biopackaging material is a completely new concept, and a successful result will open for other biopackaging concepts. Possible bottlenecks and technical barriers to large scale production will be identified.

Description of the work:

The BIOPACK will aim to solve the scientific and technological problems in the following progressing: [1] New complexes between cyclodextrins (CDs) and preservatives for prevention of especially moulds at the surface of cheeses, will be developed and produced in pilot scale, [2] Different PLAs produced from renewable resources will be characterised and the optimal polymers in respect to cheese packaging applications will be selected, [3] Developing a new method for the incorporation of CD/preservatives into the biobased polymers in a way that enables them to be proactive. By adding these to the packaging rather than to the cheese this totally reduces the load of preservatives needed for prevention of growth of undesirable micro-organisms, and oxidative rancidity is significantly reduced by using oxygen scavengers, [4] The polymers will be converted into prototype test packages in lab scale to provide test samples, [5] New methods for test of the suitability of biobased materials for cheese packaging will be developed. Thus, the performance aspects will be evaluated by means of conventional and new developed methods, [6] Packaging materials will be produced in pilot scale for packaging and storage experiments with cheeses, [7] Packaging experiments on cheeses packed in the newly developed BIOPACK will be performed under realistic packaging and storage conditions in order to document an improved quality and extended shelf-life of the cheeses, [8] The environmental benefits of the biobased packaging concept will be evaluated, [9] The financial competitiveness of the biobased packaging concept will be evaluated and technological implementations plans for biopackaging of cheese will be made.

Deliverables:

The overall expected deliverable of BIOPACK is to produce in pilot scale a proactive biobased packaging for cheeses. The packaging consists of PLA, controlled-releasing preservatives encapsulated into CDs and high-capacity oxygen scavengers. The new developed BIOPACK improves the quality and extends the shelf-life of cheese products. The new technology developed and knowledge obtained from this project may also be highly applicable in other biopackaging concepts for a broad variety of food products, for extension of shelf-life and improvement of quality for the consumer of e.g. meat products, fruit and vegetables, other dairy products, bread, and cakes.