Packaging free is nonsense, or is it?

Spending a working life dealing with packaging issues I have always been skeptical to the general idea of ”packaging free” or “edible packaging”. I think it doesn’t make any sense, at all. Wrapping something edible in, again, edible packaging normally creates a demand for yet more and properly protective packaging.

But I may have to reconsider and think out of my limited box.

First, I got to know about Saveggy, a company that have developed a concept of a protective and edible solution for fruit and vegetables.

They can offer a bio-based coating that does the same work normally done by using a plastic film and prolongs the shelf life of produce to minimize food waste. The plant-based coating, fully edible, is sprayed on fruit and veg to extend the shelf life and seems to do the same for a cucumber as a plastic wrap. Brilliant!

Another excellent, actually, usage of the ”packaging free” concept is the pod-like coffee system recently launched by Migros. CoffeeB is a fully compostable coffee ball without the usual aluminium pod. It’s simply coffee pressed to into a ball that fits in one of their CoffeeB machines. That is also the one downside, you have to buy yet another machine to squeeze in to your kitchen.

Well, that was two brilliant new products in an otherwise very dull segment. I wonder what comes next, and I am looking forward to being pleasantly surprised again. 

Advertisement

Fresh from the forest – biocomposite

Making biocomposite materials entirely from renewable sources is great. Using waste material in the process is fantastic.

Last week Finnish UPM introduced a new fibre based biocomposite material, all made from forestry and renewable resources and even including using waste from existing pulp production. The material is called EcoAce and meets the desired sustainability requirements and can be widely used, including uses in food contact, personal care and consumer goods, made by injection moulding or extrusion. This is great and will save tonnes of GHG and I really like concept of finding practical use of stuff that would otherwise be waste! Splendid!

StoraEnso is at present busy with a trial of lids made from DuraSense, another biocomposite, together with Finnish dairy Valio. The lids are reusable and will be used on dairy product cups to test the wood-based biocomposite in food packaging.
Valio sees it as a step not only towards a more sustainable packaging solution but also to less food-waste. With re-sealable packaging the content is protected, and an opened product lasts longer. Brilliant!

Power from the forest!
Swedish Ligna Energy came up with another use for wood from the forest. They have developed a fibre based battery for storing of energy made from forestry waste material. Ligna Energy plan to convert ordinary paper machines to manufacture batteries based on organic electronic polymers and biopolymers from the forest.
It wood be nice if this could make a difference for storing energy!