The objective of PLAMINPACK is the development of anti-microbial packaging materials suitable for producing nets, films and trays for perishable food based on biopolymers and molecules from plants' agricultural waste.
Three representative perishable Mediterranean fruits were selected for testing the different packaging: tangerine for net, dates and strawberry for film and tray.
The anti-microbial and anti-oxidant molecules will be extracted from the three plants waste. Anti-microbial chitosan will be obtained by bioconversion of plants waste through biotechnology based on rearing Hermetia Illucens insects.
The packaging will be tested in terms of anti-microbial properties and shelf-life tests onto tangerine, strawberry and date.
Two interesting potential tools will be developed: a database to connect plant waste with quality and amount of extracts; digital twin applied to fruit ripening and packaging, in view of developing a predictive machine learning instrument.
Life Cycle Assessment will be carried out for the new packaging. The behaviour of the packaging at its end-of-life (organic and mechanical recycling), its stability and potential releases will be considered as well.
A training program and a dissemination based on the involvement of stakeholders will diffuse the interdisciplinary and multicultural knowledge. Thus, PLAMINPACK project will develop not only an anti-microbial packaging but also a model for Mediterranean farmers and food companies based on full circularity to accelerate the much-needed transition towards a green economy, thus contributing to the European Green Deal.
We are delighted to announce that a poster presenting the PLAMINPACK project has won First Prize at the BIPOCO 2026 Congress in Budapest!
A poster entitled "Biopolymer composites solutions for sustainable and biodegradable food packaging: PLAMINPACK project" was presented at BIPOCO 2026 in Hungary
The PLAMINPACK project was presented at BIOPOL 2026, an international congress dedicated to biopolymers, held in Pisa with the support of the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering at the University of Pisa.