Researchers from the University of Montpellier have presented their studies on fresh food packaging at various Cofresco Forum events. The focus was on modified atmosphere packaging as well as the identification of non-fossil resources for food packaging and the development of concepts for new types of environmentally friendly household packaging for fresh produce. 

Research in Montpellier specializes in agro-polymers and new technologies that ensure food security in the face of societal challenges and enable the transition to a bio-based society.

The research aims to show how packaging can make a decisive contribution to promoting sustainable food consumption. This can be achieved by reducing food waste and loss, as well as the strain on resources and waste management associated with packaging.

Award-winning research

The GLOPACK project is a perfect example of how research in Montpellier is tackling the objectives. The project tackles three key obstacles for the packaging of the future: it must be biologically produced, biodegradable and active. The packaging used in the GLOPACK project is therefore made from a polymer obtained from the fermentation of residues from the fruit juice industry and cellulose fibers. This polyhydroxyalkanoate is naturally biodegradable and can be recycled.

Avoiding waste

The use of innovative packaging solutions such as GLOPACK plays a decisive role in reducing packaging waste. If every second food packaging is made from bio-based materials by 2050, half of the packaging waste, i.e. around 46 million tons of plastic waste, can be reduced.

It is expected that sustainable food packaging solutions will lead to a reduction in both food and packaging waste at European level. This is because a net reduction of 370 million tons of CO2 means a net saving of greenhouse gas emissions of around 10%, which is in line with the EU's 2050 target of limiting global warming to 2°C.

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