Results

What results have already been achieved?

The research team has developed films made of a chitosan derivative (see figure below), that presents enhanced film-forming properties, and bioadhesive and bacteriostatic effects. These films were loaded with an antioxidant extract from pine stump residues, and mechanical properties were improved by the addition of glycerol and cellulose. These formulations showed potential to decrease photo-oxidation of packaged food, but the extract revealed some degree of cytotoxicity (despite being natural), and therefore the team is has then focused its attention to find safer active ingredients.

Some results already obtained by the team were presented in the Webinar “Alternativas ao Plástico: Embalagens Sustentáveis para o Setor Agroalimentar”, which took place on October 23th, 2020, and was carried out within the scope of the S4Agro project.

You can access this information here from the 26th minute (in Portuguese).

In the scope of this project, a scientific article was published in the Food Packaging and Shelf Life journal that can be consulted here.

Two technical-scientific articles have also been published,one in Agrotec and the other in Porbatata.

What are the expected impacts?

The approaches that will be carried out by this team will clearly impact the environment and health. It is expected to reduce the use of plastic in the packaging industry, due to the use of natural polymers, and therefore the environmental pollution will decrease. It is also expected to use polymers or other films’ components from food/agriculture/sea residues in order to promote the biorefinery and circular economy, and therefore contribute for a more sustainable world.