科技大学的两个学生the Central Valleys of Oaxaca (UTVCO) have developed a biodegradable polymer out of oat starch that could replace plastic packaging. Engineering students Esbeydhy Oyuky Yescas and Marlen Hernández have developed a product they call Bioplastic, a biopolymer that begins to degrade after just four months, in comparison to as much as 10 years for commonly used plastics. The product’s characteristics allow for the conservation of the physical, chemical and other properties like taste and smell - of packaged goods. The students’ product also has antimicrobial properties that give it the added commercial benefit of doubling the shelf life of certain perishable goods. Another positive aspect of Bioplastic is that it uses oat grains and stimulates the local production of the cereal, added Hernández. his fast return to the environment comes at no sacrifice to the characteristics you want in a package. The college girls’ creation is impressive in several other ways. It:
*保守包装商品的味道和气味以及其他物理和化学特性。
*使某些易腐商品，令人愉悦的店主和卡车司机的保质期翻倍。这种能力是由于燕麦淀粉对抗微生物的能力。
*it is renewable and expands the market for local farmers of the cereal.
Shrimp shells hold promise as oil-free alternative for plastic carrier bags. By developing the biopolymer bags, a team of researchers hope to help reduce the significant waste problem in Egypt, as well as producing a new food packaging material to extend the shelf life of products in countries including Britain. A project, being led by Dr Nicola Everitt at Nottingham University alongside researchers at Nile University in Egypt, is aimed at developing an alternative to oil-based plastics for use in packaging. To develop the bags, the researchers are investigating the use of chitosan, a man-made polymer derived from the organic compound chitin, which is extracted from the shrimp shells. Shrimp shells are themselves part of Egypt’s waste problem. From each kilogram of dried shrimp shells, the researchers hope to make 10-15 biopolymer bags. The shells are first washed and then boiled in acid to remove the calcium carbonate “backbone” of the crustacean. They are then washed again before being bathed in an alkali, to remove protein from the material, leaving the long molecular chains that make up the biopolymer. The dried chitosan flakes can then be dissolved into solution, and made into a polymer film using conventional processing techniques. The researchers also plan to investigate the use of the material to develop an active polymer film capable of absorbing oxygen, for use as food packaging. The packaging could offer a low energy method of improving the shelf life of foods, thereby reducing waste. “The packaging would be used to control the atmosphere around the food,” said Everitt. “Gases are quite often put in around food to try to preserve its shelf life, and people are looking at materials to hold in that atmosphere, but perhaps let other gases out,” she said. By creating certain holes between the molecular chains of the biopolymer, the researchers hope to create a way to filter out these gases. The project is sponsored by the Newton Fund.
之所以选择壳聚糖，是因为它是由于其抗菌，抗菌和生物相容性的特性而在药物包装中已使用的有前途的可生物降解聚合物。该项目的第二条是开发吸收氧气的活性聚合物膜。这种未来的食品包装可以具有高效率和低能消耗的能力，从而对许多国家的粮食浪费产生积极影响。如果成功，埃弗里特博士计划通过该产品与英国包装制造商接触。此外，该研究旨在确定可以制造这些可降解的用于购物袋和食品包装的生物聚合物材料的生产路线。该项目由牛顿基金会和牛顿 - 摩萨拉法基金会赠款赞助，是诺丁汉大学牛顿资助的13项合作之一。

一个来自Sirane抗菌吸收剂包装has given diced beef two additional day’s shelf life in recent trials with a UK meat processing company. The trials demonstrated a two-day increase from nine to eleven days of the shelf-life of the packs containing Sirane’s ABM pads compared to existing packaging. The new Dri-Fresh ABM pads for meat/poultry, contain a blend of natural bio-flavonoids and organic acids which work together to extend shelf-life. Together with the absorbency within the pads, they offer an outstanding level of protection and significant shelf-life extension. The ABM technology is activated by moisture – so only functions when needed. Sirane has been trying to help companies with their food waste reduction targets – ABM is one way meat and poultry packers can achieve this. ABM is a blend of natural ingredients which is incorporated into the absorbent pad. “The combination of flavonoids which are anti-oxidants and anti-microbial, with organic acids including citric acid and ascorbic acids is harmless, as all elements are found naturally within fruit. It is clean, simple, and effective.