Starch-based bio film wins industry accolade

The bio-based packaging for Mars and Snickers bars avoids fossil resources by using starch derived from the waste water of the potato processing industry. The joint project, which started in 2012, involved Rodenburg Biopolymers developing a tailor-made compound based on second generation starch derived from waste water of the potato processing industry. Taghleef Industries then extruded the compound on its BoPLA line at its Italian plant in San Giorgio di Nogaro into a biaxially oriented white voided film, Nativia Ness.

With thicknesses of 40 and 50 μm, Nativia Ness has a white pearlescent appearance, good opacity, high yield, is heat sealable (MST= 85 degrees C) and is cold seal receptive. This new generation of bi-oriented and bio-based film fulfils all product protection requirements for chocolate packaging, is food approved and is able to meet the same speed of BOPP films on packaging lines.

Mondi Solec in Poland converted the film using gravure, cold sealing and a release lacquer. The printing process was more challenging than for standard OPP films due to the distinctive behavior of the new film on the printing line, including film shrinkage caused by the heat generated during printing process.

Mars packed its chocolate bars using the film, with the new material in no way compromising the efficiency of Mars’ packaging lines – the running speed is equivalent to that achieved with standard polypropylene films.

Arkadiusz Sapiecha, managing director of Mondi Solec in Poland, commented: ‘Thanks to intensive in-house research and our long-term experience in rotogravure printing, our team was able to achieve a high-quality print which matches the appeal of standard OPP while retaining the packaging’s more natural character.’

Valerio Garzitto, Taghleef Europe CEO, noted: ‘This is a great example of a long-term collaboration within the whole value-chain of packing material and processing. It took us almost four years of hard work to develop and industrialize the final film, but this project shows that cooperation and expertise are key to success.’

Rodenburg Biopolymers CEO Thijs Rodenburg concluded: ‘The unique cooperation is a best-practice example for the whole bioplastics industry. Without a joint effort, this success could not have been realized.’

The Global Bioplastics Awards recognize innovation, success and achievement by manufacturers, processors and users of bioplastic materials. The 11^th awards program formed part of the 11^th European Bioplastics Conference, held in Berlin on November 29, 2016.