Introduction:

Nowadays the use of petroleum-based plastic films is increasing. It is very hard to clean up and recycle. However, it remains on the landfill for many years without getting degraded thus causing environmental pollution. To overcome this problem scientists from Lithuania’s Kaunas University of Technology (KUT) have developed a food wrap which is not only biodegradable but also tends to keep the food fresh for a longer time. This packaging material contains clove and silver which helps in increasing the shelf-life of the food.

The Food Wrap (Clove and Silver Based Food Packaging Material):

The biodegradable wrap is made mainly from a plant-derived cellulose composite. However, it also contains clove essential oil along with ionic silver nanoparticles.

The former provides it with anti-oxidizing qualities by binding with the free radicals. While the latter adds an antimicrobial effect by killing microorganisms. Surprisingly, the study shows that the addition of the silver also makes the packaging wrap more elastic and thus stronger.

According to scientists, the clove and silver-based food packaging material should decompose completely after discarding within two years.

Moreover, the university is now working more on to commercialize the biodegradable food wrap. While KUT is using clove oil and silver to keep food fresh, other institutes developing biodegradable food wrap have had success using grapefruit seed extract, oregano essential oil and milk protein.

Source: Newatlas, Kaunas University of Technology