In United Kingdom, the EU-funded project FRESH has begun to trial Durapulp, a biocomposite material based on wood fiber and biopolymer that can be used to produce microwave- and oven-safe food trays.
Huhtamaki, a Finnish packaging manufacturer, created the material in collaboration with Södra and SaladWorks. The initial trial included two Italian-style ready meals for the United Kingdom market.
“We hope this novel solution will be well received and that this project will be a tipping point for the adoption of bio-based packages in this segment,” Huhtamaki’s Steve Davey tells Packaging Europe.
Durapulp is made from cellulose and polylactic acid. The FRESH project will run for 3.5 years until 2020.