In South Dakota, researchers at South Dakota State University have collaborated with a grapevine expert to develop a biobased plastic film out of grape waste.
Led by SDSU Associate Professor Srinivas Janaswamy, the team found that cellulose films made from SDSU research vineyard canes – the woody stems of a grapevine that grow during the growing season and are typically pruned off during the dormant season – were transparent, durable, and biodegradable.
The idea was first sparked by Anne Fennell, an SDSU professor of agronomy, horticulture, and plant science. “Every year we prune the majority of the yearly biomass off the vine,” she told Earth.com. “The pruned canes are either mowed over, composted and reapplied to the soil, or burned in some areas. My thought was, why not use this for value-added films?”
The process involved drying and milling the canes, followed by cellulose extraction, solubilization and casting onto glass plates. The films’ transparency is particularly beneficial. “High transmittance in packaging films enhances product visibility, making them more attractive to consumers and facilitating easy quality inspection without the need for unsealing,” Janaswamy said. “These films demonstrate outstanding potential for food packaging applications.”
The findings were published in the journal Sustainable Food Technology.