QUALITALY_130

August /September 202 2 IV MAGAZINE biomass that is widely available because it is waste. Of these, production yields and the environmental impact of the conversion processes applied must be evaluated. PLEASE EXPLAIN... The problem is to use less noble biomasses instead of noble biomasses, the so-called second-generation biomasses, which are the residual waste from the processing of noble biomasses. However, it is not just a question of making the right choice in terms of biomass. NOBILITY OR WORKING CLASS: DON’T TELL ME THAT THE WORKING CLASS GOES TO HEAVEN? By choosing maize as a natural source, one uses a noble source rich in starch from which polymers are made with simple processes, high production yields and lower costs. However, it competes with other uses of maize: fuel, food, animal feed. If I use less noble biomasses such as cob or straw as a substitute for maize, the noble fraction in them is low and is usually in a form that is more difficult to extract and isolate. Utilisation processes become complicated. Costs increase. The environmental impact increases. The working class does not always go to heaven. LET’S TALK ABOUT INTELLIGENT PACKAGING It is EU-standardised packaging that cleverly informs the consumer about the state of preservation of food. HOW DOES IT WORK? It intercepts target components that may develop in the packaging atmosphere and translates this compound into a visual signal, typically a colour change. Packaging sensors can capture volatile compounds that develop during ripening or ageing and indicate incorrect product storage. INTERESTING... They warn the consumer that a product may no longer be fit for consumption even if the expiry date is not exceeded. Or they warn that an expired product may still be fit for consumption. In this case, smart packaging could be an anti-waste measure. IT IS THEREFORE HOPED THAT IT WILL BE WIDELY APPLIED IN THE AGRI-FOOD CHAIN. The costs are still high and could only be justified for high-value products. Distributors and shopkeepers are often reluctant to use a tool that warns the consumer of a risk due to a storage error made by the seller. Consumer safety interests clash with economic interests. CAN PACKAGING EXTEND LIFE LIKE A PHONE CALL? This is precisely the purpose of packaging by protecting against light, oxygen and moisture. Plastic materials, while offering advantages in terms of cost, flexibility and lightness, have fewer barrier properties than glass and aluminium. An attempt was therefore made to combine several materials to achieve similar, ideal barrier properties. PRODUCTS THAT WANT TO BE ETERNAL The shelf-life of a product cannot be infinite, a few cases apart. Even with the best performing materials, the commercial product life will end sooner or later. FAST-PETASI SOUNDS LIKE THE NAME OF A ‘SUPERCAZZOLA’ BY RAFFAELLO MASCETTI, THE GASCON IN MONICELLI’S AMICI MIEI. IN REALITY, IT IS ENZYMES THAT DEGRADE PET FOR A CIRCULAR PLASTIC ECONOMY. IS THERE ANY TRUTH IN THIS, OR ARE WE LOST IN REVERIE? Enzymes that degrade packaging are now a reality. Multi-materials, including polycouples, are plastics made by laminating several layers of different materials. You can laminate aluminium and plastic, plastic and paper or different plastics. These multi-materials cannot be recycled because their plastic polymers can only be recycled if treated separately. The use of enzymes that separate the different polymers as well as the use of enzymes that facilitate their degradation by microorganisms could be a solution. In this case, they are not recycled but degraded. IS THE FUTURE IN BIOPLASTICS OR IN THE ABILITY TO DEGRADE THE PLASTICS CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET? I think that some types of bioplastics cannot replace the plastics on the market today. One cannot think of achieving a plastic-free world. However, the development of materials that degrade very quickly or of recyclable materials can be useful as long as the recycling is carried out according to good practices by both the consumer and the waste management bodies. Giorgia Spigno Researchers from Giorgia Spigno’s team are obtaining an antioxidant and antimicrobial extract from citrus peels for incorporation into food packaging materials.