New technologies for food waste reduction

The issue of packaging has been extensively studied with regard to recycled plastics and bioplastics, as plastic waste continues to accumulate and pose environmental problems. 

While plastic has a lower environmental impact in production than alternatives such as paper, glass, or aluminium, the EU’s Green Deal (2019) aims to improve food safety by revising regulations on materials intended for food contact and promoting reusable and recyclable packaging. However, the recyclability of plastics poses difficulties due to the high levels of contaminants in recycled plastics. Bioplastics, which can be biodegradable or non-biodegradable and derived from natural materials, are a potential solution to this problem. WP 2.2 activities will focus on specific technologies in this area.

Another fruitful area of research to create a positive impact on reducing food waste is the sanitisation of fresh food, which is particularly susceptible to rapid degradation. The WP 2.2 research activities focus on studying and implementing innovative technologies to prevent microbiological contamination and improve food safety while reducing the use of chemicals. This is especially important because microbial contamination is one of the main causes of the deterioration of fresh food products.

In addition, the use of microbial and enzymatic biotechnologies to obtain new food products and added-value foods is another area of focus. This technology can prevent food waste by using microorganisms and their metabolites to protect food from biological risks, such as using bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria. Microorganisms can also be used in agriculture and post-harvest to prevent the growth of pathogens and prolong the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, thus preventing losses at the agricultural level. Bioprotective cultures are becoming more popular as a natural way to control food safety and shelf life.