ECOFUNCO – ECO sustainable multi FUNctional biobased COATings with enhanced performance and end of life options

Low-valorised biomass sources – such as tomatoes, legumes, watermelons, sunflowers and shrimps – are as valuable as ever for the EU-funded ECOFUNCO project.

It will select and extract functionalised molecules (active organic molecules, proteins, polysaccharides, cutin) for the development of new bio-based coating materials. These will be used on two different substrates: cellulosic and plastic-based for the production of plastic trays and top layers (packaging for fresh products like pasta, ham and meat) as well as cellulose-based table wares, woven and non-woven (personal care products). Also, cutin-based formulations will be used for water-repellent coatings such as paper cups and tableware. Protein-based barrier and chitosan-based coatings will be used for multilayer food packaging.

ECOFUNCO takes a significant step towards the efficient use of bio-based material resources and their economically viable production, contributing to the decrease of the Environmental Impact of packaging goods and disposable products.

Check the project website 

 

Project coordinator 

  • Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), Italy 

 

Project Partners

  • Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V., Germany
  • Stazione Sperimentale per l'Industria delle Conserve Alimentari (SSICA), Italy 
  • Universidad de Alicante, Spain
  • IRIS Technology Solutions, Societad Limitada, Spain 
  • Celabor SCRL, Belgium
  • Bio-Mi Drustvo s Ogranicenom Odgovornoscu za Proizvodnju, Istrazivanjei Ravoj, Croatia
  • The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom 
  • Laboratori Archa SRL, Italy 
  • Kneia SL, Spain
  • Lucca - Centro Servizi per l'economia societa' consortile a responsabilita' limitata, Italy
  • Planet Bioplastic SRL, Italy 
  • Tipa Corp LTD, Israel
  • Condensia Quimica SA, Spain
  • Consorzio del prosciutto di Parma, Italy 
  • Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging Germany GmBH & CO KG, Germany 
  • Organik Kimya Sanayi ve ticaret AS, Turkey