The Centro Tecnológico Andaltec, located in Martos, has launched the Bioenvas research project, whose objective is to transform woody waste from the pruning of olive, citrus and almond trees into sustainable materials for food packaging.
The initiative "bets on an integral approach to biorefineries and the circular economy, promoting the value recovery of abundant agricultural byproducts in Andalusia", as Andaltec reported this Tuesday.
Bioenvas (Biorefinery strategies for the transformation of woody residues from Andalusian agriculture into sustainable materials for food packaging) will be developed over 24 months at Andaltec facilities, under the coordination of researcher José Antonio Rodríguez.
The project aims to generate active, biodegradable and functional packaging from the lignocellulosic fraction of agricultural waste of Andalusian origin. To this end, the extraction of bioactive compounds will be addressed, the fractionation of biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, and the subsequent recovery of these fractions in biopolymers, coatings and advanced materials for food packaging.
With Bioenvas, it is intended to reduce dependence on raw materials of fossil origin, reduce the burning and disposal of agricultural residues, and open new lines of business linked to the bioeconomy. At the same time, the development of packaging solutions with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that help to extend the shelf life of food will be promoted.
Among the expected results is the obtaining of new bio-based materials, the design and validation of prototypes for active packaging, and the generation of scientific knowledge that can be transferred to the agri-food and plastics industries.
The project includes actions for applied research, technology transfer and dissemination of the progress achieved. Its goals include the publication of scientific articles, participation in specialized conferences, and joint work with universities, companies and other entities in the innovation ecosystem.
"Bioenvas represents a unique opportunity to transform agricultural waste into high value-added solutions for the food packaging sector, strengthening Andalusia's leadership in bioeconomy and sustainability", the researcher José Antonio Rodríguez has said.
With a budget of 602,794.81 euros for its development, the project is funded by the Ministry of University, Industry, Energy and Innovation of the Government of Andalusia, in the call for grants for innovation projects of technology centers (Line 5). It also has the contribution of the European Union, through the European Regional Development Fund (Feder), within the framework of the Andalucía Feder 2021-2027 Programme, with a co-financing percentage of 85%.