New oxygen barrier film to enter biodegradable market

According to Sweden-based Xylophane the new packaging material maintains functionality of popular barrier packaging like foil, but is a biodegradable alternative. The technology offers a strong barrier against grease, oxygen and aroma, which can all threaten a product's quality, the company claims. Over the past five years packaging suppliers have been introducing various forms of biodegradable plastics. These are made from a variety of plants, in the main corn, in response to projections that consumers and recycling regulations will drive demand for environmentally-friendly packaging. It is this drive which Xylophane hopes it will be able to capilise on, said Maria Grondahl, a spokesperson for the company. "We have seen great interest from the industry for sustainable packaging alternatives​", she said in a interview with FoodProductionDaily.com. "While this demand must remain price driven, we are confident that large scale production of Xylophane is cost efficient for processors." ​ The film is made of a polymer called Xylan, which is made up of the by-products of processed corn, straw and wood. The technology is based on research at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, leading to the formation of the spin-off company Xylophane, which is developing the product commercially. To fully test the products capabilities, the company is currently undergoing testing using the Systech 8001 oxygen system, to better understand how it product compares directly with conventional barrier films.