Interview to Pedro Guerrero, researcher of the group Biomat
Pedro Guerrero, chemical engineer and doctor in Engineering of Renewable Materials, works like educational and researcher in the group
Material with properties improved
The group Biomat is centred in the valorisation of by-products of the agro-industrial and marine industry. Splitting of this premise, the prime matter used is of natural origin, biodegradable and of alimentary degree. Like base the group employs vegetal proteins and aspics of marine or bovine origin, which present different structures. It has achieved process these materials and thanks to the synergies between distinct proteins have obtained material with properties improved. The investigations of the group Biomat centre in the obtaining of biofilms flexible, biodegradable/compostables focused to the sector of the packs and packaging, that offer important advantages from the environingingmental and economic point of view.
His group has developed a film 100% biodegradable. In what consists exactly?
Yes, have manufactured a biofilm innovative 100% biodegradable and compostable for alimentary container, able to substitute to the conventional films based in resources no renewable. Besides, this new biofilm improves the current properties of the commercial film, especially regarding transparency and properties barrier to the oxygen and to the ultraviolet light. The resistance to traction and punción, as well as the deformation of the material, are variable in function of the requests of the product to pack.
What other appearances would stand out?
Also have achieved keep the mechanical properties of the biofilm when it stores to low temperatures (-20 ºC), without that transform in a rigid and fragile film like sucede with some derivative films of the oil. In the manufacturing of this new film has modifying the surface of such form that the biofilm obtained can seal térmicamente on himself same and on surfaces considered like ‘difficult' by the industry of the packaging, as it is the case of the polietilentereftalato (PET). Besides, the film can print of face to his commercialisation.
Entones, can remain in contact with foods without any risk, that is to say, does not migrate?
No, because the base of the biofilm is protein of alimentary degree. The rest of additives that have employed for his obtaining also are of alimentary degree. To the hour to select the additives have taken into account problems arisen in the past like the migration of ftalatos. Thus, our group has decided to bet by products without limits of migration. Besides, at present we are applying these films like coatings on foods and have achieved to lengthen the time of life of the food without modifying his flavour.
The challenges of the industry of the container for the feeding
According to the researcher Pedro Guerrero, the industry of the container confronts to two fundamental challenges sued by the legislation, the society and the own industry. Reduce the dependency of the plastics derived of resources fossils has turned into a fundamental aim, so much to in the legislative field as in the social. “The achievement of this aim generates some needs in the chemical industry of polymers, of containers and packagings and, more specifically, in the industry of the feeding, that requires of an investment in resources in the investigation and development of containers for sustainable foods with the environingingment. “The containers used in the alimentary industry are generally of an only use, and have to be conscious of the environingingmental problem that this generates”, sustains Guerrero. On the other hand, it exists an increasing demand to increase so much the time of life of the foods like his quality, and the industry has to offer able containers to cover these needs.
What occurs with the biofilm once has arrived finally of his useful life? Can recycle ?
Our biofilm is compostable and biodegradable since it fulfils the relative directive to the containers and waste of containers (94/62/CE) that establishes the requirements that have to take into account to consider the containers or packagings like valorizables. The European norm IN 13427:2000 it provides the frame from the cual can establish the statement that a container or packaging fulfils with the basic requirements demanded in the directive. In base to this rule, and taking into account that all the components used in the formulation of the film are of natural origin, the films have subjected to a study of biological degradation to scale pilot during 20 days without obtaining visible waste. Of this form, by a part, split of renewable materials and, by another, these are recycled orgánicamente after waste, obtaining compost, therefore closes the cycle of life of the product. Besides, it has realizar the analysis of the cycle of life of the biofilm of face to quantify the environingingmental loads associated to his manufacture.
And to which container has to go? They can mix with the container of plastic containers? Of not being like this, what think that has to do ? Create a special container?
When treating of a material compostable would have to deposit in the brown container, the one of waste compostables. At present, we find us realizar studies to scale pilot of face to establish the quality of the compost obtained.
Besides, to employ in the alimentary industry, can have other applications?
Himself. To the hour to obtain properties in service, the development of the biofilm has centred in the sector of containers and alimentary packagings, but no descarta his use like container or packaging of other products. The properties that presents the biofilm and, in concrete, his transparency and his good properties of sealed thermal sensors on himself same or on other surfaces, do it interesting also for other sectors.
Have foreseen his commercial development? Who will manufacture it?
Yes, has requested the patent of the product and his procedure of manufacture. In these moments find us in the phase to contact with a company that explode the invention.
For his manufacture, requires of specific equipment? Any transformer can develop it with the usual technology?
One of the main characteristics of the biofilm developed is that it can obtain by means of the current technology. The same formulation can employ to produce edible coatings on foods or to attain films or pellets by means of a process of extrusion. The biofilm that obtains is homogéneo, flexible, termosellable, printable and can termoconformarse to adapt to the surface wished according to his application.
active Containers
The active containers increase the quality of the foods and lengthen his useful life. This achieves by means of the release of beneficial substances for the product from the own container. For this use mainly antimicrobic and antioxidant agents. Besides, the industry is beginning to offer to the consumer the containers designated intelligent, those that, by means of a sensor, generate a signal that awards information to the consumer, indicating him the quality of the product.
In this sense Guerrero explains: “The biofilm developed by our group, in addition to being transparent, presents some values of permeability to the inferior oxygen to 10 cm3/m2day to 25 ºC and a protection to the light UV of 99,5%, what provides a high protection to the food in front of the oxidation. At present, we are developing an intelligent film that was sensitive to the changes of pH produced in the product and that can transmit them through the change of colour of the film”.
