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Cucumbers with an eco-coating: Empa develops a protective cellulose layer

Researchers at Empa, in collaboration with Lidl Switzerland, have developed a type of "eco-coating" for fruit and vegetables. The novel cellulose-based coating helps to reduce packaging and avoid food waste.

Editors / Empa - 05 January 2022
Cucumbers at Lidl are now to be protected from spoilage with a coating as an "eco-jacket" instead of plastic film. (Image: Empa / Seraina Schudel)

We know it from our daily trip to the supermarket: fruits and vegetables are mostly wrapped in plastic, often even individually, such as the cucumbers tightly covered with plastic film. Of course, such plastic packaging protects the fruit and vegetables from spoiling, but it also generates considerable amounts of waste. Together with Empa, Lidl Switzerland has now developed a protective cover for fruit and vegetables based on renewable raw materials, in other words a kind of "eco-jacket". 

An "eco-jacket" instead of plastic film

After more than a year's work, researchers at Empa's Cellulose & Wood Materials laboratory can now present a special protective cellulose coating that can be applied to fruit and vegetables. The result: the coated fruit and vegetables stay fresh significantly longer. In tests, for example, the shelf life of bananas was extended by more than a week. This significantly reduces food waste. "The big goal is that such natural coatings can replace a lot of petroleum-based packaging in the future," says Gustav Nyström, head of the research department.

Yellow is the new brown: cellulose coating successfully ensures product quality in bananas. This was shown by Empa's preliminary studies in various trials. (Image: Manifesto Films, Lidl Switzerland / Empa)
 
This novel eco-coat is made from pomace - which is pressed-out fruit and vegetable peelings. This residue, which is produced during the manufacture of vegetable and fruit juices, was previously disposed of in biogas plants or directly on the field. In future, these residues can now be used for the protective coating of fresh fruit. Depending on the results of the study, the coating is either sprayed onto the fruit or applied to the products as a dip and can be easily washed off. As it is harmless to the consumer, it can also be consumed without any problems. According to the researchers, the potential of the cellulose coating is far from exhausted: there is even the possibility of adding additives such as vitamins or antioxidants, etc., they say.

Expected to be operational on a large scale within two years

A preliminary study for this promising eco-jacket has been running since 2019. This has now been successfully completed and the main study is now being launched. The cellulose layer developed at Empa will thus be tested and further improved over the next two years together with Lidl Switzerland and a fruit and vegetable supplier. The project is financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Innovation Promotion (Innosuisse). The aim of the research partners is that the new technology can be used in all of the more than 150 Lidl stores in Switzerland after the successful completion of the main study.

Source and further information: Empa

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