The need for sustainable solutions in the food industry, specifically in the field of packaging, has led to a strategic collaboration between the R+D department of the meat industry Noel Alimentaria and the Sustainable Materials and Product Design Laboratory Research Group of the University of Girona (UdG).
Genís Bayés, chemical engineer and industrial PhD student, is in charge of leading the research of an innovative project that seeks to develop sustainable packaging for the food industry; reducing the environmental impact without compromising the quality or safety of the products.
The industrial PhD project was presented in 2021 under the title "Development and Implementation of Single-Use and Sustainable Food Packaging", in response to Directive (EU) 2019/904, known as the Single-Use Plastics Directive. The initial objective of this applied research project is not only to comply with current regulations, but also to anticipate future market and societal demands in terms of sustainability. The objective is clear, to replace millions of plastic trays with more ecological and sustainable alternatives, starting with a pilot test that consists of an innovative paper tray with a plastic sheet, to market some of the products of the company from La Garrotxa.
But the project goes beyond a simple replacement of materials. New frontiers of research are being explored with the development of a completely plastic-free packaging, a challenge that tests the technical and creative capacities of the members of the project: Genís Bayés, Jaume Planella from the R+D department of Noel Alimentaria and Dr. Marc Delgado as principal investigator of the research group. This initiative not only has the potential to revolutionize the food industry, but also to promote greater social and environmental awareness about the use of packaging.
The collaboration between Noel Alimentaria and the UdG exemplifies the importance of knowledge transfer between the business and academic sectors, where the industrial doctoral student himself becomes a bridge between business and university, connecting theory with practice.
While Genís Bayés is in the final stretch of his PhD, the future of the project and its impact are promising. What is indisputable is that this initiative represents a significant step towards a more sustainable future for the food industry, putting Noel Alimentaria and the UdG at the forefront of innovation and sustainability in the sector.
The Diari de Girona has echoed the project, you can read the news at this link.
