Projects

Creating sustainable food packaging

Accelerating materials discovery through multiscale modeling

Funding: ICSC Innovation Funds

Enabling technology: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, High Performance Computing

Sustainable Development Goals

This project contributes to reducing plastic waste by replacing multilayer materials that are difficult to recycle with recyclable monomaterials. This implies a reduction in the problem of non-recyclable plastic packaging waste. Furthermore, the project promotes environmental sustainability by working to reduce the carbon footprint of the food industry.

This project aims to address the sustainability challenges that the entire social ecosystem is facing, including the food industry, which is undergoing a transition toward greener packaging across all stages of design, production, and recycling.

Objectives

This project aims to design a flexible, single-layer, monomaterial packaging system to replace the multilayer solution currently adopted by the food industry. In other words, it aims at creating a “circular,” recyclable product that is effective as a concrete alternative to traditionally used materials and capable of supporting the development of a bioeconomy model. The new alternative packaging must provide mechanical protection, preserve food integrity, and above all be sustainable from an environmental, social, and economic perspective.

Initial challenge

Current packaging systems combine sheets of aluminum or polyethylene with paper or cardboard, which ensure durability and preserve aroma and food freshness. However, plastic sheets and bags are practically impossible to separate, so they cannot be easily recycled and therefore do not meet the sustainability requirements that many industries are pursuing for their green transition.

Solution

A variety of HPC-based modeling techniques, including atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, finite element methods, computational fluid dynamics, and discrete element methods, will be employed synergistically for the in silico design of this new alternative to food packaging, along with the adoption of responsible, circular eco-design standards throughout the entire design process. While academic partners will be responsible for developing workflows and managing simulations, industrial partners IFAB and Lavazza will guide material selection, providing candidate materials, and contribute to achieving objectives by defining key performance indicators and contributing to data analysis and interpretation.

Benefits

This project contributes to reducing plastic waste by replacing multilayer materials that are difficult to recycle with recyclable monomaterials. This implies a reduction in the problem of non-recyclable plastic packaging waste. Furthermore, the project promotes environmental sustainability by working to reduce the carbon footprint of the food industry. Another key advantage is support for the bioeconomy: adopting more sustainable and renewable materials can contribute to a transition toward production models based on renewable resources. The new packaging system aims to preserve food integrity, ensuring that it remains fresh and safe for consumers. Collaboration between academic and industrial partners accelerates the development and implementation of sustainable solutions in the food sector. Furthermore, the project responds to growing societal expectations for greener products and processes by promoting the adoption of responsible business practices.