The canning industry is a sector of global dimensions and with a special impact in countries with a strong transformation activity in the agri-food sector. To preserve the integrity of the container and avoid organoleptic modification and contamination of the food with harmful metals by contact, these containers are covered with a few microns thick film of different types of synthetic lacquers. Among them, the most common is bisphenol A (BPA) epoxy resins. However, there is a broad consensus on the harmful effects of BPA on human health, which has led different countries to veto the use of these substances. In this situation, the canning sector is looking for viable alternatives that can be integrated into their production systems.
The hortgenyeco group (Prof. Antonio Heredia Bayona from IHSM and ICMS) has proposed cutin, a natural biopolyester contained in the skin of fruits and leaves of higher plants, as a solution to this problem. The strategy consists of synthesizing plant cutin mimetic compounds in order to retain its inherent barrier properties, as well as its safety, recyclability and biodegradability. On the other hand, and to meet the objectives of the circular economy, the process is proposed based on residues from the transformation processes of food products.
On the other hand, the hortgenyeco group has managed to prepare biomimetic coatings on common substrates in the manufacture of canned goods and has verified their good levels of adhesion, resistance to corrosion and mechanical impact. Likewise, the life cycle analysis (LCA) has made it possible to consolidate the degree of sustainability of this alternative compared to bisphenol A resins.
Reference: “Bio-based Lacquers from Industrial Processed Tomato Pomace for Sustainable Metal Food Packaging”. J. J. Benítez, M. C. Ramírez-Pozo, M. M. Durán-Barrantes, A. Heredia, G. Tedeschi, L. Ceseracciu, S. Guzmán-Puyol, D. Marrero-López, A. Becci, A. Amato, J. A. Heredia-Guerrero. Journal of Cleaner Production 386, 135836 (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135836.
The life cycle analysis (LCA) has made it possible to consolidate the degree of sustainability of this alternative compared to bisphenol A resins.