Final GLOPACK Stakeholder Event

17 November 2021- Montpellier, France

The objective of the final stakeholder project workshop was to provide the delegates, including the members of the Stakeholders’ Platform, with improved knowledge on bio-circular packaging materials, active packaging and intelligent packaging.

The final stakeholder project workshop aimed to gather industry representatives, researchers, and end-users to discuss GLOPACK results.

Valérie Guillard (University of Montpellier), the Coordinator of the GLOPACK project welcomed the participants.

She emphasised that it is time to present the project’s key findings because these can be the foundations for new project proposals. She highlighted issues and challenges related to food packaging, presented the main goals of GLOPACK and introduced the moderator, James Hutchins. Then a short, animated video was presented with the main objectives of the GLOPACK project.

András Sebők (CBHU) welcomed the audience, in particular the members of the Stakeholders’ Platform. He emphasised that the multi–Stakeholder Platform of the GLOPACK is a forum for knowledge and information exchange and a discussion forum related to the packaging and valorisation issues.

Section 1 PHA-based biodegradable packaging

Mariana Matos (IBET) and Simone Nortilli (Innoven) presented the feasiblity to produce PHBV from various agri/food residues.

Then, Helene Angellier-Coussy (UM) & Cornelia Stramm (Fraunhofer) answered the question of whether there is any interest to produce PHBV with high HV content for food packaging applications.

After that, there was a presentation about the process of developing the PHBV trays and cups by Andrea Lombardi (Coopbox), Davide Oustale (FurstPlast) and Hedwige Verherbrugghen (P4F).

As we tested the applicability of our food packaging, shelf-life tests were performed. An Vermeulen (P4F) and Florance Berlier-Coulon (Soredab) presented the main results.

Lieselot Boone and Niels Préat (UGent) presented the results of the environmental sustainability assessment.

Section 2: Active packaging

Fanny Coffigniez from UM and Fabio Licciardello from UNIMORE presented the benefits of active packaging to increase shelf life.

Section 3 Intelligent packaging: “OMG, electronic tracking in my food ?!”

Benjamin Saggin (UM) presented and demonstrated the new intelligent packaging system: Smart packaging using RFID enabled wireless food spoilage indicators linked to food date labels and modified atmosphere.

Section 4 Decision support tools

The presentation and live demostration of James Doyle and John O’Brien aimed to present the GLOPACK Decision Support Softwer.

Section 5: Market acceptance

Grégoire De Rodder (Colruyt) presented the design and the results of the market replication survey to discove whether the consumers are ready for the GLOPACK food packaging.

You can read more on our Final Event and the discussions we had by downloading the Deliverable.