The undertaking was acknowledged for its contribution to SDG 2: Zero Starvation for growth of lively coatings for citrus fruits that assist cut back fungal rot and are produced from fruit pulp waste.
The go!ODS Awards are organized and managed by the UN World Compact Spain in collaboration with the Rafael del Pino Basis.
The analysis carried out within the European BiOrangePack Venture by AIMPLAS, the Plastics Know-how Centre, was acknowledged on the Fourth Version of the go!ODS Awards, organized by the Spanish World Compact Community in collaboration with the Rafael del Pino Basis. Particularly, the undertaking was acknowledged for its contribution to SDG 2: Zero Starvation, due to the event of lively coatings for citrus fruits that assist cut back fungal rot and are produced from fruit pulp waste. This initiative subsequently helps make sure the sustainability of meals manufacturing techniques and the applying of resilient agricultural practices that enhance productiveness and manufacturing, one of many targets of the 2030 Agenda.
Within the phrases of Irene Ríos, Meals Packaging researcher at AIMPLAS, “One of many biggest challenges for the commerce and consumption of citrus fruits is their perishability. Fungal rot is the principle reason for post-harvest losses. That’s why, along with the 13 companions of the BiOrangePack Venture, we’re working to beat this downside and enhance the effectivity, sustainability and profitability of the post-harvest processing chain of natural citrus fruits”.
This undertaking is targeted on discovering a extra environment friendly logistics system within the citrus commerce and using lively and ecological packaging that protects and extends the shelf lifetime of oranges and lemons. Particular targets embody lowering post-harvest rot loss by as much as 30% with non-toxic and ecological remedies and increasing the shelf lifetime of oranges from 40 to 50 days and of lemons from 60 to 70 days.
“Meals waste is a critical social and financial situation, but additionally represents a significant environmental downside as a result of not solely is meals wasted, however so are the assets used to supply meals that won’t be consumed, leading to an pointless enhance within the manufacturing of greenhouse gases. By lowering meals waste, we’re making an amazing contribution to environmental safety and adaptation to and mitigation of local weather change by the environment friendly use of productive assets,” Ríos added.
Discount of waste and chemical compounds
BiOrangePack additionally goals to scale back waste from the economic transformation of fruits into juices and essences by as much as 80% through the use of citrus pulp waste to develop these lively coatings in opposition to fungal rot. These coatings might be utilized to the fruit itself as edible lively packaging or as particular person paper wrappers.
Using waste to develop lively packaging is aligned with the secure, sustainable provide of meals and using environmentally pleasant pure supplies. Moreover, using pure components sourced from fruit pulp to develop lively packaging for citrus fruits presents main environmental benefits in comparison with artificial components as a result of chemical merchandise usually are not used, thus lowering air pollution.
Consortium of 14 companions
BiOrangePack is a European undertaking funded by PRIMA SECTION 2 – 2019. On this proposal, 5 of the principle citrus-producing international locations within the Mediterranean area are taking part, together with the EU’s two predominant citrus-producing international locations (Italy and Spain), the 2 predominant citrus exporters (Spain and Turkey), two extremely dynamic North African citrus producers in growth (Algeria and Tunisia), the principle EU nation producing natural citrus fruits (Italy), and the EU’s predominant citrus fruit importer (France).
Particularly, the consortium companions are the Centro Siciliano di Fisica Nucleare e di Struttura della Materia, Middle for colloid and floor science – Laboratory for Molecular Surfaces and Nanotechnology, Organizzazione dei produttori di Agrumi – OP Cosentino, Decco Italia srl, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique, College of Valencia, Agdia Emea, College of Tunisi El Manar, Institut Nationwide de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie, Centre Approach des Agrumes, Ankara College, Institut de Recherche en Horticulture et Semences, and AIMPLAS.
The go!ODS Awards goal to acknowledge and help modern initiatives that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Improvement Objectives. In addition to the award obtained by BiOrangePack, the AIMPLAS BREAD4PLA initiative was additionally acknowledged within the First Version of the go!ODS Awards for its contribution to SDG 12: Accountable Manufacturing and Consumption by creating biodegradable packaging for bakery merchandise from bread waste.
About AIMPLAS
At AIMPLAS, the Plastics Know-how Centre, we have now a twofold mission: to offer added worth to firms to allow them to create wealth, and to satisfy societal challenges to enhance individuals’s high quality of life and guarantee environmental sustainability.
We’re a non-profit analysis affiliation and member of REDIT (Community of Technological Institutes of the Valencia Area) providing enterprises within the plastics trade complete and customised options, together with analysis, growth and innovation initiatives, coaching, aggressive and strategic intelligence companies, and technological companies comparable to evaluation, testing and technical help.
We additionally help the 17 SDGs of the UN World Compact when finishing up our work and company social accountability actions.
