One minute with Carlos Alvarez - Two birds with one stone: blood-based films, from environmental concern to sustainable solution
Carlos Álvarez-García, a researcher at Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, discusses how to address two important environmental issues at once. To hear the full story, come along to our 60 Minute Science event on 15th November.
Meat production is predicted to increase globally, which will lead to an increase in co- and by- products from meat processing. These can cause environmental issues. Among them, one of the most challenging is animal blood. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for renewable sources to produce biodegradable plastics, to replace petrol based ones.
Using a new technology developed by Teagasc, we can address both these issues at the same time. First, we are able to recover the proteins present in the blood and use them as building blocks to make a new type of plastic material. This can be used for food packaging purposes. So, we are reducing the burden on the environment caused by managing the underused blood. And secondly, these new materials can replace petrol based plastics for some uses in the food industry. This is highly environmentally desirable.
Blood based bio-plastics are food grade, renewable and can be biodegraded in soils in less than three weeks. Although further research is needed to help up-scale the manufacturing process, we’ve shown that an underused food processing waste stream can be converted into a green solution for the food industry. This is a win-win situation.
Teagasc invites you to join us for an unmissable series of virtual and in-person events for Science Week 2022 as part of ‘The Festival of Farming and Food’ November 13-20, 2022.
The festival is an educational, inspiring and fun week, packed full of amazing science activities, experiences, talks and exhibitions, for children and grown-ups alike.
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