Cost-efficient and safe cellulosic food pad

Project Information

CellSorb

Grant agreement ID: 946887

DOI

10.3030/946887

Project closed

EC signature date 2 March 2020

Start date 1 April 2020

End date 31 March 2022

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 3 290 163,75

EU contribution

€ 2 303 114,63

Coordinated by

CELLCOMB AB
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CellSorb (Cost-efficient and safe cellulosic food pad)

Reporting period: 2021-04-01 to 2022-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Food pad absorbers used in the fresh food packaging to soak up the exuded liquid and keep food fresh are made of synthetic superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) – i.e. 90% of the market share - due to their superior price-efficiency balance. Nevertheless, currently used absorbers used in food packaging are not fulfilling the EU packaging directive (which demands that all packaging should be either reusable, recyclable or compostable) and are not environmentally friendly. The need of economical, compostable and recyclable pads to compete with the synthetic ones are on the rise.
CELLCOMB, a Swedish company specialized in cellulose-based laminated products, developing CELLSORB Circular , a closed food pad made from cellulose material, not using any chemicals that are hazardous to the health of mankind or the environment with the following superior features:
1) high absorption capacity, similar with the performance of synthetic food pads,
2) It is fully compostable and recyclable in the paper recycling stream
3) Competitive pricing in relation to synthetic food pads,
4) This will reduce the amount of landfill and the carbon footprint in our society.
Through CELLSORB Circular, we will position us as a competitive company in the framework of alternative natural absorbent materials for fresh food packaging. We expect to reach around 20% share of the European food pad industry by 2026.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Cellcomb has developed a unique food pad that is both compostable and recyclable in the paper stream making use of no unnecessary fossil components. A significant amount of work has been carried out to define the process to introduce CTMP from bales as absorber, but an intermediary step has been chosen where the absorption core is constructed using a mixture of CTMP and CP and has proven to absorb better than the pure CP core.

The pouch is constructed of paper materials and a variety of material combinations has been tested. The importance of wet strength of the pouch materials has been demonstrated and a sufficient strength has been defined not obstructing the possibility to recycle the product.
The products developed within the project are
- food certified,
- certified for compostability according to EN 13432 with the right to use the seadling and DIN compostability symbols
- tested and approved for paper recyclability
- can be rinsed up to 100% before submission to the recycling

The production machine has been improved with two investments: splicing unit for paper materials and tension control system. Apart from that we have trimmed the process and found suitable settings for all wanted new specifications. We have also secured a lamination glue that can work both with the old specifications based on plastic and the new cellulose-based product. Staff has been trained on operability.
We have also carried out an external FSSC 22 000 assessment and again earned the right to claim that we are certified according to the standard.
During the last year we have upgraded our market communication and developed a brochure and presentations as well as our homepage that has been significantly modernized.
In total we have been in presentations with at least 40 serious customers in all parts of the World, with promising results.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Cellcomb has developed the first commercially available product of this kind and we expect a rapid conversion in the marketplace when retailers will be aware of the product.
The main advantage of the product is the flexibility in the waste handling systems it provides. Most food pads are multi material products that contains fossil materials as well as cellulose-based materials and in most cases the cellulose is mixed with synthetic super absorbents. The mixing and the swelling of humid super absorbents prevent any recycling and composting efforts made by the consumers. It simply isn’t possible to dispose of the product in a reasonable way except by incineration contributing to the carbon footprint. By being able to recover most of the cellulose in a recycling process or by biodegrading it in a compost we offer dual possibilities of a climate smart disposal.
It can be considered a contribution to climate conscious consumers and relieves the pressure on the waste incineration plants. If all food pads of Europe will be of the CELLSORB Circular type more than 3000 tons of plastic would be avoided.

Fiber analysis in the laboratory

Seadling compostability symbol grant

Release of meat from a Cellsorb circular pad after storage in the refrigerator

Lumps of fibers after the first step of refining

After separation of the meat from the pad, no fibers from the paper are stuck on the meat

Checking the biodegradation in a standardized compost environment

Top view of gravimetric feeding unit with agitator

Piece of chicken filet on our pad in a cellulose tray