10130540Transitioning to plant-based agricultural waste/byproduct feedstocks for single-use paper packaging coatings used in food service.ClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKBrand owners are increasingly under pressure to transition from plastic to paperboard packaging in response to consumer, industry, and regulatory pressures; however, in many paperboard packaging applications (for example, single-use takeaway containers), functional and barrier coatings are required to deliver performance in use. Yet, traditional petroleum-based coatings (typically, polyethylene) consume non-renewable fossil fuel resources, are non-biodegradable (breaking down in the environment to release persistent microplastics), and are hard-to-recycle (being both highly contaminated with food waste and grease, as well as difficult to separate from the paperboard), contaminating paperboard recycling streams. Consequently, single-use plastic-coated paperboard takeaway containers are often destined for incineration, landfill, or environmental release. Xampla's mission is to replace the world's most polluting plastics for good. Originally spun out from the University of Cambridge in 2018 and now with a team of 42 people based in the Cambridge Science Park BioInnovation Centre (R&D site) and at the Bourn Quarter (pilot plant site), our patented and game-changing technology harnesses the natural ability of plant proteins to self-assemble into organised nanoscale structures that provide enhanced mechanical and barrier properties. We have created a new class of structured protein materials that deliver performance in use, are bio-/plant-based, biodegradable, manufacturable, and can be solubilised and removed within conventional recycling process steps. Whilst Xampla have developed its current product offerings with commercially available protein feedstocks used in food applications, we recognise the need to revalorise feedstocks sourced from waste/byproduct raw materials. In this project, we will collaborate with the Biorenewables Development Centre to develop novel plant protein extraction processes. The new process is required to maximise extraction efficiency from a range of plant waste/by-product feedstocks, followed by further processing into a coating resin formulation and final conversion into a coated paper product at pilot scale. Coated paper will be converted into end products such as takeaway boxes and assessed by key customers.