Newton Fund - Safe Biodegradable Packaging (SafeBioPack)

This project will underpin an UK-Malaysian “Research and Innovation” bridge to accelerate the deployment of

knowledge and the exploitation of research that will a) improve the preservation of food during transport/

storage between the producer and the consumer (in urban settings), b) reduce urban solid waste from plastics

going to landfill, and c) improve health and well being of the population by reducing risk of communicable

diseases transmitted by foodborne pathogens in meat or vegetables. To achieve these objectives, the project

will develop affordable innovative sustainable packaging with improved shelf-life performance. The packaging

system will be based on the use of cost-competitive, presently under utilised waste and the use of a new

concept of active packaging; a packaging that will reduce/eliminate pathogen microbial growth, increasing

shelf-life of packaged food (meat and vegetables). This will reduce food waste across the supply chain. The

packaging system will be designed with agri-waste (palm empty fruit bunch), setting-up a platform for other

subsequent broader uses, and will contribute to minimising waste-to-landfill problems.