Eurobrillance, Plastigraf Trevigiana, NatureWorks and Form iQ have developed a biobased paperboard packaging system for food applications that require grease resistance, barrier performance, and heat sealability.

The work is based on CellShield Protopia, a barrier technology from Eurobrillance and Plastigraf Trevigiana that uses NatureWorks’ Ingeo biopolymer technology.

The system is available in lamination and dispersion coating formats, allowing it to be applied to different packaging structures and end-of-life requirements.

The lamination format joins thin biobased BOPLA [biaxially oriented polylactic acid] films to paperboard with a compostable water-based adhesive.

The films provide heat-sealing functionality and additional barrier protection while reducing material use.

Potential applications include thermoformed trays and other food packaging formats.

The dispersion coating format uses a water-based coating containing Ingeo biopolymers. It is applied in thin layers to paper and paperboard using existing coating equipment.

The format is intended for frozen food packaging and products with shorter shelf lives.

Together, the lamination and dispersion coating technologies can be used in rigid and flexible packaging.

The companies said the approaches support recyclable and compostable packaging solutions.

Eurobrillance and Plastigraf Trevigiana contributed coating and lamination technologies, while NatureWorks supplied renewable Ingeo biopolymers.

Form iQ provided thermoforming and industrial processing expertise.

The group used the technologies to manufacture thermoformed paperboard trays.

During forming trials, the trays retained the barrier performance and production efficiency required for industrial applications.

The trials produced 35mm-deep containers at an average of 27 mould-closing cycles per minute, with forming times of 0.2 seconds.

The companies said these production speeds were comparable to conventional PET-laminated paperboard.