Michelman has introduced two new bio-based, plastic-free coatings for fibre-based retail food packaging, named Nuvita Life 4002 and Nuvita Life 4605.

The company said the products are intended to provide barrier performance while also supporting recycling and composting routes.

Nuvita Life 4002 is a heat-seal coating developed to provide resistance to oil and grease as well as a barrier against mineral oils.

Michelman said it can produce reliable seals across a broad sealing range and can be coated over, giving flexibility in pack design.

Nuvita Life 4605 is a topcoat designed to provide resistance to oil and grease, water, and moisture, for use across a variety of retail food packaging formats.

Both coatings are free from microplastics, comply with SUPD requirements, and are 100% bio-based in dry film.

It is designed to support two end-of-life pathways, with suitability for existing recycling systems and compostable packaging options.

The coatings fit with regulatory developments including the European Single-Use Plastics Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

The company also said both products are resistant to creasing and have a low coefficient of friction, making them suitable for use on vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) processing lines.

Target uses include pouches and sachets for dry food, flow wraps for snack and food bars, and tea envelopes.

The coatings are part of Nuvita, which Michelman describes as a new range of packaging coatings.

The portfolio includes barrier coatings, primers, heat-seal products, and other functional materials for rigid and flexible packaging.

Michelman packaging global marketing director Lori Gobris said: "The Nuvita Life series unlocks new possibilities for paperization in retail food applications. These forward-looking technologies allow fiber-based packaging to deliver the high barrier performance converters and brands need while supporting compliance with regulations targeting plastic pollution and waste reduction.”