(Finance) – Recycling and reducing, alternative and innovative materials, and increasingly efficient processes: these are the three strategic areas of challenge for the food packaging of the future launched last December by Italy of Taste, the first private consortium of companies operating in the Italian food and wine sector, e Eatable Adventures, among the main foodtech accelerators on a global scale. The initiative, supported by eight renowned Italian category leaders – Amica Chips, Auricchio, PanPiuma, Parmalat, Ponti, Rovagnati, Urbani Tartufi and Valsoia – saw the selection of six startups, of which four Italian, one Bulgarian and one Israeli, who will have the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most prestigious national food companies and test their solutions in real scenarios, as well as access a collaborative ecosystem and a network of experts at an international level.
From industrial packaging created with alternative materials, to new proposals to improve production processes up to technologies capable of extending the shelf life of products: six cutting-edge solutions, in the name of shared vision of Open Innovation, to encourage dialogue between businesses and startups and the sharing of new technologies that are not always possible to develop internally. THE emerging projects they will increasingly support companies in reducing single-use plastic and non-recyclable materials and will, at the same time, encourage the transition towards a more aware and ethically cutting-edge food industry.
“For Italia del Gusto it is essential to encourage innovation, which is why we supported the Call4Startup with great interest and curiosity, which proved to be an exciting moment for the number of innovative and concrete projects that were presented, the result
of very high value skills. This is an initiative – he declares Giacomo Ponti, president of the Italia del Gusto Consortium – naturally devoted to innovation and aimed at research and implementation of the most advanced sustainable packaging solutions. The collaboration with Eatable Adventures has allowed us to activate a virtuous circuit and identify, among the valid proposals generated by the startups, those most functional to the needs of the participating companies. The care of synergies between the world of research and industry such as those promoted within this project are a strategic factor to guarantee a development of our economic realities increasingly oriented towards the integration of sustainability principles in their operations”.
“The demo day represented a moment of happy conclusion of a process, which in all its development phases, was of extreme value. The challenge involved a considerable number of start-ups, and in the selection phase the more interesting
among those candidates – he states Alberto Volpe General Director of Italia del Gusto –. The six startups that participated in the demo day presented proposals with clear potential, sparking a dynamic and stimulating discussion with the eight companies of the Consortium
participants”.
“This challenge represents a further step in the evolution of the Italian food industry. The collaboration between startups and Made in Italy excellence allows us to build a more sustainable and aware future, promoting innovative solutions for the challenges of our time – declares Alberto Barbari, regional VP Italy of Eatable Adventures –. Being involved in this challenge was extremely stimulating for us and gave us the opportunity to collaborate and support Italia del Gusto, a cutting-edge reality that brings together the
better than our food industry. Eatable Adventures is a true catalyst for innovation in the world of foodtech and our global network of partners and startups allows us to identify and support the most promising solutions, thus helping to shape the future
of the food industry in the name of ethics and sustainability”.
Innovate to conserve: Nicefiller and Cronogard – Nicefiller, an Italian company for the innovative materials category, offers Cronogard, a technology that uses specific molecules inserted into the packaging, through ion exchanges capable of protecting and keeping food fresh for longer, reducing waste. The solution offers a protective and antibacterial barrier inside the packages, slowing down
the formation of the agents responsible for organoleptic and visual deterioration.
Process optimization: FOODOC and the B2B Revolution – Also from Italy comes FOODOC which offers a modular software solution capable of optimizing the multilingual labeling process. Centralizing management, streamlining operations and reducing operating costs: these are the key words of a real B2B revolution ready to change the rules of the game for Producers and Consultants.
Innovative eco-sustainability: Alter Eco Pulp and Fiber Molding – For the Recycling and Reuse category, the innovative Italian company Alter Eco Pulp – Benefit Society – stands out, introducing the “Cellulosic Fiber Molding” technology. This is an innovative process that uses natural cellulose fibers from annual plants and agricultural secondary products, such as in the case of bamboo or sugar cane processing waste, to create disposable products and eco-sustainable packaging.
Towards a Plastic Free future: IUV and ecological alternatives – The fourth Italian project, IUV, researches and develops plastic-free packaging solutions and edible coatings for fresh food products through small molecule “Naturamers”
natural, chemically modified substances present in algae, plants and even food waste. Their offering includes plant-based laminates, which represent an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic, a “Scelli” liquid protective solution, for
preserve freshness and extend the shelf life of foods, and labels based on 100% natural vegetable ingredients, encouraging an increasingly eco-friendly vision of food packaging.
Biopreservation for a Prolonged Shelf Life: LiVA and intelligent solutions – LiVA, the all-female Israeli startup, specializes in the development of intelligent biopreservation and biocontrol solutions aimed at extending the shelf life of foods and
of crops, reducing waste and promoting more sustainable production. The mixtures of prebiotic nutrients created by LiVA favor the growth of functional bacteria without resorting to live cultures, imitating the beneficial action on the microbial ecosystem and
ensuring complete protection.
Alternatives to plastic: Lam’on and Biodegradable Laminates – The Bulgarian startup Lam’on, for the innovative materials category, proposes alternative materials to reduce the use of plastic. Thanks to the development and production of bio-based laminates, recyclable together with paper and cardboard, and compostable transparent sheets, the innovative solutions of this startup are proposed as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived plastic products, commonly used in the printing and of the packaging.