Image credit to Daily Sabah.
Faculty members and students in Abant İzzet Baysal University (AİBU)’s Faculty of Engineering Food and Environmental Engineering Department have produced antimicrobial packaging from potato factory wastewater. AİBU is a supporter of the Zero Waste Project, one of the key priorities in the Turkish economy to use resources effectively and decrease the amount of waste produced.
The work was conducted by faculty members professor Gülsün Akdemir Evrendilek, assistant professor Sibel Uzuner, professor Nusret Karakaya, professor Fatih Evrendilek and postgraduate student Nurullah Bulut and supported by the AİBU Scientific Research Projects Coordination Department (BAIBU-BAP). As part of this research and development project, a package that was safe to be used in food wrapping was developed from wastewater.
The antimicrobial package, which extends the shelf life of food, has high flexibility and is water-soluble. A patent application has been submitted for the package, which can be produced in different colours.
Noting that the gel is antimicrobial, AİBU faculty member professor Evrendilek said, “When you wrap foods with the package, it decreases microorganisms and extends shelf life.”
