Researchers from the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science at the Technical University of Łódź (PŁ) including Dr Eng. Joanna Grzelczyk, Dr Eng. Ilona Gałązka-Czarnecka and Dr Eng. Joanna Oracz are working on edible packaging and dishes. The developed technology uses plant waste. 

The invention ‘A mixture for the production of disposable biodegradable packaging and utensils, especially for the food industry, and a method for producing packaging and utensils from this mixture’ was awarded second place in the competition ‘Eureka! DGP – we discover Polish inventions’. This was the 10th competition of a series promoting solutions that have practical applications and can be used in the economy and in production. 

The invention uses post-production waste from the oil industry and the addition of flour from the cereal industry. The olive pomace obtained after extracting the oil from the olives makes up 70-80 % of the mixture. 

Packaging and disposable utensils are created in a variety of forms, so that cups, bowls and other utensils can be produced in the intended shapes and thicknesses.