Sustainable and Novel Food Packaging based on Agroindustrial Byproducts and Natural Antimicrobials from the Mediterranean Area
SuN4Med is a Mediterranean collaborative research project dedicated to developing a new generation of sustainable, biodegradable, and antimicrobial food packaging and coatings. Designed to combat food loss and improve safety across the food supply chain, the project replaces non-biodegradable, petrochemical packaging with eco-friendly alternatives derived from local agro-industrial waste streams. Grounded in circular economy principles and green chemistry, SuN4Med combines bio-based polymer processing with natural active agents and digital technologies.
SuN4Med explores how Mediterranean agricultural byproducts—such as hazelnut, almond, peach, prickly pear, citrus, and grape pomace residues—can be transformed into advanced functional biopolymers. By extracting cellulose, pectin, and starch and reinforcing them with fillers (hydroxyapatite and mucilage) and natural antimicrobials, the project develops packaging films with enhanced mechanical strength, flexibility, and barrier performance. The ambition is to advance these eco-solvated biocomposites from scientific proof-of-concept (TRL 2) to industry-ready laboratory and field demonstrators (TRL 5–6).
SuN4Med integrates computational science and digital technology into sustainable packaging development through Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision tools. These intelligent classification systems automate the triage and characterization of industrial raw fruit and agricultural waste streams (provided by industrial partner Iberfruta), ensuring optimal biopolymer extraction, standardized feedstocks, and scalable manufacturing.
SuN4Med brings together 12 partners—comprising 8 academic and research institutions and 4 industrial leaders—combining complementary capabilities in materials science, green chemistry, digital technologies, and food processing:
Countries represented: Spain, Tunisia, France, Morocco, Turkey, and Germany.
SuN4Med bridges fundamental biopolymer research with prototype manufacturing and industrial applications. By marrying eco-designed biocomposites with AI-driven quality control and active antimicrobial functionality, the project establishes a practical path toward reducing food waste, eliminating single-use petrochemical plastics, and strengthening sustainable agrifood supply chains across the Mediterranean region and Europe.
Senior Researcher in Polymer Materials, Nanocomposites and Sustainable Materials Engineering
Sherif Keshk specialises in polymer materials, nanocomposites and sustainable materials engineering.
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View detailsFluorine‐free proton exchange membranes are increasingly required to replace perfluoro sulfonic acid (PFAS) materials in hydrogen fuel cells operating at low humidity and moderate temperatures. In this work, a one‐step grafting–crosslinking strategy was used to fabricate…
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View detailsDiclofenac is a widely used pharmaceutical pollutant that is frequently detected in wastewater and natural waters; however, its reliable on-site quantification remains challenging because of costly instrumentation, labor intensive sample preparation, and electrodes with limited electron-transfer…
View detailsPolyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is valued for its transparency and film-forming ability, but its limited chemical reactivity and weak nanofiller interactions restrict functional tunability. Partially oxidized PVA (OPVA), enriched with ketone and hydroxyl groups, provides a versatile…
View detailsThis study presents a multifunctional hybrid system constructed by interfacing thermally reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoflakes with rare-earth-doped Y2O3/ZnO: Er,Yb thin films designed to achieve near-field optical modulation and enhanced charge transport. Here, the rGO layers…
View detailsThis study explores the electrical and dielectric properties of hybrid solid electrolytes made from hydrothermally synthesized La0·56Li0·33TiO3 (LLTO) oxide and oxidized polyvinyl alcohol (OPVA). The influence of LLTO on ionic conductivity and dielectric behavior was assessed…
View detailsThis review critically examines the recent progress in the development of sulfonated polyether sulfone (SPES) and its derivatives (including sulfonated polyether sulfone with open sulfonic acid groups (SPESOS)) as functional matrices for next-generation proton exchange membrane…
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