New study shows we can create value from food waste by turning it into a highly desirable material – nanocellulose
Retrieved on:
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Food waste is a global problem with approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted each year throughout the food lifecycle – from the farm to food manufacturers and households.
Key Points:
- Food waste is a global problem with approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted each year throughout the food lifecycle – from the farm to food manufacturers and households.
- Across the food supply chain, Australians waste around 7.6 million tonnes of food each year.
- In a recent study published in Bioresource Technology Reports, we have found a way to use food waste for making a versatile material known as nanocellulose.
Mixing waste with bacteria
- Some types of nanocellulose production also use a chemical process that produces unwanted waste byproducts.
- By contrast, our new approach uses just food waste and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY) – something you may be familiar with as a kombucha starter.
- We used a runny waste liquid known as acid whey from a local cheese manufacturer in Melbourne, Australia.
- Over four days as our mixture fermented, the bacteria worked to create nanocellulose material which floated to the top.
A growing market
- Demand for nanocellulose is growing worldwide.
- The global market was valued at US$0.4 billion in 2022 (A$0.6bn) and is expected to grow to US$2 billion by 2030 (A$3.1bn).
- This growth is in part due to how we can use nanocellulose instead of petroleum-based and other non-renewable materials in things like packaging.
Efficient circular economy
- A circular economy attempts to minimise waste and extend the lifecycle of products for as long as possible.
- Our study demonstrates an efficient circular economy approach for upcycling a dairy industry waste product into sustainable nanocellulose.
- Read more:
Explainer: What is a circular economy?