The development of a biopackaging solution for organic skin creams by combining nanotechnology and active packaging is the goal of an EU-sponsored project called “BioBeauty” (www.biobeautyproject.eu). The two-year research began in April 2014, and comes at an overall price tag of almost EUR 5.3m, of which the EU will contribute EUR 3.7m.

“BioBeauty” has set itself the goal of developing a biopackaging for organic and eco product lines, where the packaging will offer the same environmental credentials as the contents. The packaging will be based on an environmentally friendly biomaterial, like a PLA bionanocomposite, and a natural active agent with antioxidant properties. The goal is to ensure the conservation of organic skin cream for at least a year while not lifting the price of the final product. In addition, project members plan to optimise the new packaging’s performance in industrial cosmetic producers’ filling and closing machines. The final product will be “a great business opportunity for both cosmetic SMEs manufacturers and biopolymers and packaging manufacturers,” the project website states.

BioBeauty consists of eight partners from five different countries. They are ITENE (Valencia / Spain; www.itene.com), the Heriot Watt University (Edinburgh, Scotland / UK; www.hw.ac.uk), Alissi Bronte (El Palmar / Spain; www.alissibronte.com), Vitiva (Markovci / Slovenia; www.vitiva.eu), Alan Coar (Valencia / Spain; www.alancoar.com), Martin Snijder Holding (Hoogland / The Netherlands), ETS Bugnon (Lugrin / France; www.ets-bugnon.fr/en) and Miniland (Onil / Spain; www.minilandgroup.com/en). Each of them has a specific function in the project.

Aside from coordinating the project and serving as a liaison with the European Commission, ITENE will encapsulate the antioxidants, modify the nanoclays and develop bioactive materials. The Spanish group will also be responsible for packaging development at laboratory scale. Heriot University has been charged with the safety assessment of the nanomaterials, while organic skin cream producer Alissi Bronte will use the bioactive packaging and validate it. Fellow cosmetic producer Alan Coar will do the same. As for cosmetic natural ingredients producer Vitiva, its role will be to select the best antioxidant for the package and check its effectiveness after each step. Plastics concentrates and compounds producer Martin Snijder Holding will oversee the development of a PLA compound containing the nanocomposites and antioxidants in the appropriate dispersion, while ETS Bugnon will focus on developing a bioactive tube that gives cosmetic creams the same shelf life as oil-based tubes. Last but not least, Miniland will be in charge of manufacturing the packaging from the compound provided by Martin Snijder Holding.