ITC joins ‘SISTERS’, a new EU project led by AITIIP

Biobased, Innovation 9 de February de 2022

AITIIP technology centre is leading the European SISTERS project, which proposes a holistic solution to the challenges of the food industry to reduce losses and waste generated at each stage of the food value chain in Europe by 27% and reduce CO2 emissions by around 20% in the project’s case studies. With a budget of 10.1 million euros, of which 8.3 million are provided by the European Commission, the consortium is made up of 18 partners from 8 different European countries with a wealth of experience in food science and technology.

SISTERS develops solutions for each of the linkages in the agri-food value chain, specifically:

The project proposes the creation of the first European online platform for farmers and the primary sector to sell the surplus of their productions and, thus, favour the local economy, as well as facilitating access to nutritious and healthy food for the most disadvantaged social groups. For example, this space will include fruit and vegetable crops that do not meet the standards of size or appearance required by the market for their subsequent commercialisation, but which are perfectly suitable for consumption.

SISTERS will also design smart food containers that help to minimise food losses during transport, keeping both bulk and packaged food in optimal conditions thanks to the installation of advanced sensors that will allow precise control of the environment in which the product is being transported or preserved. Thus, among other parameters, the temperature, humidity and gas composition of the environment will be measured.

To improve the maintenance of food quality, a series of bio-based packaging will also be developed, using biopolymers based on polyesters and polylactic acid (PLA) that can be composted at home, thus reducing the negative impact on the environment. Additives extracted from agricultural waste will be added to these materials to extend the useful life of the products. On the other hand, a second additive will also be used to favour the biodegradability process of the final product.

As a complement to this global strategy, SISTERS will create a seal of excellence that aims to promote sustainable retail practices. It will provide consumer information through a QR code and dynamic labelling in order to increase sustainability awareness for both customers and retailers.

Thanks to these cross-sectoral innovations, SISTERS expects to achieve an ambitious environmental and economic impact on the current dynamics of the food system in terms of production, processing, logistics, marketing, and consumption, contributing to the reduction of food waste at all stages of the process and changing the mentality of consumers about their less sustainable behaviour.

ITC Packaging is taking part in the EU funded Horizon 2020 project SISTERS. SISTERS aims to reduce food loss and food waste in the main different stages of the Food Value Chain in Europe through innovations targeted to each link of the value chain: new tools to primary producers for promoting direct and Short Chain sales (farmers); new technological innovations in packaging for processors and retailers; and awareness campaigns for retailers and consumers on food loss and food waste.

With the support of the European Commission, SISTERS will be a key EU project addressing the problem in a holistic way, reducing FLW by 27.4% and CO2 emissions by around 20% in the case studies. Our role within the project will be be the development of sustainable containers using the new materials that will be development along the project. Testing the functionality of the innovative containers, the process of production and the materials.

The project started on November 2021, it will last 4 years and gathers 18 partners from 8 different European countries:

AITIIP Centro Tecnológico (ES)-project coordinator, Agence BM-services (FR), Riberebro Integral S.A. (ES), PROEXPORT (ES), Munster Technological University (IE), Rebus Labs AG (CH), CARBIOLICE (FR), BIO-MI d.o.o (HR), ITC Packaging s.l. (ES), KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE), Natureplast SAS (FR), EROSKI (ES), Fondazione Edmund Mach (IT), Laboratori Archa s.r.l. (IT), Enco Consulting s.r.l. (IT), INNOVARUM (ES), Safe Food Advocacy Europe A.S.B.L. (BE) and GAIA BioMaterials (SE).