AIMat is involved in the improvement of materials for food stabilization and, in this commitment, we explore the use of biopolymers and biodegradable petrochemical polymers.
Biopolymers are polymeric materials either obtained directly from biomass, or synthesized from natural molecules. The AIMat team mainly use biopolymers in its R&D lines. We are interested in their characterization, modification and preparation for diverse food applications. Also, we are involved in their extraction from agri-food residues and their valorization.
Synthetic polymers produced by the petrochemical industry are materials with tremendous versatility as to achieve practically any required property. This characteristic has converted plastic materials as the preferred ones in practically all industrial sectors. In food science, they are used mainly in packaging, but also as coatings, to provide viscosity or in encapsulation. However, they are mainly non-biodegradable and are resulting in materials with a tremendous environmental impact. However, new ranges of biodegradable polymers are available and can be used to improve biopolymer processability.