Development of Novel Packaging Material from Biomass Plastics and Shell (Scallop) Powder

摘要

Plastics derived from biomass have recently drawn much attention from the public because they are synthesized from the raw materials with renewability.About 400 thousand tons of Scallop are produced every year in Hokkaido Prefecture of Japan.Nearly half of the amount is shell and is dumped as waste.In order to utilize this waste as valuable resources and to encourage the use of plastics derived from biomass,the new film from shell powder of scallop is developed.The principal ingredient of shell powder is CaCO3.When CaCO3 is burned at more than 900℃,it becomes CaO which then changes to Ca(OH)2under wet environment.It has been known that this shell has anti microbe function.The function comes from alkalinity based on Ca(OH)2.It has not been known whether the film containing shell powder also shows the function.To use this film for food packaging can preserve freshness in the process from farmer to consumer.In this study,the authors investigated the effect and the mechanism of anti microbe function of shell powder and the film.