Novishpak: Innovative Packaging for Sustainable Food Preservation

One of the fastest-growing areas of research today is the search for sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived plastics, particularly in the field of food packaging.

The motivation behind this effort is clear: conventional plastics are persistent pollutants, while biodegradable, naturally sourced polymers promise reduced environmental impact. However, this transition is far from straightforward.

Biopolymers often suffer from weaker mechanical properties, reduced elasticity, and higher permeability to oxygen and water vapour.

These drawbacks can compromise the barrier performance of biofilms, making them less effective in preserving food quality and shelf life.

Among the candidates for biodegradable packaging materials, fish gelatin has attracted considerable attention. Extracted from the collagen in fish skin and scales, fish gelatin is a protein-based biopolymer that can form transparent and flexible films.

Yet, it is inherently sensitive to moisture and exhibits significantly lower tensile strength compared to mammalian gelatins (from porcine or bovine sources) and to synthetic polymers like low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

To complement its properties, sodium alginate, a water-soluble polysaccharide obtained primarily from brown algae, is often used. Alginate consists of linear chains of mannuronic and guluronic acid residues, whose carboxyl groups are ionized in solution, imparting strong anionic character and excellent film-forming ability.

Building on these natural polymers, the NOVISHPAK project—funded under PRIMA 2023 Section 2 (RIA)—seeks to design novel, sustainable, biodegradable, antimicrobial, and smart packaging films and edible coatings tailored for Mediterranean fish fillets.

The project’s central strategy is to combine polysaccharides from seaweed with fish-derived gelatin to produce advanced bio-based materials endowed with two key functionalities:

1. Antimicrobial and bioactive components (such as natural extracts, bacteriocins, or probiotics) that extend fish shelf life by inhibiting spoilage microorganisms and slowing degradation of the packaging matrix itself.
2. Smart, colorimetric freshness indicators, capable of responding to changes in pH, ammonia, or biogenic amines, thereby offering consumers real-time visual cues on the edibility of packaged fish.

The consortium brings together partners from Malta, Germany, France, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Greece, combining expertise in polymer science, food technology, and socio-economic analysis.

Malta’s role focuses on the synthesis and physicochemical characterisation of the biofilms, while other partners are developing the integration of antimicrobial agents and smart sensors, as well as optimising extraction methods for gelatin and alginate.

Cutting-edge methods such as Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) are being applied to tailor the surface properties of the films—enhancing hydrophobicity, barrier performance, and durability without compromising biodegradability.

Amongst the tests which are being conducted in the research labs within the Chemistry Department of the University of Malta there are: swellability and solubility tests, dynamic light scattering for particle size analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy to highlight bond formation during film production, oxygen and water vapour permeability testing, water contact angle measurements (to get an idea on the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the film surface), scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to get highly resolved images of the surface structure and last but not least, mechanical testing using a tensile loader.

In the later stages of the project, the optimised film formulations will be upscaled to semi-industrial scales, enabling the team to test real cold-chain storage conditions, evaluate economic feasibility, and design sustainable business models.

If successful, NOVISHPAK will not only offer a circular approach by valorising fish by-products and seaweed resources but also provide a practical, eco-friendly alternative to plastic packaging, directly targeting the reduction of food waste and plastic pollution in the Mediterranean region.

Acknowledgments

The Novishpak project is financed by Xjenza Malta (formerly Malta Council for Science and Technology) through the PRIMA initiative of member states, associated countries and participating countries that is in turn supported by the EU.

Roderick Abdilla is a post-doctoral researcher working on the project Novishpak under the supervision of Ruben Gatt, professor and coordinator of the Metamaterials Unit at the University of Malta.