Tetra Pak Evaluates Graphene Application in Food & Beverage Industry

Tetra Pak has joined the European Commission's Graphene Flagship project as the exclusive representative of the packaging industry. The ingress allows the company to explore possible applications of graphene in food and beverage production.

Carbon-based, graphene is one of the finest materials known to mankind, only one atom thick but also incredibly durable: about 200 times stronger than steel. It is an excellent conductor of heat, electricity and has a great light absorbing capacity. The material open doors for breakthrough innovations with potential for applications in almost any industry.

Professor, physicist and Nobel Prize winner Konstantin Novoselov says graphene has the potential to revolutionize a variety of processes and industries. “Since the first insulation of graphene in 2004, we have seen tremendous success in applying the material to the electronics and automotive industries. I am confident with the next phase of Graphene Flagship and the possibility of exploring innovations in the packaging industry, ”he explains.

“Tetra Pak's involvement with Graphene Flagship is an example of our ambition to take innovation to the next level. It is a privilege to be the sole representative of our industry in this initiative, which puts us at the forefront in addressing challenges through multidisciplinary research and development, along with our industry partners, ”adds Sara De Simoni, vice president of equipment engineering. from Tetra Pak.

Tetra Pak is a leader in R&D in the packaging industry, exploring the potential of graphene for a number of innovations that could revolutionize the food and beverage industry, including:

Packaging material innovation: It is being examined to see how graphene can contribute to reducing the carbon footprint in the packaging distribution chain. Graphene can also improve the performance of current packaging materials, enable new functionality and increase recycling.

Connected Packaging: With the development of connected packaging, ultrafine flexible graphene sensors can be integrated into packaging, serving as data drivers for producers, retailers and consumers. Graphene sensors can also be smaller, lighter and cheaper than traditional sensors.

Next generation equipment: The study of how graphene can be used to develop lighter, more energy efficient equipment has the potential to reduce cost and energy expenditure in the industry. Minor modifications to the installed equipment saves time and money.