A Systech 8001 oxygen permeation analyser is being used to test Xylophane, a novel, biodegradable packaging film being developed in Sweden

The new, environmentally friendly oxygen barrier film, being developed by Xylophane AB, makes use of by-products of corn, straw and wood processing that are usually discarded. Processing turns the by-products into xylan, a biopolymer, which is used to produce the Xylophane packaging film with oxygen barrier properties similar to currently used aluminium foil and plastic film from non-renewable sources.

Xylophane is also an excellent barrier to grease and aroma.

The process of turning waste hemicellulose into a packaging film was first discovered during a research project at Chalmers University of Technology in Goteborg, Sweden and is now being commercially developed by Xylophane AB.

This company, a spin-off from the University formed by Maria Grondahl, Lisa Eriksson and Paul Gatenholm, aims to create a commercially viable replacement for barrier materials made from non-renewable sources.

As part of the commercialisation process, the Systech 8001 oxygen permeation analyser is used to produce data that allows the performance of Xylophane to be compared directly with that of conventional oxygen barrier films used in the food packaging industry.

Working with a number of packaging material companies, Xylophane AB is confident that the new material will soon prove to be more economical but just as effective as currently used, non-biodegradable materials.

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