Switzerland will soon eliminate plastic packaging in favour of an ecological solution. According to a scientific study supervised by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), and conducted in collaboration with Lidl Suisse and a fruit and vegetable supplier, it is now possible to use a coating made from pomace, that is to say pressed fruit and vegetable peelings, as packaging for food products. This material allows products to be preserved in optimal conditions and prevents them from going mouldy prematurely. Scientific trials have thus concluded that the shelf life of food is extended. This is notably the case for bananas, whose shelf life was extended by a week. Other modifications can also be made to this ecological packaging, by giving it layers of vitamins or antioxidants. The specialists have set themselves a two-year deadline to achieve conclusive results, in order to be able to replace plastic packaging with this cellulose coating.
