Food could be wrapped in packaging made from seaweed instead of artificial plastic in the future, thanks to new research.

In a paper published in the journal Algal Research, academics at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) reveal that seaweed extracts can be turned into an alternative biodegradable plastic.

Plastic films in the food industry are largely made from fossil-fuels. In 2022, they accounted for just under a third of the 400 million tonnes of plastic produced around the world.

Plastic packaging also has a major impact on the natural environment with 15 billion kg of plastic waste entering the marine environment every year.

The west Wales scientists have combined the seaweed extract alginate with other biological compounds to strengthen the new plastic and make it more elastic, so it can be used for food wrappings.

The extracts are made into a powder that is mixed with water, heated and then cast into moulds to create film. The academics have been testing the new sustainable plastics for their strength, antibacterial qualities, water resistance and other properties.

Dr Jessica Adams from IBERS at Aberystwyth University: “It is good news for the planet that seaweed grown in the UK can be used to create more sustainable plastics. Seaweed has so many special and unique properties, not least because films produced from alginate are completely biodegradable, making this a completely circular product.

“Seaweed can be used to form thin, transparent plastic-like sheets that have many valuable traits, making them excellent candidates for replacing food wrapping.”

PhD student, Luke Barnett, who led the study said: “While bioplastics have a long history, plastic packaging, including films, are now starting to shift to environmentally-friendly alternatives.”

The research was supported by the BBSRC and food company Samworth Brothers Ltd.