NZ Baking Industry

Biodegradable baking trays span production process

Bakeryandsnacks.com (11/12/08) reported that Biosphere Industries and Sealed Air have developed a completely biodegrable range of trays and pans specifically for bakery use, designed to be used throughout product manufacture from freezer to oven to table. Renew-a-Pak is a starch based range of commercial bakeware which composts in 40 days outdoors or in 10 days in a commercial composting environment. The product is suitable for freezing, cooking, product display, and reheating at home. It is expected that the technology will allow manufacturers to optimise the benefits and cost efficiencies of plant based starches into products which performs as well as plastic or metal. The products are not made from starches coverted into plastic, but a baked combination of natural materials based on tapioca and potato starches, with added grass fibre. Sealed Airs, Ken Aurichio also highlighted the packagings ‘dual ovenability’ as it can be cooked by the manufacturer and then reheated by the consumer without damage. The product as well as being environmentally friendly maintains rigidity when frozen, is microwavable and tolerates tempatures of up to 215 deg which means that bakers are unlikely to change recipes should they change to the Renew-a-Pak range.