Packaging with starch: Thai firm offers tapioca-based thermoplastic material as sustainable option for food industry
Under the Roseco closed-loop solution, cassava is cultivated, and starch is extracted to produce biodegradable and compostable packaging materials. After consumers use these products, they can break down into bio-compostable waste, which can be processed into compost or bio-gas for renewable energy. The compost generated enriches the soil, completing the eco-friendly closed-loop system.
Roseco was developed by Thai Wah, whose core businesses are divided into three main categories – tapioca starch and starch-related products, food products in retail, and the biodegradable packaging.
The firm plans to use the Roseco TPS for its consumer goods packaging possibly in the next one to two years. This aligns with Thai Wah’s focus on sustainability, said Dr. Soracom Chardwiriyapreecha, Senior Manager of Technical Service and Development at Thai Wah.
“We saw a significant need for sustainable solutions in packaging, especially within the food industry. That’s why we developed Roseco, a biodegradable packaging that can be used across different sectors.
“While biodegradable options are often positioned as premium products, they are quickly moving toward the mainstream due to consumer demand and regulatory changes, particularly in markets like Europe and parts of Asia,” said Dr Soracom.
Roseco TPS is designed to work in conjunction with biopolymers, making it compatible with multiple applications, such as injection moulding, extrusion, thermoforming, and blown and cast films. This versatility it to meet a wide variety of consumer and industrial packaging needs, including food packaging and cutlery.
Sustainability and functionality
Roseco is already in use in Thailand’s HORECA industry.
In the near future, Thai Wah plans to use the TPS in its instant noodle and ready-to-cook noodle kits, particularly for single-use items like forks and trays.
The current Roseco series includes plastic bags, forks, and takeaway boxes. It also includes a biodegradable mulch film that is already in use for agriculture.
Roseco’s biodegradable mulch films offer a sustainable alternative to polyethylene ones, which are commonly used in crop production. Unlike PE films, which need to be manually removed after use, biodegradable mulch made from Roseco can be tilled into the soil and left to biodegrade naturally.
Roseco TPS resins are industrial and home-compostable, which positions the firm in a good place to meet the strict environmental regulations in markets like Europe, where sustainability requirements are becoming more stringent.
The material is also more than 90% renewable and compostable within 60 days, according to Dr Soracom.
“Roseco has been available for about five years, and interest in biodegradable products is growing, especially with sustainability trends on the rise,” said Dr Soracom.
Although currently 15 to 20% more expensive, Dr. Soracom believes the cost will decrease as production scales up.
Apart from regulatory requirements from European markets, there is also consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging. This was one key reason that prompted Thai Wah to create Roseco in 2019.
Another critical issue is the growing concern of microplastics, which can enter farmlands through fertilisers and plastic mulches. Studies have increasingly shown the negative impact of microplastics on both soil quality and human health.
Roseco offers a way to significantly cut down on plastic use while still meeting the needs of clients and end consumers, said Dr Soracom.
This is particularly relevant as more food companies are adopting packaging solutions that meet both sustainability regulations and consumer preferences for eco-friendly products.
