Tomato Peels Replace Synthetics In Cans

Video: Tomato Peels Replace Synthetics In Cans

Video: Tomato Peels Replace Synthetics In Cans
Video: How to peel and seed a tomato 2024, September
Tomato Peels Replace Synthetics In Cans
Tomato Peels Replace Synthetics In Cans
Anonim

Until recently, tomato preserves in the form of tons of tomato peels were discarded. However, scientists have finally found their effective application.

In reality, 4 tons of tomatoes are produced on Earth every second. In a year, the total production amounts to a staggering 145 million tons. Waste in the form of seeds, fiber and skin is about 2.2 percent of tomatoes.

The leader is Italy, where the annual waste is over 100,000 tons. The price for their processing is 4 euros per ton. Waste products are usually used for biogas production or animal feed.

For two years now, scientists from Parma have been developing a project funded by the European Union. It is worth 800,000 euros and aims to force the use of tomato peels instead of synthetic varnishes and resins in the gluing of cans.

The idea is possible thanks to the quince contained in the peels of vegetables. From this substance is produced a specific biovarnish, which will be used to cover the outer and inner surfaces of canned metal.

Canned food
Canned food

Until now, mainly polymers and resins have been used for gluing cans. They contain bisphenol A - a substance banned in many countries in the manufacture of pacifiers. From 2015, it will be banned for use in all food containers.

All this is necessary because of its ability to pass from them into the food itself. And this requires urgently finding a harmless alternative. This is where red tomato peels come into play.

The person in charge of the project is Dr. Angela Montanari. She claims that the process of processing and converting these peels into varnishes will not be an expensive procedure. If the project goes as well as before, tomato-coated cans will be able to be placed on the market in two years at the latest.

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