Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX) and Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today announced that their joint venture Telles has launched Mirel(TM) F3002, a thermoforming grade for use in food contact applications. This extends Mirel's product range in the food service and food packaging market sector.
Mirel F3002 thermoforming grade is now available for use in non-alcoholic food contact applications. The conditions of use range from frozen food storage to boiling water up to 212°F, including microwave reheating. Mirel's bioplastic thermoforming grade is suitable for a wide range of thermoformed food service and packaging applications including cold and hot cups and cup lids, yogurt containers, tubs and trays for meats and vegetables, condiment cups and other single-serve and disposable food packaging. The material is suitable for storage as well as food service.
"Food contact applications represent a tremendous opportunity for Mirel and this food compliant thermoforming grade opens up a number of packaging applications for our bioplastics," said Bob Engle, General Manager of Telles. "Mirel's physical performance properties -- the range of modulus, heat and water resistance -- are comparable to petroleum-based plastics, but Mirel is biobased and biodegradable. These unique properties enable a wide range of alternative disposal options for the food industry, including composting and anaerobic digestion, that can help to divert waste that would otherwise be sent to landfills. These disposal options also help to create valuable secondary market products such as compost and biogas."
According to Plastics Today, the U.S. thermoforming market was approximately five billion pounds in 2008, growing at 4.3 percent per year. Telles estimates that about 70 percent of this demand is in food contact applications.
Mirel bioplastics will be on display at the Metabolix booth (# 5D10-6A) at the K Show 2010, taking place from October 27 - November 3 in Dusseldorf, Germany.