Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Cronogard (HIGH PERFORMING ADVANCED MATERIAL PLATFORM FOR ACTIVE AND INTELLIGENTFOOD PACKAGING: CRONOGARDâ„¢)

Teaser

cronogard® is an innovative product designed to significantly extend the shelf-life of packaged food. The cronogard® technology, developed and patented by Nice Filler® srl, is a family of products used in packaging that reduces the formation of biofilm on packaging...

Summary

cronogard® is an innovative product designed to significantly extend the shelf-life of packaged food. The cronogard® technology, developed and patented by Nice Filler® srl, is a family of products used in packaging that reduces the formation of biofilm on packaging surfaces. The protective and antibacterial activity of cronogard® inhibits the agents responsible for organoleptic decay from forming inside the package. (https://youtu.be/H6-9XS6Csvc)

A recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has raised the alarm concerning global warming and the potential effect on land use, food security and food production systems, highlighting amongst others the likely dramatic acceleration of decrease in crop yield in the next 20 years due to temperature rise across the globe. If yields collapse keeping food for longer on shelves will become an absolute priority to feed the planet. Now more than ever solutions such as Cronogard are needed to mitigate the risks ahead. Based on our first year of tests and fine-tuning, we found that Cronogard can increase the shelf-life of foodstuff between 20 to 200% (depending on the type of food concerned), significantly helping reduce food waste.

The Cronogard SME Instrument Phase 2 project was awarded funding in the autumn of 2017 for a maximum of €1,576,238 to spend over 24 months to introduce on the food packaging market an innovative, advanced-material technology platform (Cronogard) based on an organic-inorganic filler, edible and biocompatible, characterized by a lamellar structure able to intercalate with ionic bonds molecules (antimicrobial, antioxidant, antibacterial), capable of maintaining the quality of food and to extend its shelf-life.

Work performed

In year 1 of the project (from October 1st 2017 to September 30th 2018), the main emphasis has been on activities of WP2 – ENGINEERING AND PROTOTYPING within which the first set of fully viable industrial applications were developed and tested through different techniques (coating, extrusion, spray drying) on two main types of food packaging (trays and films). Lab tests in our premises of Fisciano (Napoli) and pilot tests in real industrial environment (with 5 industrial partners) have taken place and have highlighted and enabled work on various issues such as odour, sealability and transparency. The fixing of such technical open points shall lead us in the forthcoming months to fully viable commercial applications. In parallel we started working on WP3 – PERFORMANCE VALIDATION to collect and analyse microbiological evidence of shelf-life extension properties so as to ensure Cronogard’s performance levels and our product’s compliance with all safety regulations.

Final results

\"We estimate that the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the filler is now set at #7 at M12. We believe that reaching TRL9 at the end of the project as planned in the GA is still realistic.
The impact of the project has already materialised on the project team as, thanks to the EIC/EC funding, we have been able to grow the team to include additional members expert in project management, communications and marketing, financial management and, absolutely essential for the development of the required solutions, additional scientific profiles, such as a chemistry PhD holder who has recently joined the team. Added credibility has also resulted in the possibility to agree collaborations (at no costs to Cronogard) to test our product as a shared-risk endeavour with 5 industrial partners on different applications of the food packaging industry such as meat, dairy, fresh vegetables and fruits, cheese, bread or ready-meals.
Finally, through our SME Instrument funding we are benefiting from the extra support of two business coaches; an expert in business development and marketing and another expert in food packaging safety compliance. Their help has been invaluable in accelerating the team’s maturity and to get Cronogard closer to the market.
On that basis, we expect the first commercial trial to take place in the course of 2019 before the end of the project lifetime. In that perspective the work on both WP4 – INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND EXPLOITATION – within which we have worked with MITO Technology, subcontractor, to define and implement an effective strategy for IP protection and exploitation and WP5 – COMMUNICATION & DISSEMINATION – which focuses on designing and implementing communication and dissemination activities to raise both the industry and the general public’s interest around our new technology – will ensure that our product can reach the market in the best conditions.
Once the project activities are completed (and at M12 the project has spent circa 35% of its budget and effort as planned) and Cronogard enters the market, Nice Filler, the SME owning Cronogard, is expected to grow significantly through an ambitious hiring plan of over 20 qualified professionals and the continuous development of its international reach, targeting a >20% enticing EBITDA, all within 5 years of the project completion. Being the first – or among the firsts – companies to enter the market with a really effective solution for shelf-life extension, Nice Filler shall secure a competitive edge and a leadership position in Europe and abroad, proudly concurring to the EU’s economic growth and to the global reduction of food waste.
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Website & more info

More info: http://cronogard.com/en/about-cronogard/.