Biopolymer, the 'whey' forward

• Innovative EU project develops whey protein-based polymer 
• New 'green' product performs as well as traditional plastics but can be easily recycled 

An EU-funded initiative created innovative biopolymers from cheese byproducts as a green packaging solution. This promising technology, developed by the Wheylayer project, received significant scientific and commercial attention, leading to a follow-up project and eventual spin-off.

The company, Wheylayer Ltd., was formed by several partners in the project to further develop products and services related to bio-based barrier packaging, especially coatings based on whey protein leftovers.

Key benefits

The biopolymer solution offers environmental and economic benefits:

• Using whey creates new product and market opportunities
• It can replace petroleum-based plastics with natural bioplastic
• Whey protein-coating offers good oxygen barrier properties and can be removed enzymatically, improving recyclability
• Multilayer films means the packaging performs well in preserving contents, adding huge value to the European packaging industries and end-users 
• Strong market potential in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors
• Wheylayer biopolymer production has 15 % lower environmental impact than similar weight synthetic versions