Innovia has become the latest company to offer biodegradable packaging film as more and more companies look for alternatives to plastics, which are increasing in price. Biodegradable and recycled packaging may soon become viable alternatives for more food companies as the increasing price of plastics begins to be passed on by suppliers, according to a KPMG report earlier this month.

Innovia says its NatureFlex biodegradable packaging meets the demand for biodegradable and recyclable materials from the food industry. NatureFlex film is manufactured from renewable wood-pulp, sourced from managed plantations and is certified to EU and US standards for industrial and home composting. The films are glossy and transparent. NatureFlex films also perform well on the packing line and have a wide heat sealing range, from 70ºC to 200ºC, the company stated.

This means the packaging film can be used on faster processing lines with no loss of seal performance. NatureFlex films are stiffer and more oriented than some other biopolymers, which make them suitable for use on standard flow-wrap and form-fill-seal equipment, the company claims. They are also static-free for easier handling. Innovia said it is able to add specially formulated biodegradable coatings to the film, giving processors a choice of packaging with varying levels of thickness to meet the demands of different foodstuffs. he company is also in the process of e final stages of the development of a metallised NatureFlex film, which is currently undergoing independent testing in order to formally confirm its biodegradability and compostability.