TU Dublin Researchers Awarded Funding for Project Exploring the Use of Agricultural Byproducts in Bio-based Products
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On Tuesday, the Minister of State with special responsibility for Research and Development at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon T.D. announced funding of €22.3 million for 21 new research projects arising from the ‘2023 DAFM Thematic Research Call’. Among the awardees are researchers from the School of Food Science and Environmental Health at TU Dublin, Dr Amit Jaiswal and Dr Swarna Jaiswal, who will work with experts in Teagasc and Ulster University as part of the Sustain-Pack+ project to explore how to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural by-products.
The primary goal of the Sustain-Pack+ project, which has received a total of €796,000 in funding, is to develop a sustainable integrated process for producing plant matter such as nanocellulose, lignin, and enzymes from agricultural byproducts. Additionally, the project will explore the potential of these products to develop sustainable bio-composite food packaging materials.
Speaking about the funding announcement, Dr Amit Jaiswal, the coordinator of the Sustain-Pack+ project, said:
The Sustain-Pack+ project aligns with current environmental priorities and has the potential to advance the field of sustainable packaging by utilising agricultural feedstock, contributing to a circular economy and reducing environmental impact. We thank the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Ireland, and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Northern Ireland, for the funding support and look forward to making significant advancements in biobased materials and exploring their potential applications.
Read the full Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine statement here.