Project: “Active and ecological functional packaging for legume seeds” by ACTIPAC
PROJECT CO-FINANCED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION FROM THE EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND under the Intelligent Development Operational Program 2014-2020
Priority IV: INCREASING THE SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH POTENTIAL
Action 4.1: Research and development
Sub-measure 4.1.4 “Application projects”
Implementing institution: The National Center for Research and Development
Beneficiary name: Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis “Blachownia”
Project partners:
- Agroyoumis Sp. z o.o.
- Natural Fibers Advanced Technologies Kazimierz Przybysz
Co-financing agreement number: POIR.04.01.04-00-0022 / 18-00
Project value: PLN 5,840,949.84
Co-financing amount: PLN 4,995,139.48
Implementation period: 01/01/2019 – 31/12/2021
Description and purpose of the project:
Legumes, including soybeans, are a source of raw materials with versatile uses. Due to legal regulations and controversies surrounding GMOs, the domestic cultivation of non-GM soybeans is of particular importance.
The soybean yield and its nutritional value are determined by the quality of the seeds used for sowing. Legal regulations require farmers to use certified material from a supplier authorized to sell a given variety, which guarantees high purity and germination of seeds. The certified soybean seed market in Poland is currently struggling with two problems causing a drop in yield and losses in the state budget: the lack of appropriate methods of proper seed storage, as well as forgery and illegal sale of seed material.
Despite the observance of modern agrotechnical standards in cultivation and harvesting, certified soybeans are exposed to the risk of loss of high quality during their long-term storage in inappropriate conditions at the farms. Under the influence of increased humidity, their germination capacity decreases drastically and the seeds obtain diseases related to the presence of microorganisms.
The research conducted in the project is related to the development of new methods of storing certified seed material of legumes, ensuring the preservation of high-quality seeds and their protection against forgery. It is planned to market biodegradable packaging based on impregnated paper. These will be active packaging containing substances directly affecting the quality of the stored seeds: biodegradable impregnating substance that protects against the penetration of moisture inside the packaging and a substance with a mild biostatic effect, preventing contamination with diseases caused by the presence of microorganisms.
The packaging will be equipped with a multi-level anti-forgery system and elements enabling easy identification of the seed origin.