Firm to produce cling film made from sea fish shells

An Oban firm has come up with an ingenious idea for wrapping food, by using a waste product of the west coast of Scotland’s shell fish industry.

CuanTec, based at the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) in Dunstaffnage, near Oban, has developed a process to create cling film from langoustine shells and other marine and aquaculture waste.

Using langoustines from the clear waters of the North Atlantic, a source of a chemical, called chitin, is extracted.

CuanTec’s method is to do this through biological fermentation, rather than using traditional chemical means. The chitin is then transformed into a more soluble product, chitosan, which can then be used in making products such as anti-bacterial food wrap.

A spokesman for the firm said: “CuanTec is the first company in the world to achieve biological extraction of chitin from shell at an industrial scale, and this gentle process provides high quality chitin and chitosan, which exhibits high efficacy against a wide range of food spoilage bacteria responsible in food waste.

“Using our chitosan increases the shelf-life of packaged food. It is a zero-waste process. Only useful byproducts are obtained, and it uses only harmless bacteria and no harsh chemicals. The first product developed with our chitosan is an antimicrobial, compostable food contact material (FCM) packaging, which reduces spoilage and prolongs shelf-life of fresh food. Initially this will be aimed at the seafood sector as a perfect example of circular economy.

“CuanTec’s technology and processes creates exceedingly high quality odourless chitosan through a very gentle process, providing a clear film without yellow tinge that previously discouraged use of chitosan in FCM products.

“CuanTec’s films have anti-microbial action against the main pathogens and food spoilage organisms including E.coli, Salmonella, Vibrio, Listeria and lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds.”