CJ CheilJedang Develops Paper Coating for Microwave Cooking Using 'PHA' Technology

Overcoming Low Productivity of Bio Materials by Optimizing Fairness

CJ CheilJedang is accelerating the development of technologies to enhance the sustainability of food packaging.

On the 27th, CJ CheilJedang announced that it has developed a "compostable paper coating technology" using the biodegradable bio-material PHA. This is the world's first compostable coating that can be used for microwave cooking by applying PHA, and it can be applied to various paper packaging such as paper cups, cup noodles, and composite rice containers.

This technology features improved durability and heat resistance compared to existing compostable paper coatings, achieving product qualities similar to petroleum-based coatings such as PP (polypropylene) and PE (polyethylene). Existing compostable coatings mainly used PLA (industrial composting) material alone, but due to the high rigidity of PLA, the coating could crack or peel during use.

CJ CheilJedang mixed flexible PHA with heat-resistant PLA to create the world's first compostable paper coating that does not easily crack and can withstand heat cooking like petroleum-based coatings. This coating can be applied not only to paper cups but also to various paper food packaging such as cup noodles that require hot water and composite rice containers that need microwave cooking, making it highly versatile. Additionally, while PLA decomposes only in industrial composting facilities, mixing PHA improves the biodegradability of the material, allowing decomposition even in home composting environments. Therefore, it is expected to enhance the sustainability of packaging as well.

The new technology also overcomes the limitations of bio-materials in terms of productivity. Bio-materials are more vulnerable to high heat compared to petroleum-based materials, making them unsuitable for large-scale packaging manufacturing processes that require high-speed production through heat processing. CJ CheilJedang developed an optimal process that enables mass production of packaging using bio-materials at relatively low temperatures.

CJ CheilJedang plans to apply this technology to the paper containers of "Hetbahn Cupban," which are cooked in the microwave, in the first half of next year. Along with this, the company intends to expand the application of the technology to various paper food packaging in the future. Grace Kim, Global Packaging R&D Management Leader, said, “The PHA-applied paper coating is an innovation that overcomes the limitations of existing technologies,” adding, “We will continue to develop various technologies that can enhance the sustainability of food packaging.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.