IIT Kharagpur develops packaging material from cucumber peels

According to the researchers at IIT Kharagpur, cucumber peels have more cellulose than other than other peel waste. Cellulose nanocrystals derived from these peels can be used for making food packaging material which is biodegradable and has low oxygen permeability.

They say that cellulose nanocrystals derived from cucumber peels possess modifiable properties due to the presence of abundant hydroxyl groups, which result in better biodegradability and biocompatibility.

This is non-toxic, light weight, biodegradable and biocompatible product. It has no adverse effects on health and environment and hence could have a huge market potential by rendering management of organic waste with high cellulose content profitable, says a research scholar.

The researchers are also optimistic about its scope in various fields like thermo-reversible and tenable hydrogels making, paper making, coating additives, bio-composites, optically transparent films, and as stabilisers in oil-water emulsion.