Mar 25 2021
A student-led packaging design for an energy ball company using leftover peanut husks has won a global award for sustainable innovative packaging.
Image Credit: Monash University
The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) entered seven Monash student teams for the first time into the global WorldStar Student Awards where they represented Australian innovations from a field of over 300 submissions. Of the seven submissions all were recognised with one team winning a Silver in the Sustainable Packaging Design category.
Through the industry focused student-led New Frontiers Program at Monash Food Innovation (MFI), the team that won the silver partnered with energy ball company, Camel, and developed sustainable packaging from peanut shells/hulls – a major by-product in their peanut manufacturing process. This by-product, or waste, traditionally headed straight to landfill or burnt adding to atmospheric CO2. The student team began to think about ways to valorise this by-product and turn it into something useful.
Using 30% peanut husks in the production of fibreboard food packaging, they saw this as a means of valorising food waste and aligning the packaging with the food, New Frontiers Program, which is organic, vegan, no added sugar or preservatives. This packaging is also 100% compostable.
The winning team was Caterina Palma, Sherlyn Marvella and Tamanna Kibrea from the New Frontiers Program at Monash Food Innovation.
“We are very pleased to receive the silver award for sustainability. To have our concept judged and recognised on the global stage makes all of our hard work and ambitions for packaging in the future worth it," said Monash student Caterina Palma.
“This award means that new innovative sustainable product packaging is being recognised now. We are excited to see our peanut by-product fibreboard concept potentially being introduced and used in the future of sustainable packaging.”
The New Frontiers Program is Monash Food Innovation's premier industry focused student-led program. The program sees SME's partnered with a dedicated student team for 10-12 weeks working on a business challenge in food, beverages, market analysis, new product development and packaging. Over the duration of the program participants learn MFI innovation methodologies to explore value propositions, markets, knowledge mapping, product mapping and ideation to provide leading innovative solutions for their partnered SME.
MFI’s Design Manager , Adam Norris, said the program helps students to partner with industry to develop real-world outcomes outside of their studies, and propels them into employment.
"Through the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and the WorldStar Student Awards, our students have a unique opportunity to have their industry partnered work displayed and recognised on a global platform.
Critically this provides recognition beyond their immediate studies, bolsters their professional development and allows students to reach out to prospective employers and showcase the real world solutions devised during their industrial immersion.”
The WorldStar Student Awards competition, by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), and is an international packaging design competition for students – undergraduate or graduate. The Awards are designed to encourage and show the talents of students as well as new and innovative ideas and thinking in the field of packaging.