Plastic waste has a hugely detrimental impact on the environment and there is mounting pressure on industry to replace traditional polluting petrochemical polymers with sustainably-sourced polymers. Plastic film food packaging, while single-use, plays an important role in extending the shelf life of food and reducing food waste that is a significant contributor to greenhouse gases. While plastic films are typically made from recyclable polymers most plastic film food packaging is neither biodegradable nor recyclable due to food contamination. Therefore, if films can be designed to have the appropriate properties, be sustainably-sourced and biodegradable, these sustainable polymer films would be a much better alternative for food packaging applications and result in a large reduction in the amount of plastic ending up in landfill. There are many sustainably-sourced and biodegradable polymers. Nevertheless, the switch to sustainable polymer films is challenging due to a number of factors, not least of which is their poor performance in comparison to petrochemical polymers. If we are able to drive the performance properties of the sustainable polymer films up to the levels of the petrochemicals, consumer and industry demand combined with government incentives will in turn drive large-scale production and lower cost manufacturing. It is, therefore, a matter of urgency to improve sustainable polymer film performance to enable its wide-spread uptake. The performance and processability of sustainable polymer films can be improved by the addition of filler particles and plasticisers, respectively, to form a composite material. While there are numerous studies of specific biodegradable polymer composites (which we name biocomposites) in the scientific literature, progress has been slow owing to a lack of rational design. To increase the shelf life of food, composite packaging films must act as a gas and moisture barrier. The films must also be chemically and thermally stable, have sufficient mechanical strength and flexibility, and transparency so they are aesthetically pleasing to the consumer. From the manufacturing perspective the films must be easily processible. Good barrier properties typically require a high degree of polymer crystallinity. Yet, film flexibility and transparency are also important attributes and require that the crystallites are not too large, potentially reducing crystallinity. The presence of filler particles can either induce or hinder polymer crystallinity, depending on the interaction of the particles with the polymer. The film's microstructure, caused by the spatial arrangement of the polymer crystallites within it, then dictates the large-scale properties such as flexibility, transparency and gas barrier. We propose that crystallinity can be controlled via the interfacial properties and coupling agent, that the microstructure can be controlled through interface properties and processing, and that the composite performance can be controlled through the microstructure. We also expect that the design guidelines will be transferable to other biocomposites. In this project, we will use molecular dynamics simulations to model polymer crystallisation near the filler particle interface. Mesoscale (e.g. finite element and Monte Carlo) modelling will be used to simulate the resulting microstructure. The modelling, combined with experimental preparation, characterisation, and performance measurements, will enable the interface properties and processing steps to be connected to the material properties. The project outcomes will be: 1) identification of biocomposites suitable for thin film food packaging, 2) increased understanding of how filler particles affect polymer crystallization and microstructure, 3) design rules for accelerated biocomposite development, and 4) establishing the pathway for the uptake of the design rules and new materials by industry.

To secure a continued supply of safe, tasty, affordable and functional/healthy proteins while supporting Net Zero goals and future-proofing UK food security, a phased-transition towards low-emission alternative proteins (APs) with a reduced reliance on animal agriculture is imperative. However, population-level access to and acceptance of APs is hindered by a highly complex marketplace challenged by taste, cost, health and safety concerns for consumers, and the fear of diminished livelihoods by farmers. Furthermore, complex regulatory pathways and limited access to affordable and accessible scale-up infrastructure impose challenges for industry and SMEs in particular. Synergistic bridging of the UK's trailblazing science and innovation strengths in AP with manufacturing power is key to realising the UK's ambitious growth potential in AP of £6.8B annually and could create 25,000 jobs across multiple sectors. The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), a cohesive pan-UK centre, will revolutionise the UK's agri-food sector by harnessing our world-leading science base through a co-created AP strategy across the Discovery?Innovation?Commercialisation pipeline to support the transition to a sustainable, high growth, blended protein bioeconomy using a consumer-driven approach, thereby changing the economics for farmers and other stakeholders throughout the supply chain. Built on four interdisciplinary knowledge pillars, PRODUCE, PROCESS, PERFORM and PEOPLE covering the entire value chain of AP, we will enable an efficacious and safe translation of new transformative technologies unlocking the benefits of APs. Partnering with global industry, regulators, investors, academic partners and policymakers, and engaging in an open dialogue with UK citizens, NAPIC will produce a clear roadmap for the development of a National Protein Strategy for the UK. NAPIC will enable us to PRODUCE tasty, nutritious, safe, and affordable AP foods and feedstocks necessary to safeguard present and future generations, while reducing concerns about ultra-processed foods and assisting a just-transition for producers. Our PROCESS Pillar will catalyse bioprocessing at scale, mainstreaming cultivated meat and precision fermentation, and diversify AP sources across the terrestrial and aquatic kingdoms of life, delivering economies of scale. Delivering a just-transition to an AP-rich future, we will ensure AP PERFORM, both pre-consumption, and post-consumption, safeguarding public health. Finally, NAPIC is all about PEOPLE, guiding a consumers' dietary transition, and identifying new business opportunities for farmers, future-proofing the UK's protein supply against reliance on imports. Working with UK industry, the third sector and academia, NAPIC will create a National Knowledge base for AP addressing the unmet scientific, commercial, technical and regulatory needs of the sector, develop new tools and standards for product quality and safety and simplify knowledge transfer by catalysing collaboration. NAPIC will ease access to existing innovation facilities and hubs, accelerating industrial adoption underpinned by informed regulatory pathways. We will develop the future leaders of this rapidly evolving sector with bespoke technical, entrepreneurial, regulatory and policy training, and promote knowledge exchange through our unrivalled international network of partners across multiple continents including Protein Industries Canada and the UK-Irish Co-Centre, SUREFOOD. NAPIC will provide a robust and sustainable platform of open innovation and responsible data exchange that mitigates risks associated with this emerging sector and addresses concerns of consumers and producers. Our vision is to make "alternative proteins mainstream for a sustainable planet" and our ambition is to deliver a world-leading innovation and knowledge centre to put the UK at the forefront of the fights for population health equity and against climate change.