GAIKER leads the E-OilÉ project to develop sustainable single-dose packaging

The E-OilÉ project, funded under Horizon Europe, has been launched to promote pioneering solutions for safe, sustainable and biodegradable single-dose packaging for fatty products in the food and cosmetics sectors.

The GAIKER Technology Centre is leading the Horizon Europe-funded E-OilÉ project, which began last June with the aim of addressing one of today’s most persistent environmental challenges: plastic packaging waste. This research involves 15 partners from across Europe to develop biodegradable and functional packaging specifically designed for fatty products such as olive oil, sauces, body oils and cosmetic serums.

E-OilÉ sets a new standard by applying the principles of sustainability from design (SSbD- Safe and Sustainable by Design) throughout the entire product life cycle. The project will use European renewable raw materials, in this case derived from olive by-products, to create biodegradable polyesters and polysaccharide-based blends designed to meet demanding functional and environmental requirements.

The new materials will be validated in industrial packaging manufacturing processes such as film extrusion blow moulding, injection moulding and thermoforming, and the prototypes will undergo comprehensive biodegradability testing, environmental and health risk assessments, and consumer acceptance studies to ensure their suitability for market entry.

This project will also use digital twins and AI-based tools to predict degradation performance, accelerate optimisation, and reduce testing costs, helping to speed up the implementation of innovations in sustainable packaging.