- October 30, 2026
- By Daniela Benites
A new biodegradable food packaging material developed by University of Maryland engineering researchers protects produce from spoilage, doubling its shelf life.
The team in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering led by Associate Professor Po-Yen Chen integrated robotic automation and artificial intelligence predictions to its system to improve post-harvest preservation. Its findings were published Thursday in the journal Science Advances.
[With AI, UMD Researcher Creates New Recipes for Biodegradable Plastics]
Lengthy and failed research and development of bio-based alternatives to plastic food packaging has enabled the reliance of the standard plastic wraps derived from petrochemical components, which exacerbate the environmental footprint of plastics and do not offer antimicrobial formulas to protect produce from spoilage.
To address this issue, Chen’s research team developed an integrated design workflow system consisting of automated robots, machine learning predictions and chemical engineering processes to develop a formulation that accomplished the team’s goal: creating a bio-based material with the mechanical strength of plastic wrap that extends the shelf life of avocados and cucumbers.
“Food packaging needs to do more than replace plastic, it also needs to protect the food inside,” said Chen. “By combining AI with robotic experimentation, we can accelerate the development of bio-based materials that help keep produce fresh and reduce food waste.”
The team found that Hass avocados wrapped in the bio-based packaging remained fresh for seven days when stored at room temperature, while the unpackaged avocados spoiled. Similarly, the team also demonstrated that cucumbers packaged into the standard low-density polyethylene plastic wrap presented significantly more signs of spoilage by day 15 than those that were wrapped with the bio-based material.
Now the team is working to extend its technology to other varieties of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the researchers released their AI design platform to the research community to allow for wide usage.