A researcher from the University of Adelaide has devised a solution to tackle food waste and plastic pollution concurrently, with the development of a method to turn food waste into durable bioplastics.
PhD candidate Mel Nguyen received the Trending on VYT award at the 2024 international Visualise Your Thesis (VYT) competition, for her research into bioplastic production from food waste and its applications.
“It’s a tremendous honour to receive this recognition. It validates the effort I put into my work for years,” said Nguyen.
“This is the biggest achievement I’ve earned since coming to Australia, and it motivates me to continue working hard and sharing my research with a broader community, demonstrating the importance of science communication.”
VYT is an international program that challenges graduate researchers to present their work in a 60-second audio-visual explainer, highlighting global graduate research and championing science communication skills for high-level research.
Nguyen said she was inspired to find a solution to the dual issues of food waste and plastic pollution from seeing the problem in her daily life.
“Plastic food packaging is everywhere, from ready-meal boxes you buy at the supermarket to cling wrap used for fresh produce,” she said.
“The sheer volume of single-use plastic and its environmental impact made me question if there could be a more sustainable alternative. Combined with my passion for tackling food waste, I was inspired to explore bioplastics as a potential solution.”
Her research has discovered a range of purposes which bioplastics can be developed for, altering the composition for specific characteristics, including permeability and moisture resistance.
The next challenge for Nguyen is to find a path to commercialisation for her functional bioplastic.
“Achieving commercialisation requires further refinement, scalability testing, and partnerships with industry stakeholders. With consistent progress and the right support, I hope to bring a viable product to market within the next few years,” she said.
“I hope this research will help consumers and industry continue the shift towards a circular economy where waste materials are repurposed into valuable resources.”
Nguyen’s research is supported through the University of Adelaide and the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, based at the Waite campus.
