The AgriBioPack project, aimed at reducing food waste and promoting environmentally conscious production, focuses on developing bio-based, active, and intelligent packaging solutions for widely consumed products in Mediterranean countries. Nihal Sultan Bayar, a master's student in Food Engineering at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), participated in this international project supported by the PRIMA Program, engaging in research processes that bridge theory and practice. Bayar contributed to evaluating bioactive components for packaging applications and testing prototype packages, gaining valuable hands-on research experience. Alongside her fellow master’s student Eylem Çağrıcan Gök, she gained interdisciplinary insights into sustainable packaging production.
"Through this project, I had the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge I acquired during my graduate studies in a practical context. This contributed to the rapid and effective progress of the work," Bayar stated, highlighting her active role in developing packaging materials.
Led by Prof. Dr. Neşe Şahin Yeşilçubuk at ITU, the project designs packaging solutions aimed at extending the shelf life of Mediterranean food products such as fish fillets, white meat, and fruit bars by incorporating bioactive components derived from agricultural and food waste. These solutions, produced in various forms including films, mats, and coatings, regulate the microbial balance of the food and scientifically optimize shelf life. Sustainable polymers such as pea proteins and polylactic acid (PLA) form the base materials of the packaging. Equipped with ICT-based smart sensors and mobile applications, these packaging systems provide real-time information about food safety and shelf life, offering consumers enhanced awareness.
AgriBioPack goes beyond technical products by also delivering digital databases, market analysis models, and policy recommendations to guide the food industry. Supporting economic, environmental, and social sustainability through the valorization of agricultural waste in the Mediterranean region, the project brings together numerous partners from Turkey (including ITU, Ege University, and Yeditepe University) and from European countries such as Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, and Morocco. Funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 PRIMA Program, this multi-actor, application-oriented initiative aims to deliver research outcomes directly to local producers and policymakers.