MUMBAI, India, Sept. 14 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202641108130 A) filed by Pragati Engineering College on September 09, 2026, for Development Of Sugarcane Bagasse-Based Biodegradable Food Packaging With A Natural Freshness Indicator For Shelf-Life Monitoring.
Inventors include Dr. Manjula Devarakonda Venkata; Mr. G. Vijaya Kumar; Dr. Darapu Uma; and Mr. Manas Kumar Yogi.
The application for the patent was published on September 11, 2026, under issue no. 37/2026.
Abstract: Increasing plastic waste and the constant concern for food spoilage without detection call for a packaging solution that is both sustainable and intelligent. The present invention is directed to a biodegradable food packaging material comprising a natural freshness indicator for real-time monitoring of the shelf-life of perishable food products. Conventional packaging systems are mainly based on petroleum-based plastics that can last for centuries in the environment, and current bio-degradable packaging materials such as bagasse moulded pulp packaging only act as passive barriers with no message on food freshness. Likewise, synthetic dye based or electronic freshness indicators have concerns about contamination of food contact surfaces, high cost and are mostly not biodegradable. The present invention aims at overcoming these drawbacks by developing a biodegradable packaging substrate made from sugarcane bagasse cellulose pulp and mixed with a natural biopolymer binder and plasticizer, along with a natural pH-responsive colorimetric indicator prepared using anthocyanin pigment extracted from red cabbage. The indicator is embedded in the pack as a "breathable" label in the headspace of the pack and separated from direct contact with the food by a transparent, gas permeable window. During microbial spoilage, volatile amine compounds are produced and released into the headspace causing a pH increase in the headspace which results in a visually detectable and reversible colour change of the indicator from red/pink to purple, blue and green, without opening the product container. Experimental results validate the good association between the color change and the increase of the total volatile basic nitrogen and microorganisms found in the food samples stored. The resulting packaging system is completely biodegradable, non-toxic, low-cost and scalable, providing a sustainable, function-intelligent solution for plastic pollution and food waste
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