Have you been searching for an alternative to petroleum-based plastics and packaging? Today’s market is increasingly moving toward biodegradable and eco-friendly products made from renewable resources.

PLA products have swiftly become one of the most popular biodegradable and environmentally-friendly options on the market. A 2017 study found that replacing petroleum-based plastics with bio-based plastics could reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions by 25%.

What is PLA?

PLA, or polylactic acid, is produced from any fermentable sugar. Most PLA is made from corn because corn is one of the cheapest and most available sugars globally. However, sugarcane, tapioca root, cassava, and sugar beet pulp are other options.

Like most things chemistry-related, the process of creating PLA from corn is quite complicated. However, it can be explained in a few straightforward steps.

How are PLA products made?

The basic steps to create polylactic acid from corn are as follows:

1.    First corn starch must be converted into sugar through a mechanical process called wet milling. Wet milling separates the starch from the kernels. Acid or enzymes are added once these components are separated. Then, they’re heated to convert the starch into dextrose (aka sugar).

2.    Next, the dextrose is fermented. One of the most common fermentation methods involves adding Lactobacillus bacteria to the dextrose. This, in turn, creates lactic acid.

3.    The lactic acid is then converted into lactide, a ring-form dimer of lactic acid. These lactide molecules bond together to create polymers.

4.    The result of the polymerization is small pieces of raw material polylactic acid plastic which can be converted into an array of PLA plastic products.

The food packaging benefits:

• They don’t have the same harmful chemical composition as petroleum-based products
• As strong as many conventional plastics
• Freezer-safe
• Cups can handle temperatures of up to 110°F (PLA utensils can handle temperatures up to 200°F)
• Non-toxic, carbon-neutral, and 100% renewable

PLA is functional, cost effective, and sustainable. Making the switch to these products is a significant step toward reducing your food business’s carbon footprint.

JUDIN company can provide PLA coated paper cups, paper boxes, paper salad bowl and PLA cutlery, PLA transparent cups.