Rethinking packaging: dsm-firmenich’s latest innovation in sustainable solutions for micronutrient powders

Summary

• At dsm-firmenich, we are committed to protecting people and planet as we fight hidden hunger on a global scale and commit to help close the micronutrient gap of 800 million vulnerable people by 2030.
• For decades, we have provided micronutrient powders – vitamins and minerals delivered in powdered formats designed to correct micronutrient deficiencies – to infants and children in developing countries around the world to help fill micronutrient gaps in their diets. To address growing demands for more environmentally friendly products and ensure that we meet our sustainability goals, we have been working tirelessly to find a sustainable and safe packaging solution for our micronutrient powder products.
• Sustainability continues to guide our innovation efforts, as we work in partnership to find new solutions. Read on to discover how we are minimizing our environmental impact through the latest advances in packaging technology.
   

Fighting hidden hunger, sustainability

In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, ending hunger and supporting good health and wellbeing is one of the biggest challenges we face as a global population. To help change food systems for the better, dsm-firmenich has been working hand-in-hand with local and international partners for many years to raise awareness of malnutrition and its consequences, as well as designing, developing and implementing nutritional interventions and solutions. Micronutrient powders, for example, have been helping to close micronutrient gaps in infants and children in developing countries around the world for decades and make nutrition available and affordable to vulnerable populations. Last year, we made a commitment to help close the micronutrient gap of 800 million vulnerable people by 2030 as one of the first companies in the consumer ingredient sector to make our societal impact explicit through a set of measurable goals.

Alongside these food system commitments, dsm-firmenich has also set independently validated, science-based climate targets to accelerate our route to net-zero status by 2050. Never has it been more important to ensure that sustainable supply chains are in place and to create environmentally friendly products that align with the needs of our planet and of consumers. This saw us embarking on a new project to create a holistic, sustainable packaging solution for our micronutrient powders.

A sustainable packaging solution

After years of research, we have successfully developed a packaging material that fully protects our micronutrient powders and, crucially, is more sustainable. The solution was achieved in collaboration with our long-standing partners; SAES Coated Films, Novamont and Gualapack and consists of both primary and secondary packaging. The new primary packaging is a fully compostable stick pack, which is made from more than 65% biobased material and has a proven absence of ecotoxic effects. Overall, the combined solution (both primary and secondary) contains 80% less aluminium than before.

Importantly, the packaging is also re-usable and re-sealable, instead of being thrown away after one use – helping to reduce waste levels and the pollution that results. Highly resistant, it can be safely reused to protect staple foods such as rice and flour from insects, contamination, humidity and spoilage, which can all be significant issues in low- and middle-income countries. Tested under challenging heat and humidity conditions, the packaging solution gave the same level of protection to the vitamins and minerals present in the micronutrient powders as the industry-standard. 

“As an equally performing and much more sustainable option, our new micronutrient powder product packaging is an industry-leading example of an environmentally friendly storage option that has a reduced impact on the planet, while providing the necessary protection to the product,” comments Andrea Bulbarello, Innovation Director Market Ready Solutions and Head of the Global Application Center at dsm-firmenich Nutritional Products. “At dsm-firmenich, we are incredibly proud of this achievement and it would not have been possible without the expertise and knowledge of our trusted innovation partners.”

Explore our latest innovation

Our new, sustainability-focused micronutrient powder packaging solution will be presented at K 2022 in Dusseldorf, Germany from 19-26 October on the Novamont stand (booth A58, hall 6). As the world’s leading trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, K 2022 provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase our new, pioneering innovation alongside other leading developments. 

We will also be bringing the innovative new packaging to SupplySide West in Las Vegas. Join us on booth 4355 from 2-3 November or book a meeting with one of our experts here to learn more about this upcoming event.  

To learn more about how we are driving sustainable innovation at dsm-firmenich, take a look at this page or to discover how we are creating brighter lives for undernourished people across the world, read more on our Nutrition Improvement segment.