#10 Making bio-based food packaging from tomato peels ft. Tomapaint

bioCircular Loop

Tommaso Barbieri shares the story of Tomapaint, a startup focused on creating bio-resins from byproducts and waste from the Italian tomato processing industry. He discusses the innovative technology behind their product, bio-based cutin, and its applications in various industries, including food packaging and cosmetics. The conversation also explores Tomapaint's integration within the Italian tomato industry, their partnerships, and the family dynamics of the founding team. Tommaso highlights the scalability of their process, funding strategies, market demand for sustainable solutions, and the impact of EU regulations on their business. He concludes with insights on future innovations and the environmental impact of their technology compared to fossil-based alternatives.

Useful links

• Tomapaint: https://www.tomapaint.com/
• How the cutin is extracted: https://www.tomapaint.com/what-we-do/productive-process/
• Food waste and bioeconomy: opportunity for Italian tomato industry: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652619312594
• Circular economy and tomatoes: https://www.tomatonews.com/en/circular-economy-the-tomato-sector-values-by-products_2_1501.html