Use case 1 update about the reusable monoportion tray for catering in canteens

▶ It is led by Grupo AUSOLAN, a Spanish company whose principal activity is mass catering.

- This is about the development of a mono portion PBT tray with a transparent PP lid, for ready meals, to be used for special diets (allergies, intolerances…) in #collective #catering such as hospitals, nursing homes or canteens in schools.

- These #reusable #trays are meant to replace Ausolan’s current single-use non-microwavable trays, facilitating the serving to the users.

- The food in the reusable packaging has a shelf life of up to 5 days and can be heated up in the microwave.

- Both the tray and the lid should be returned at the serving point after each use.

▶ After 21 months since the start of the project, the partners have been proactive and able to achieve the following:

- ECHO Brand Design has done a great job designing the trays, which have been validated by Ausolan.

- IPC - Centre Technique Industriel de la Plasturgie et des Composites has been in charge of all the technical aspects of the development of the reusable trays: material selection, design, moulding, manufacturing...

- Christeyns España has characterized organic residues and microbial contamination of packaging and defined the best cleaning and disinfection procedures.

- LNE is now in charge of the chemical safety and the risk assessment related to microplastics release, i.e. they are testing the accelerated aging on existing packaging, studying the physic-chemical properties selection to be characterized and are dealing together with CTCPA - Centre Technique Agroalimentaire with contamination tests, migration tests and NIAS.

- ETERNITY SYSTEMS is studying the washing set-up for tray collection and analyses​.

- KNAUF INDUSTRIES will be the manufacturer of the trays.

- AIMPLAS · Technological Institute of PlasticsI and IPC - Centre Technique Industriel de la Plasturgie et des Composites will then demonstrate the recyclability of these reusable trays.