Are you discarding cucumber peels after preparing your salad? They may soon find their way back to your kitchen in the form of eco-friendly food packaging developed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology.

Yes, IIT Kharagpur Researchers have developed cellulose nano-crystals from cucumber peels, raising the possibility to create environment-friendly food packaging materials in the future. The cellulose nano-material developed from raw cucumber waste by Professor Jayeeta Mitra and research scholar N Sai Prasanna at IIT Kharagpur has addressed this challenge of finding an environment-friendly substitute to food packaging materials, an institute statement said on Tuesday.  Dr Mitra, an Assistant Professor of IIT Kharagpur says, Cucumbers generate about 12 percent residual wastes after processing either the peels or whole slices as waste. We have used the cellulose extract from this processed material,

Speaking about the findings, she explained "our study shows that cellulose nanocrystals derived from cucumber peels possess modifiable properties This resulted in better bio- degradability and bio-compatibility." "These nanocellulose materials emerged as strong, renewable and economical material due to their unique properties," she said. Mitra said the rise in the use of petroleum-based plastics in food packaging for years has become the source of environmental pollution.

The study also found that cucumber peels possessed greater cellulose content (18.22 percent) than other peel wastes making it more viable. The researchers are optimistic about its scope in various fields like paper making, coating additives, bio-composites, optically transparent films.

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