We are seeking barrier materials and/or coatings for packaging that deliver against high oxygen or moisture barrier requirements for dry or aqueous food products with varying pH levels and oil content.

The barrier cannot migrate into the food products, must maintain its integrity during the product’s distribution and shelf life, and must meet the requirements for the desired end of life such as recycling or composting.

• Barrier coatings that can be applied on metallization or a substrate (film, paper, or molded fiber)
• Barrier materials that can be co-extruded with other resins to create a functional layer
• Functional layers that can be laminated to other films, coated, or metallized

• Achieve our target oxygen transmission rate (OTR) or water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) rates (see FAQ)
• Maintain barrier integrity throughout packaging processes, distribution, and shelf life (e.g., resistance to cracking, pinholing, and delamination)
• Be applied using commercially available processes (e.g., blown film, cast film, co-extrusion, lamination, roll coating processes, etc.)
• Approved for direct or indirect food contact per FDA 21CFR/EFSA FCM, or capable of receiving FDA clearance for food contact by 2024
• Be compatible with the plastic recycling, paper recycling, or industrial composting streams (see FAQ)

• Bio-based materials (not competing with food sources)
• Materials that do not require metallization

• Materials with health and environmental hazards, per ASTM standards
• Materials containing allergens per FDA (e.g., shellfish, latex, etc.)
• Materials that are detrimental to the recycling streams and/or composting (see FAQ)
• Solvent cast film technologies or other technologies that are not likely to be scaled up to a conventional process by 2024