SUSHI-PACK: Patrizio Raffa leads ENTEG’s role in new €3M Horizon Europe project for sustainable packaging

A new European research and innovation project, SUSHI-PACK (Sustainable High-Performance Packaging from Seaweed and Regenerated Used Cooking Oils), officially launched on 1st of April, bringing together a multidisciplinary consortium to tackle one of Europe’s most pressing environmental challenges: packaging waste. The project has received funding under the Horizon Europe PATHFINDER OPEN 2025 call, with a budget of ca. 3 M€, of which about 400 k€ will go to the University of Groningen.

SUSHI-PACK addresses the urgent need for sustainable alternatives to fossil-based plastics, as Europe faces rapidly increasing packaging waste and stricter regulatory requirements under the forthcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. By delivering scalable, bio-based alternatives for applications in food, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and textile packaging, SUSHI-PACK aims to drive the transition toward safer, circular, and high-performance materials.

Coordinated by the BETA Technological Centre of the University of Vic, UVic-UCC (Spain) and scientifically supported by Greenoil (Italy), SUSHI-PACK unites leading academic institutions and industrial partners across Europe, including the University of Bari (Italy), the University of Groningen (Netherlands), Covestro (Netherlands), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain), B’ZEOS (Spain) and the Technological University of the Shannon (Ireland). At the University of Groningen, Patrizio Raffa leads Work Package 2 (WP2), which focuses on the synthesis of polymeric materials for sustainable packaging via esterification and transesterification routes. A postdoctoral position for 2 years will be dedicated to this project.

The project will develop high-performance, bio-based packaging materials inspired by natural plant cuticles and cell walls. These materials will be derived from sustainably sourced seaweed polysaccharides and biobased building blocks obtained from regenerated used cooking oils. Through advanced biocatalytic and metabolic engineering approaches, the project aims to produce novel polyesters and polyester-urethanes with enhanced barrier properties, biodegradability, and smart functionalities such as oxygen responsiveness and self-healing.

Guided by the Safe and Sustainable Design framework, SUSHI-PACK integrates environmental, regulatory, and societal considerations from the outset. The project will demonstrate materials at Technology Readiness Level 4 and assess their full lifecycle, including compostability, biodegradability, and potential for revalorisation. Preliminary assessments indicate the potential to reduce carbon footprint by up to 25% and greenhouse gas emissions by at least 15%, while contributing to the EU’s target of reducing packaging waste by 15% by 2040.

The project is expected to generate significant environmental and economic impact, including the creation of new value chains based on renewable resources and an estimated market turnover of €58 million.