Packaging unit comprising non-wood lignocellulosic biomass and method for manufacturing such packaging unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaging unit made of moulded pulp for products like eggs and a method for manufacturing such moulded fibre packaging, in particular a food package, more particular an egg package. The packaging unit comprises: a bottom part provided with compartments for individual products, wherein the moulded pulp comprises at least 5 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, with the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass having a protein content below 5 dry wt. %.

1 . Packaging unit made of moulded pulp for products like eggs, comprising:
 a bottom part provided with compartments for individual products, wherein the moulded pulp comprises at least 5 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, with the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass having a protein content below 6 dry wt. % of the biomass.   
     
     
         2 . Packaging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the protein content is below 4 dry wt. %, preferably below 3 dry wt. %, more preferably below 2 dry wt. %, and most preferably below 1.75 dry wt. % of the biomass. 
     
     
         3 . Packaging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the moulded pulp comprises at least 10 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, preferably at least 50 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, more preferably at least 80 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, even more preferably at least 85 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, and most preferably at least 92.5 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass. 
     
     
         4 . Packaging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass comprises biomass originating from plants of the Order Poales, the Order Solanales, the Order Arecales, the Order Malphighiales, the Order of Rosales, the Order of Malvales and/or herbaceous plants. 
     
     
         5 . Packaging unit according to  claim 4 , wherein the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass comprises biomass originating from plants of the Family of Poaceae. 
     
     
         6 . Packaging unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more reinforcement elements configured to increase stability of the packaging unit, wherein the reinforcement elements comprise a number of ribs extending over at least a front surface of the bottom part. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . Packaging unit according to  claim 6 , further comprising a cover part configured for engaging the bottom part, wherein the cover part comprises reinforcement elements to increase stability of the packaging unit and the reinforcement elements comprise a number of ribs and/or grooves extending over at least a front surface of the cover part. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . Packaging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres protrude from a package surface to such an extent that separate visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres can be distinguished by sight and/or touch. 
     
     
         11 . Packaging unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the protruding fibres are arranged to provide a cushioning effect for products placed in the compartments. 
     
     
         12 . Method for manufacturing a moulded fibre packaging unit, in particular a food package, more particular an egg package, comprising:
 providing a fibre pulp for a moulding process;   
       characterized in that the method comprises the step of:
 adding an amount of non-wood lignocellulosic biomass to obtain a pulp mix comprising at least 5 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, with the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass having a protein content below 6 dry wt. %. 
 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass comprises biomass originating from plants of the Order Poales, the order Solanales, the Order Arecales and/or herbaceaous plants. 
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass comprises biomass originating from plants of the Family of Poaceae. 
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein before adding the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass to the pulp mix, the lignocellulosic biomass has been processed for removing protein from the lignocellulosic biomass such that the lignocellulosic biomass contains between 0 to 5 dry wt. % protein. 
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 12 , the method comprising pre-processing of the lignocellulosic biomass, the pre-processing comprising soaking the lignocellulosic biomass in water for a soaking period of at least 1 day. 
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 16 , the pre-processing comprising cutting the lignocellulosic biomass, preferably before the soaking, for obtaining visible lignocellulosic biomass fibres having a length such that the visible lignocellulosic biomass fibres may surface on the fibre pulp mix, the visible lignocellulosic biomass fibres preferably having an average length smaller than 5 cm. 
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 16 , the pre-processing comprising refining the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres for facilitating interaction between the fibre pulp and the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres in the pulp mix and further comprising adjusting the degree of refining the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres for facilitating firstly interaction between the fibre pulp and the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibre in the pulp mix, and secondly allowing a portion of the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres to surface on the pulp mix and comprising providing a refining device comprising a number of refiner discs arranged at a mutual disc distance wherein adjusting the degree of refining the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres comprises adjusting the disc distance less than 1.5 mm, and wherein the refining comprises refining the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres at a concentration of between 10 kg to 75 kg per 1000 litre of water, wherein the refining comprises fibrillating the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres for increasing binding surface of the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 12 , comprising providing a vacuum mould which has a mesh work for sucking up said fibre pulp mix and forming the packaging, wherein the mesh work has mesh openings having a mesh size and the visible non-wood lignocellulosic biomass fibres have a length between 50 to 150 times the mesh size. 
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein the method comprises the step of adding an aromatic substance to the fibre pulp mix for providing a grass smell to the moulded fibre food packaging. 
     
     
         24 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein the pulp mix is coloured by adding a colour agency, preferably a green colour agency comprising chlorophyll, to the fibre pulp mix. 
     
     
         25 . Packaging unit made of moulded pulp for products like eggs, comprising:
 a bottom part provided with compartments for individual products, wherein the moulded pulp comprises at least 50 wt. % non-wood lignocellulosic biomass, with the non-wood lignocellulosic biomass having a protein content below 2 dry wt. % of the biomass.