News Author: Corporate Communication & Marketing / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie & Bemarking [Alec Basson] Published: 15/03/2021 Wheat straw and mango peels that are normally disposed of in landfills or used as manure and animal feed could potentially be used in the development of renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic active (the ability to respond to temperature and time changes in food storage) food packaging that could help keep products fresher for longer. This is one of the main findings of a recent doctoral study at Stellenbosch University (SU). “There's a move towards renewable and biodegradable food packaging in a bid to replace non-renewable and non-biodegradable petroleum-based packaging materials. We should consider using agricultural-residues like wheat straw and mango peels, which are rich in bio or natural polymers and antioxidants, as alternative raw materials to petroleum-based packaging materials," says Dr Lindleen Mugwagwa, who is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Process Engineering at SU. She recently obtained her doctorate in Chemical Engineering at SU.