Stencoat biodegradable barrier coating for sustainable food packaging

Overview

StenCoat is a customizable, biodegradable barrier coating designed for food-safe packaging applications. Applied to flatstock papers, films, and fiber-based single-use food containers, it provides oxygen, grease, and moisture exclusion (OGR, OTR, and WVTR) without the use of PFAS, MFCs, or plastics. The coating is built from an interpenetrating polymer network composed entirely of GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) materials, making it fully biodegradable and environmentally responsible. StenCoat enables packaging manufacturers and food brands to meet sustainability goals while preserving food quality and consumer experience.

Technical specifications

• Barrier performance: Achieves oxygen barrier properties exceeding those of petrochemical-based plastics, alongside excellent grease resistance and moisture exclusion.
• Material composition: Interpenetrating polymer network made entirely from GRAS-listed materials, with no PFAS, MFCs, or plastic content.
• Substrate compatibility: Applied to flatstock papers, films, and molded fiber-based single-use food containers.
• Application method: Designed for application onto existing substrates using commercial application techniques currently being optimized for different use cases.
• Sustainability profile: Fully biodegradable, eliminating the environmental impact associated with conventional plastic and chemical-based barrier coatings.

Technology readiness level

StenCoat has been validated through real-world commercial trials. In collaboration with Cargill, the coating was applied to molded fiber ground beef trays and successfully passed Phase 1 trials for both back-of-house and front-of-house use. The technology is currently in Phase 2 studies with Cargill. Multiple final-use development projects are ongoing, with active optimization of formulas tailored to different substrates and commercial application methods. The technology is positioned for continued scaling toward broader commercial deployment.