As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences at Lodz University of Technology (TUL), BACIF 2025 International Conference on “Innovation for Food, Nutrition, Health, and Beauty” brought together academic and industry experts for two days of knowledge exchange and networking. The event took place on June 9 & 10, 2025 in Lodz. Key themes of the conference included bioprocessing, biocontrol, food safety and preservation, and biopolymers.
William Mawuko Kodzo Siegu, a Ph.D. student at the International Centre for Research on Innovative Bio-based Materials (ICRI-BioM), represented the HELVA project at the conference. He presented a poster titled “Exploring Sustainable Food Packaging Solutions: Biosynthesis of Poly(3-Hydroxyalkanoate-co-3-Hydroxyvalerates) (PHBVs).” His work highlighted the potential of PHBVs as biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics, suitable for use in food packaging such as paper cup films, containers, bottles, and caps. These biosynthesized materials, structurally similar to polypropylene, demonstrate excellent properties that support food safety and sustainable living.
William had the opportunity to engage with attendees interested in the commercialization potential of his research.
William is conducting his doctoral research at ICRI-BioM under the supervision of Dr hab. Vignesh Kumaravel and Dr hab. Olga Marchut-Mikołajczyk, both of whom are active members of the HELVA project TUL team.