The Superintendence of Industry and Commerce delivered the tenth patent to the University of Cauca, specifically to the Research Group on Science and Technology of Biomolecules of Agroindustrial Interest - CYTBIA- and its work "Composite Material from Cassava Branches for the Manufacture of Containers and Biodegradable Packaging”

 

 

 

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The University of Cauca received on May 19, 2020 the new patent from the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce for the project "Composite Material from Cassava Branches for the Manufacture of Biodegradable Containers and Containers", research led by the Group Science and Technology of Biomolecules of Agro-industrial Interest CYTBIA.

 

The research team is made up of Héctor Samuel Villada Castillo, Vice-Rector for Research, Elsa Susana Cajiao Buitrón and Alcy René Cerón Mosquera, students of the Doctorate in Agricultural and Agroindustrial Sciences at the University of Cauca.

 

The novelty of this new technology consists in using the by-product or the residue that remains from the cassava extraction process to take full advantage of the product. The first beneficiaries of this new patent are the small and medium cassava producers, especially the starch processors since the idea is not that they only market the raw material (starch) but also this bran.

 

“In the previous packages we use cassava starch, “fique” fiber and cassava flour, but in the products of this patent we are using only the by-product, the residue, the remainder of the cassava extraction process. Cassava fibers are often thrown away, and the idea is not to do it, it is to recover it to make containers. Among these short fibers are starch granules, which later become part of this new structure, taking full advantage of this by-product (bran) that small Cauca companies that are dedicated to the extraction of starch dispose of and that material serves other purposes applications, the idea is that it does not become one more contamination but that it can be used in this type of development “Bio-packages", explained the Researcher Villada.

 

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According to the 2019 Ministry of Agriculture report, cassava is cultivated in the 32 departments in Colombia, however, it is predominant in Cauca, so the inventor team glimpsed the potential of this raw material for the development of these environmentally friendly packaging, such as are plates, spoons, forks, etc. The Vice-Chancellor for Research expects that next year, taking into account the situation of the pandemic, a transfer process will begin with a company for the commercialization of this type of bio packaging utensils that can adapt this technology with the support of the University of the Cauca.

 

"If tomorrow some businessman in the plastics sector wants this technology or wants to start a new company, contact the university and the research group so that he can access this technology," he added.

 

 

 

Professor Héctor Samuel Villada emphasized that the University is not a company that should generate business. It is an institution that must promote research, technological development and innovation that generates social and economic development, enhancing the capacities of the environment, the region and the country, supported by the work done by students, researchers and teachers through the different Research groups finding specific solutions in this type of applications that serve society.

 

With this new achievement, the Universidad del Cauca has 10 patents granted, of which 8 are in Colombia and 2 in the United States, as well as 2 patents that have been pending for more than 5 years in Brazil. Of these inventions, 9 are from biodegradable packaging and container technologies, some of which are in the process of being transferred to society and industry.

 

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Vice-Rectory for Investigations

Email: vri@unicauca.edu.co