Source: TotalEnergies Corbion
Luminy FOAM 50F is a high-melt-strength polylactic acid (PLA) grade designed for extrusion foamed-packaging applications. Developed for trays used in fresh food products, like meat and fish, and food-service packaging such as clamshells and bowls, the material delivers the performance of conventional extruded polystyrene (XPS) while providing a lower-carbon, circular alternative. As packaging producers face increasing regulatory pressure to phase out polystyrene in food applications and with restrictions expanding globally, the market is actively seeking alternatives that combine environmental benefits with industrial scalability. Luminy® FOAM 50F addresses this need with a bio-based, industrially compostable material that enables a practical transition without disrupting established production processes. Luminy® FOAM 50F is engineered as a drop-in replacement for PS, allowing converters to run it on existing XPS extrusion lines with comparable throughput and minimal modification. With polystyrene bans accelerating, this is one of the first solutions positioned as a true industrial-scale replacement, says the company, also reporting that sugarcane-based PLA delivers at least a 70% reduction in carbon footprint compared to XPS foam parts. The material combines performance and sustainability characteristics that have historically been difficult to achieve in XPLA foam packaging. It offers comparable density and functional properties to XPS while maintaining processing efficiency on standard equipment. At the same time, it is bio-based, industrially compostable, recyclable, and free from styrene, PFAS, and persistent microplastics. Luminy® FOAM 50F’s high melt strength enables stable foam production without the need for extra additives, chain extenders, or reactive processing. This allows manufacturers to create low-density foam structures with uniform cell morphology, closely matching the performance required for demanding applications such as fresh protein packaging. Luminy® FOAM 50F is FDA and Korean Food Contact approved and can be used in countries following the FDA or Korean regulation. For other countries it can be used for non-food applications. — TotalEnergies Corbion b.v., Gorinchem, The Netherlands