What if the seeds you throw away after eating a jackfruit or jamun could help save the planet? A team of brilliant researchers at NIT Rourkela, led by Dr. Preetam Sarkar, is turning this idea into reality — creating plastic-free, biodegradable films that can keep food fresh for up to 15 days and vanish into the soil within 60 days.
These films are made from fruit seeds like jackfruit, jamun, and litchi, which are usually discarded as waste. When processed scientifically, they form strong, flexible, and eco-friendly packaging — a major step towards ending plastic pollution and embracing a circular economy.
“We wanted to prove that even waste can have a second life,” says Dr. Sarkar. “Our goal was simple — protect food and protect the planet.”
Turning Trash Into Treasure
The NIT Rourkela team — including researchers Dr. Santhosh Ravichandran, Rahul Thakur, Bindhu Sravanthi, and Souvik Giri — discovered that fruit seeds are rich in natural starch, a perfect base for biodegradable packaging.
To boost strength and food safety, they blended the films with zinc oxide, chitosan, and lignin nanoparticles — natural compounds that fight bacteria and improve durability. The result?
◆ Tomatoes stayed fresh 15 days longer
◆ The films completely decomposed in 60 days
◆ The degraded material nourished soil microbes and even helped tiny plants grow
“When we saw a small plant sprouting from the soil cup after the film degraded — that was our ‘Eureka’ moment,” says Dr. Santhosh. “It proved we’d built something truly circular.”
A Plastic-Free Future, Rooted in Indian Innovation
Unlike conventional plastics that take 700 years to decompose, these biodegradable seed films break down harmlessly, leaving no trace behind. And they’re not just good for the planet — they’re good for people too. By transforming agricultural waste into usable packaging, the project also supports local farmers and reduces food waste.
Dr. Sarkar believes this could change how India — and the world — views packaging:
“This is not just about science; it’s about responsibility. If nature can grow everything we need, it can also heal everything we’ve harmed.”
The Future Is Seed-Based
From keeping tomatoes and bananas fresh to feeding the soil when discarded, this invention proves that small seeds can sow big change.
It’s a gentle reminder that the fight against plastic pollution doesn’t always start in high-tech labs — sometimes, it begins in the heart of a fruit.
Key Highlights:
◆ Made from jackfruit, jamun & litchi seeds
◆ Keeps fruits like tomatoes fresh for 15 extra days
◆ Fully biodegradable in 60 days
◆ Turns into nutrients for soil & plants
◆ Developed by NIT Rourkela’s Food Process Engineering Department
