MAINE PUBLIC • May 7, 2024
Researchers at the University of Maine are developing a highly refined cellulose coating made from wood that could replace coatings of "forever chemicals" in commercial production. The process refines the wood product, which can come from a variety of sources, to create an effective barrier to oil and grease in products like food containers. UMaine’s Dr. Colleen Walker said the product is currently a white paste, similar in consistency to mashed potato, and one of the challenges is how to apply the coating to consumer products on a commercial scale.