Kelpi, a U.K. biomaterials startup, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for its seaweed-based coating for paper and board food packaging, allowing the material to be used on packaging sold in the U.S. The coating is designed as an alternative to fossil-based plastic layers and can be used with all food types at or below room temperature, including refrigerated and frozen foods.
The FDA clearance follows an earlier Letter of No Objection from Canada’s Bureau of Chemical Safety and expands Kelpi’s regulatory reach in North America. The company has also been working with Amcor to evaluate its barrier coating technology within fiber-based packaging applications, with the material positioned as compatible with paper recycling streams.
For brands and packaging suppliers, the approval opens the door to wider commercial use of seaweed-based barrier coatings in the U.S., supporting efforts to reduce reliance on conventional plastic layers while maintaining food-contact compliance.
Image Credit: Kelpi
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Seaweed Barrier Coatings
- Marine-derived coatings are emerging as viable replacements for fossil-based plastic layers in food packaging, creating openings for scalable biomaterials that meet performance and compliance needs.
- Recyclable Fiber Packaging
- Fiber-based formats with compatible barrier technologies are reshaping sustainable packaging by reducing material contamination and improving end-of-life recovery potential.
- Food-contact Biomaterials
- Regulatory clearance for novel bio-based materials is accelerating commercialization pathways for packaging solutions that balance safety, sustainability, and brand requirements.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Sustainable Packaging
- Packaging producers are gaining new material options that support plastic reduction while preserving barrier functionality across refrigerated, frozen, and shelf-stable applications.
- Food and Beverage
- Food brands can benefit from compliant low-plastic packaging innovations that align with consumer expectations for environmental responsibility and product safety.
- Biomaterials
- The biomaterials sector is expanding through ocean-based feedstocks and regulatory validation, strengthening opportunities for partnerships with large packaging converters.
