DE202020107374U1 - Granules made from purely natural ingredients; Use of the granulate for the production of compostable commodities and packaging materials as well as commodities and packaging materials made from the granules - Google Patents

Abstract

wobei das Granulat eine Restfeuchte von 30-40% aufweist.Granules consisting of natural, preferably purely vegetable components comprising starch and natural vegetable fibers having a solid composition consisting of Vegetable starch 75-90% Natural fibers 1-10% Thickening and / or Gelling agent 0-10% Optional accessories 0-10%,
the granules have a residual moisture content of 30-40%.

Description

Field of invention

The present invention is in the field of biodegradable and compostable materials and products made therefrom. This includes in particular biodegradable and compostable material in the form of granules, which can be used for the production of biodegradable and compostable everyday objects as well as for the production of packaging material. Thus, a replacement for conventional plastic granulate and plastic or styrofoam products is provided by the provided granules and products made from them. By using vegetable starch and vegetable fibers in a certain proportion, biodegradable and even garden-compostable granules can be produced. The addition of glycerine, sorbitol, vegetable fibers (such as straw fibers, grass fibers, etc.), cellulose, wood pulp, stearate, oil, natural latex, in particular natural rubber and / or wax, in particular rapeseed wax or soy wax, can give the granulate further advantageous properties. Here, the granulate or the product resulting therefrom can be produced in a transparent, opaque or non-transparent embodiment. Optionally, the color of the granulate or product can be modified by adding food coloring. The smell of the granulate or product can optionally be modified by adding natural fragrances and aromas. Optionally, the taste of the granulate or product can be modified by adding flavors.

Background of the invention

In Germany alone, thousands of tons of plastic products are manufactured every day and then consumed and thrown away. In particular, there is a demand for single-use products or everyday objects which, due to their advantages - easy to use, practical and hygienic - are consumed in the hundreds of thousands every day. Such products have so far been made from conventional plastic or contain so-called bioplastics. Products made of plastic are neither easily recyclable nor compostable, they can mostly only be incinerated or recycled at enormous cost and energy expenditure and thus damage the preservation of our ecosystem. Even products made from supposedly biodegradable bioplastics such as PLA can be proven not to be completely degraded or composted. This fact has led to a ban on the use of bioplastics in single-use products from mid-2021. As a result, the need for an environmentally friendly, recyclable and compostable alternative to conventional plastic and bioplastics for the manufacture of various products is extremely high and also absolutely necessary in order to minimize the ecological footprint.

Conventional plastic granulate escapes easily and sometimes unnoticed in the production and processing chain and then often ends in bodies of water and thus forms a large proportion of microplastics or plastic waste in seas and on coasts. Plastic granulate is therefore often found in the digestive tract of seabirds and marine animals, which suffer death from the resulting health consequences.

This problem does not arise with the present granulate. The granulate presented in the invention dissolves without problems on land and in seas and could even be consumed by humans and animals without causing harm.

The granulate of the present invention offers a sustainable alternative to plastic granulate and the products obtained therefrom, including a process for their production. In contrast to conventional plastic granules and products made from them, the granules according to the invention and the products made from them consist of purely vegetable and / or natural, untreated materials, in particular vegetable starch and vegetable fibers such as straw fibers, grass fibers, baobab fibers, cellulose, wood pulp, and optionally vegetable thickeners and / or gelling agents, vegetable biopolymers, vegetable preservatives and vegetable waxes.

Granulate is the typical form of delivery of thermoplastics from raw material manufacturers for the plastics processing industry. Because of its pourability, it is a bulk material such as sand or gravel and therefore just as easy to transport and portion as it is. But there are also melt granulates for end users. The material disclosed herein can be processed into granules, that is bulk material, without any problems. Subsequent further processing of the granulate is also problem-free. The granulate and the products made from it are not only easy to recycle or compost, they are also made from renewable raw materials that have a positive CO ₂ balance. Therefore, the granulate of the present invention forms a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastic as a raw material for various products.

Summary of the invention

The present invention relates to biodegradable and compostable granules. According to the invention, the granules are used for Manufacture of biodegradable and preferably compostable products and utensils used. The present invention also relates to articles of daily use and packaging materials made from the present granules. The invention is defined by the protection claims and is summarized below.

The granulate of the present invention consists of natural, preferably purely vegetable components comprising starch and natural vegetable fibers and has a solid composition consisting of Vegetable starch 75-90% Natural fibers 1-10% Thickening and / or Gelling agent 0-10% Optional accessories 0-210% on, the granules have a residual moisture content of 30-40%.

In a preferred embodiment, the granules have a solid composition consisting of Vegetable starch 80-90% Natural fibers 8-10% Optional accessories 0-2% and has a residual moisture of 30-40%.

The vegetable starch in the granules is native, untreated starch and includes wheat starch, potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch or starch made from cassava, tuber bean, potato, yam, tuber pea, arakacha, tuberous wood sorrel, tuberous nasturtium, ulluco, arrowroot, arrowroot, and arrowroot , Taro, tannia, white water lily, yellow pond rose or chayote or a mixture, preferably wheat starch, potato starch, corn starch, rice starch, tapioca starch or a mixture thereof.

The natural fibers in the granulate are purely vegetable fibers comprising straw fibers, grass fibers, cellulose, wood pulp and fibers of the baobab tree.

The optional thickening and / or gelling agent in the granulate includes guar gum, xanthan gum, devil's tongue, agar agar, pectin, carrageenan, alginate, locust bean gum, sago, gum arabic, rice flour, durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina or a mixture thereof.

The optional additives in the granules include vegetable glycerin and / or sorbitol, wax, natural rubber, biopolymer, oil, preservatives, vinegar, lecithin, vegetable stearate, food coloring, flavors, fragrances and a mixture thereof.

The granulate does not contain any bioplastics, any chemically modified (bio) polymers including bio-based polymers including polylactide (PLA), polyhydoxyalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and no petroleum-based biopolymers.

All ingredients of the granules of the present invention are suitable for skin contact and contact with food, and consumption of the granules by humans and animals is not harmful to the organism.

The present invention also relates to the use of the granulate as a starting material for the production of biodegradable, preferably compostable, utensils.

The present invention also relates to the use of the granulate as the sole starting material for the production of biodegradable, preferably compostable, utensils

The finished granulate can also be used as packaging material. The packaging material is styrofoam-like packaging flakes. These can have a residual moisture content of less than 30-40%, preferably 2-30%. This is achieved by further drying the granulate pieces.

The invention further comprises articles of daily use made from granulate according to the invention which are biodegradable, preferably compostable.

An article of daily use produced from inventive granules can preferably have styrofoam-like properties and a styrofoam-like structure. This means that the material is heavily foamed and pressed into shape to form a light, foam-like object. The air chambers remaining in the pressed material give the material insulating and heat-insulating properties. Due to its properties, the material can be used as insulation or packaging material. With “Styrofoam” a comparison is made with “Polystyrene” and its properties. The present granulate is therefore suitable for the production of bio-styrofoam / bio-foam, which is completely free of plastic and bio-plastic.

The commodity and the packaging material are preferably biodegradable and compostable.

The commodity made from granules according to the invention and the packaging material are preferably suitable for skin contact and food contact.

The commodity produced from the granulate according to the invention can be a cup, a packaging box, a bowl, or a packaging container.

In addition, both the granulate and the utensils made from it can be garden-composted. The granulate and the articles of daily use made from it are also ultra-compostable.

Advantages of the invention

The use of granules of the present invention is found to be advantageous in many ways.

Through the use of the vegetable raw materials starch (e.g. wheat starch) and natural fibers, as well as optional thickening and / or gelling agents (e.g. a mixture of guar gum and xanthan gum), and optional additives such as glycerine, natural rubber, flavors and fragrances, the granules and the resulting produced products of the present invention, in contrast to conventional plastic products, easily recyclable, completely biodegradable and naturally compostable. The granulate and the utensils made from it are also garden compostable. In addition, the granulate and the products made from it are ultra-compostable, i.e. composted in less than 50 days. This does not apply, for example, to bioplastics / bioplastics such as PLA.

The vegetable starch is used as a natural product, i.e. in a natural, unmodified and untreated form and is not chemically changed into granules during the manufacturing process. This protects the environment and makes the granulate even more natural. The extrudate produced in the manufacturing process, which is dried and cut into granules, is not chemically / physically aftertreated in order to solidify and / or stabilize it.

The present granulate also does not include any bioplastics, no bio-based plastics and no petroleum-based biopolymers. Bioplastics are understood to mean all biopolymers that are obtained through chemical modification of natural and / or vegetable raw materials. Certain petroleum-based polymers are also biodegradable and therefore “biopolymers” by definition. Petroleum-based polymers include polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polycaprolactones (PCL), and polyglycolide (PGA). Petroleum-based polymers are not used here and are not part of the granulate or the articles of daily use obtained from them. Bio-based plastics that have been produced by extensive chemical modification of the biogenic raw materials (e.g. polylactides (PLA) from lactic acid produced with the help of white biotechnology) are not included in the granulate or the commodities made from them. In addition to polylactide (PLA), bio-based plastics also include polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), epoxyacylates and lignin-based substances such as thermoplastics.

Using the manufacturing process described herein for end products (articles of daily use) made from the granulate according to the invention, rapid and therefore optimal process cycle times of 6-360 seconds from filling the granulate to removing the product from the mold (injection molding) can be achieved. The granulate provided can easily be used in combination with a vacuum filler. Automatic filling of the injection molding machine then enables a machine run time of 24 hours / day.

The granules and the products made from them are not intended for consumption. Due to the density of the material, the products are usually very hard and therefore difficult to bite off. However, if parts are inadvertently consumed or get into the digestive tract of a person or animal, there is no health risk due to the purely vegetable and / or natural raw materials. The material is completely degraded. Consumption of the granules disclosed herein or the articles of daily use made from them is not hazardous to health, even in large quantities, and is excreted from the body without leaving any residue.

Detailed description of the invention

Definitions “Vegetable starch” refers to any starch obtained from plant material. The starch can be obtained from roots, beets, tubers, rhizomes, shoot axes, leaves, fruits or seeds. Exemplary vegetable starches are wheat starch, potato starch, corn starch, rice starch or tapioca starch; Starch made from cassava (Manihot esculenta), tuber bean (Pachyrhizus tuberosus), potato (Ipomoea batatas), yam (Dioscorea spec.), Tuber pea (Lathyrus tuberosus), arakacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza), tuberous wood sorrel (Oxalis tuberosa), tuberous nasturtium (Tropaeolum tuberosum), Ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus), East Indian arrowroot (Tacca leontopetaloides), arrowroot (Maranta spec.), Achira (Canna indica), tarentao (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), white water lily (Nymphaea alba), yellow pond rose (Nuphar lutea) or chayote (Sechium edule).

"Vegetable fibers" means fibers obtained from plants such as straw fibers or grass fibers. The vegetable fibers can be present in the granulate with a fiber length of 0.5-3.8mm. The fibers preferably have a length of 0.7-1.1 mm.

"Cellulose" refers to the fibrous mass produced during the chemical decomposition of plants, especially wood. It consists largely of cellulose. Cellulose with short fibers is preferably used for the drinking straws of the present invention. Cellulose can be present in the granulate with a fiber length of 0.5-3.8mm. The fibers preferably have a length of 0.7-1.1 mm. The pulp of the present invention can be derived from a variety of plants, such as conifers, deciduous trees, or bamboo. In particularly preferred embodiments, the pulp is at least partially made from baobab plant material. In another particularly preferred embodiment, the cellulose is at least partially made from bamboo plant material.

"Wood pulp" refers to the fibrous mass that arises when plants, especially wood, are mechanically broken down. In contrast to pulp for high-quality papers, wood pulp contains large amounts of lignin. Short fiber wood pulp is preferably used for the granules of the present invention. Wood pulp can be present in the granulate with a fiber length of 0.5-3.8mm. The fibers preferably have a length of 0.7-1.1 mm. In some embodiments of the present invention, a combination of wood pulp and cellulose is used.

"Natural fibers" is a general term and includes vegetable fibers, cellulose and wood pulp.

"Herbal thickeners" and "herbal gelling agents" are thickening and gelling agents made from vegetable or bacterial resources. Thickeners and gelling agents made from vegetable resources are preferred. They cause liquid to gel. Exemplary vegetable thickeners or gelling agents are agar-agar, pectin, carrageenan, alginates, locust bean gum, guar gum, sago, xanthan gum, gum arabic, rice flour, durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina.

"Guar gum" (also as a food additive E 412) is a vegetable thickening or gelling agent. It is obtained from ground seeds of the guar plant. It should be particularly emphasized that guar gum considerably increases the effect of other vegetable thickening or gelling agents and is therefore often used with other vegetable thickening or gelling agents.

"Xanthan" (also as a food additive E 415), or "Xanthan Gum", is a bacterial thickening and gelling agent. It is produced by bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas from sugary substrates. Preferably, the xanthan of the present invention is derived from bacteria of the species Xanthomonas campestris. As an alternative to xanthan gum, devil's tongue can be used in the present invention.

"Devil's Tongue" (Amorphophallus Konjac) (also as a food additive E 425) is a species of plant from the genus of the titanium root. The tuber of this plant is called konjac root. The tuber flour shows excellent film-forming properties and becomes hydrating, it is spotted gray and tasteless. Unlike traditional gelatin, konjac does not dissolve quickly. The addition of devil's tongue or xanthan are advantageous for the viscosity of the mass and give it excellent flow properties during the production of the granulate but also during the further processing of the granulate into products.

"Agar-agar" refers to a galactose polymer obtained from algae. Agar-agar is obtained from the cell walls of algae, especially red algae.

"Pectin" (also as food additive E 440a or E 440b) refers to vegetable polysaccharides, which essentially comprise α-1-4-glycosidically linked galacturonic acids. For example, they can be obtained from the peels of apples, lemons and other fruits. Pectin is a vegetable thickening or gelling agent and ensures that liquids gel.

“Carrageenan” (also as a food additive E 407) is a vegetable thickening or gelling agent that is obtained from various types of red algae.

"Alginate" is a vegetable thickening or gelling agent and consists of salts of alginic acid. It can be extracted from dried and ground brown algae. Depending on the salt, it is known under the E numbers E 401, E 402, E 403, E 404 and E 405.

"Locust bean gum" (also as a food additive E 410) is a vegetable thickening or gelling agent that is obtained from carob tree seeds by grinding. The flour obtained is white and tasteless.

"Sago" is a herbal thickening or gelling agent. Sago is obtained from the starch-rich pulp of various plant species such as the sago palm, cassava or potatoes. It is often offered as granules in the form of small balls. Sago swells about three times in hot liquid and has a strong binding effect when it cools. To prevent the liquid from becoming mushy, sago is only boiled or soaked until the globules are soft but still retain their shape.

"Gum arabic" (also as a food additive E 414) is a vegetable thickening and gelling agent that is obtained from the resinous sap of acacia species native to Africa, such as Acacia Senegal. Gum arabic can be in both powder and gum form.

"Rice flour" is a vegetable thickening and gelling agent that is created by peeling rice grains and then finely grinding them. Depending on the use of polished or unpolished (brown) rice grains, you get white or brown rice flour.

"Durum wheat flour" is a vegetable thickening and gelling agent that is obtained from hard wheat (Triticum durum), which is also known as durum, durum wheat or glass wheat. The durum wheat grains are peeled and then ground several times to make durum wheat flour.

"Durum wheat semolina" is a vegetable thickener that is obtained from durum wheat (Triticum durum), which is also known as durum, durum wheat or glass wheat. As with durum wheat flour production, the durum wheat grains are peeled and then ground. However, the hard white grains are ground less frequently than in the production of hard wheat flour, so that hard white semolina has a coarser particle structure.

“Wax” refers to any naturally occurring wax, such as carnauba wax, beeswax or soy wax. Preferred in the present invention is rapeseed wax, soy wax or carnauba wax. "Carnauba wax" is obtained from the leaf of the carnauba palm (Copernicia prunifera). The leaves are harvested and the wax is separated by drying and mechanical action. The wax is used in various industries, such as the food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industries. Untreated carnauba wax has a light yellowish, greenish to dark gray color, it is permeated by air bubbles, it is hard, brittle and insoluble in water. Carnauba wax is the hardest natural wax with the highest melting point of over 80 ° C. It is also edible, so it is naturally food-grade and has a mild taste. This is an advantage because the granulate and the products obtained from it do not have an inherent odor. In addition, the addition of carnauba wax to the substances in the granules, including vegetable starches and thickeners and / or gelling agents, makes the processing of the substances easier, but also contributes to the strength, hardness and resistance of the granules and the resulting product. In the present invention, carnauba wax is preferably used in powder form. "Soy wax" is made from ripe soybeans (Glycine max). The soybeans are harvested and soybean oil is obtained first. This is hydrogenated, soy wax is obtained under pressure of approx. 200 bar and temperatures of approx. 140 ° C - 225 ° C in the presence of a metallic catalyst. The wax is used in various industries, such as the cosmetics and candle industries. Untreated soy wax has a very light, creamy white, sometimes yellowish color, is hard, brittle and insoluble in water. Soy wax has a melting point of around 50 ° C. It is also edible and has a mild taste. This is an advantage in the case of granules and the products obtained from them, since they do not have any inherent odor. In addition, the addition of soy wax to the substances in the granules, including vegetable starch and thickening and / or gelling agents, makes the processing of the substances easier, but also contributes to the strength, hardness and resistance of the granules and the resulting product. In the present invention, soy wax is preferably used in powder form. Biopolymers such as natural rubber can optionally be added to the above wax. "Rapeseed wax" is obtained from the seeds of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) or from the close relative oil rape (Brassica rapa subsp. Oleifera). The seeds are harvested and first of all rapeseed oil is obtained. Rapeseed wax is obtained by hardening rapeseed oil. The melting point of rapeseed wax is between 57 ° C and 61 ° C. Rapeseed wax is also edible and has the beneficial properties described for caunauba wax and soy wax.

"Biopolymer" is a polymer that is based on vegetable raw materials and is biodegradable. An exemplary biopolymer is natural rubber, also called rubber elasticum or Resina elastica. Natural rubber offers greater resistance to water than waxes. Hence, natural rubber is itself or mixtures thereof, particularly advantageous in the manufacture of an end product from granules. Natural rubber can either be contained in the granulate itself, but it can also serve as a component of a coating on a commodity made from granulate. This is beneficial for products that come into contact with liquids, such as drinking straws. Natural rubber is used in the form of natural latex / natural latex milk, alternatively in the form of an emulsion based on natural rubber and water with a solids content of 40-65%, preferably 50-60%, most preferably 60% rubber. The plant-based biopolymers also include celluloid, cellophane, cellulose-based vulcanized fiber, cellulose nitrate, cellulose propionate and cellulose acetate butyrate, starch blends and renewable raw materials such as lignin, chitin, casein and vegetable gelatin. Vegetable oils such as castor oil also belong to the group of biopolymers. It should be noted that in the present description “biopolymer” is not equated with “bioplastic”, “bioplastic” and similar chemically processed polymers.

“Emulsion” means any dispersed mixture of several ingredients, such as one or more solids and a solvent such as water. An emulsion can be a wax emulsion or a rubber emulsion. An emulsion according to the invention comprises carnauba wax, rubber and water. Natural latex is also an emulsion made from rubber and water.

“Oil” means any vegetable, mineral or animal oil. Preferably the oil in the present invention is a vegetable oil. Rapeseed oil, nut oil and sunflower oil are particularly preferred.

“Compostable” describes the property of a material to be 90% degraded after 6 months under defined aerobic conditions. The compostability of a material can be determined according to DIN EN 13432, version 2000-12. Compostability here relates to both industrial composting and non-industrial composting through purely biological decomposition or rotting (home composting). Thus, the granulate according to the invention and the products obtained therefrom can be composted both by means of intensive rotting and by means of dry fermentation within 4-8 weeks, preferably within 4 weeks, so that the granulate and the products have completely dissolved within this time.

“Garden compostable” refers to the property of a material only being completely degradable when exposed to the atmosphere, for example on a compost heap.

"Ultra-compostable" refers to the property of a material that it can only be completely degraded within 50 days when exposed to the atmosphere, for example on a compost heap.

“Biodegradable” describes the characteristics of a process to completely break down an organic substance biologically, i.e. by living beings or their enzymes. The degradation of the substance takes place under aerobic conditions in a maximum of 10 years, preferably in 5 years, even more preferably in 1 year.

“Recyclable” means that the material after its use (e.g. as a drinking straw) can be used as a material for the manufacture of a new product that is not intended for incineration through a processing process (recycling). For example, products made from granules described herein can, after their use, comminuted, serve as raw material in the manufacture of recycled granules. Furthermore, residues can be shredded and recycled in the manufacturing process (so-called wood chips or chips). This is in contrast to materials that, after their use, either have to be recycled by incineration or permanently disposed of.

"Magnesium stearate" Magnesium stearate is the magnesium salt of stearic acid and belongs to the lime soaps. It is obtained from fats and oils by splitting their glycerides with magnesium, soaps and glycerine. Magnesium stearate is used, for example, in the pharmaceutical industry as an aid for making tablets or granules. Magnesium stearate is also used in some sweets. Magnesium stearate can be made from both animal and vegetable fats. Soy, rapeseed or corn oil is often used. The substance is also useful because it has lubricating properties that prevent ingredients from sticking to manufacturing equipment during the compression of chemical powders into solid tablets. Magnesium stearate is the most widely used tablet lubricant. Magnesium stearate acts as a release agent in the manufacture of pressed candies and is used to bind sugar in hard candies such as mint. Magnesium stearate is commonly used as a lubricant at a concentration between 0.25% and 5.0% in the manufacture of tablets, capsules and other oral dosage forms. Due to its long-standing use as an excipient in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics industries, the safety of magnesium stearate is well documented.

"Calcium stearate" Calcium stearate is used in the production of so-called non-tox stabilizers for plastics, preferably in conjunction with Zinc stearate, but also barium stearate or magnesium stearate are used. It is also used as a lubricant in pharmaceutical products and as a lubricant (Stauffer grease) in the paper and metal processing industry, as a water repellent for building materials and in sand processing. Technical calcium stearate is obtained by reacting calcium chloride with the sodium salt of stearic acid (mostly contaminated with the sodium salt of palmitic acid) and then washing out sodium chloride. It is an impregnating agent for textiles. In plastics it can act as an acid scavenger or neutralizer in concentrations of up to 1000 ppm, as a lubricant and as a release agent. It can be used in plastic colorant concentrates to improve pigment wetting. In rigid PVC it can accelerate the fusion, improve the flow and reduce the swelling of the stamp. Applications in the personal care and pharmaceutical industries include tablet mold release agents, anti-stick agents, and gelling agents. Calcium stearate is a component of some types of defoamers. Calcium stearate is also an anti-caking agent, which enables solids to move freely and thus prevents powdery components from sticking together. Calcium stearate is used as a lubricant in papermaking to achieve a good gloss and to prevent dust formation and wrinkle cracks in papermaking and board manufacture. An addition of about 0.1 to 10% is possible.

“Zinc stearate” is a white powder with a melting point of 130 ° C, a flash point of 277 ° C and a self-ignition temperature of 420 ° C. The molecular weight is 632.3 g / mol. Zinc stearate is not soluble in water. Zinc stearate is used as a stabilizer for emulsions. In card magic, zinc stearate is used as a card powder, which improves the sliding properties of playing cards. Zinc stearate is also used as a lubricant in plastics processing. It prevents polyamide parts from sticking to one another and is an aid in case of plasticizing problems. If the plasticizing screw does not pull in the material properly, this can be improved by adding approx. 0.2% zinc stearate, especially with polyamide 6.0. If the plasticizing screw does not pull in the material properly, this can be improved by adding approx. 0.2% zinc stearate.

“Glycerin” Glycerin is the common name and common name of propane-1,2,3-triol and is preferably used as a liquid (as a solution, preferably as a 100% solution) in the present invention, but can also be used as a solid become. Glycerine is used here as a lubricant and humectant. E 422 is preferred. E 422 is mainly obtained from vegetable fats and oils. Manufacture from synthetic or animal materials is also possible. Preference is given to “vegetarian glycerine” or “vegan glycerine”, which is produced by the transesterification of vegetable oils. As a food additive, E 422 is generally approved for all foods and there is also no maximum amount restriction for the use of glycerine. In the present invention, the addition of glycerin increases the mobility of the material. As an alternative to glycerin, sorbitol can also be used in the present invention.

"Sorbitol" is a natural plasticizer and is used as a plasticizer. The industrial production takes place from glucose (grape sugar), which is obtained from corn and wheat starch; the glucose is then converted to glucitol by catalytic hydrogenation. As with all products that are produced via starch saccharification in Europe, there are no genetically engineered products on the market for sorbitol, although genetically modified organisms could be used to manufacture sorbitol. In the present invention, sorbitol is used as a lubricant and a humectant.

E 420 is preferred. “Vegetarian sorbitol” or “vegan sorbitol” is also preferred. As a food additive, E 420 is generally approved for all foods. In the present invention, the addition of sorbitol increases the mobility of the material.

"Auxiliaries" are substances that give the granulate and products made from it further advantageous properties, for example in terms of shape, manufacturability, stability. Auxiliaries include, for example, antioxidants, baking powder, binders, emulsifiers, stabilizers, colorants, fragrances or odor neutralizers and / or shine agents. These auxiliary materials are biodegradable. Odor neutralizers include substances made from vanilla, lemon, lavender or fir.

"Rubber" refers to natural rubber as an emulsion with water, as well as natural latex or natural latex milk, such as Natural Latex Laguna from Colok GmbH. The latex or rubber emulsion may additionally comprise a separating means such Struktol ^® or ammonia. The preferred solids content of a rubber emulsion is 60% rubber. Natural latex and rubber emulsion refer to the same emulsion and are to be understood interchangeably.

“Anti-stick additives”, also “anti-sticking agents” or “anti-tack additives” or “anti-tack agents” prevent granules according to the invention from sticking to one another, but they can only become diverse when the granules are processed Products can be added optionally. The terms are known to those skilled in the art. The exact compositions of such anti-stick or anti-tack additives are manufacturer-specific. Anti-tack additives are preferred when using rubber emulsion or latex. Anti-stick additives or anti-tack additives include oils, glycerine, sorbitol, lecithin, vegetable fats and vegetable stearates.

“Residual moisture” describes the moisture content in the finished granulate or the product made from it. A residual moisture of, for example, 20% means that the moisture content in the finished granulate is still 20%. The residual moisture is measured using an electronic moisture indicator such as a wood moisture meter.

Figures in% are to be understood as mass fraction or weight percent (% by weight), unless expressly stated otherwise. If, for example, a mixture of which granulate is produced consists of 50% starch and 50% thickening and / or gelling agent, then a mixture with a weight of 1000 g consists of 500 g starch and 500 g thickening and / or gelling agent. If 70% water, based on the total weight of the mixture, is added to this mixture (1000 g), 700 g of water are added.

Any additives and components of the present invention are approved for use in food and are based on purely vegetable or natural sources.

Biodegradable and compostable granulate

This granulate can be used to manufacture products with styrofoam-like properties.

The mass fraction of starch in the granulate outweighs the other components. The proportion of liquid is very high and must have a residual moisture of 30-40%, preferably 35%, in order to be able to be used for the production of styrofoam-like products. The granulate made from variants 1-6 is used, for example, to manufacture insulating drinking cups or as packaging flakes / packaging "styrofoam".

The granulate has a residual moisture content of 30-40% and a solids composition of Strength 75-90 Natural fibers 1-10% Thickening and / or Gelling agent 0-10% Optional accessories 0-10%

The vegetable starch is native untreated starch and includes wheat starch, potato starch, corn starch, rice starch, tapioca starch or starch made from cassava, tuber bean, potato, yam, tuber pea, arakacha, tuberous wood sorrel, tuberous nasturtium, ulluco, East Indian arrowroot, arrowroot, Taro, tannia, white water lily, yellow pond rose or chayote, preferably potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch or a mixture thereof.

The natural fibers include vegetable fibers such as straw fibers, grass fibers, cellulose, wood pulp and fibers of the baobab tree. The cellulose and / or wood pulp is preferably made at least partially from baobab or bamboo plant material. The vegetable natural fibers increase the mechanical stability and breaking strength of the granulate and the products made from it and can thus prevent the products from kinking, splintering or tearing. The granules of the present invention contain up to 10% cellulose, wood pulp or vegetable fibers. A higher content would complicate further processing into products, since the products produced would be too brittle. Particularly good mechanical properties result from a content of 4-10%. Compared to wood pulp, cellulose has the advantage that the products produced are more transparent. A fiber length of 0.7-1.1mm is optimal. Longer fibers can delay or completely prevent the swelling process of the granulate and the cross-linking of the raw materials in the granulate during further processing of the granulate, i.e. when manufacturing a desired product. Shorter fibers have no effect on increased stability of the end product.

The granules can additionally comprise one or more of the following additives.

The granules can optionally contain vegetable thickening and / or gelling agents comprising guar gum, xanthan gum, agar agar, pectin, carrageenan, alginate, locust bean gum, sago, gum arabic, rice flour, durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina or a mixture thereof.

The thickening agent is preferably guar gum and xanthan gum, devil's tongue, agar agar or pectin, and a mixture of guar gum and xanthan gum is most preferred.

The granules can additionally comprise vegetable glycerine and / or sorbitol. In this case, glycerine is preferably used as a solution, but it can also be added to the liquid portion in dry form. Vegetable glycerine has water-storing properties. It is used as a moisturizer and emollient. The flexibility of the granulate and the products made from it can be increased by adding glycerine. As an alternative to glycerine, the mixture can comprise sorbitol.

Furthermore, the granulate can additionally comprise wax, preferably rapeseed wax, soy wax or carnauba wax, most preferably rapeseed wax as a solid. The presence of wax in the granulate means that products made from it are more resistant to liquids such as water, oils and fats. The addition of wax to the granules can reduce the stability of the product in contact with a liquid by at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 25%. increase at least 30% or even more than 30%.

In addition, the granules can also include natural rubber / natural latex / natural latex milk. Natural rubber increases the resistance of the granulate and the products made from it to water, fat and oil. The addition of the highly resistant natural rubber in the granulate can increase the stability of the product on contact with a liquid by at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 100% or even more than 100%. Natural rubber can also serve as the main component of a coating on products made from granules.

The granulate can additionally comprise a further biopolymer. Biopolymers also increase the resistance of the products made from the granulate to water, fat and oil. The addition of highly resistant biopolymers in the granulate can increase the stability of the product made from them when it comes into contact with a liquid by at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 100% or even more than 100%.

The granules can also comprise oil, preferably nut or rapeseed oil. Oil improves the flow properties of the raw material during production into granules as well as the granules during the production of the product.

The granules can also contain one or more preservatives. By adding preservatives to the material of the granulate, mold growth of the granulate or product can be counteracted. Preservatives include E 220 sulfur dioxide / sulfurous acid, E 221 sodium sulfite, E 222 sodium hydrogen sulfite, E 223 sodium disulfite, E 224 potassium disulfite, E 226 calcium sulfite, E 227 calcium hydrogen sulfite, E 228 potassium hydrogen sulfite or a mixture thereof. These preservatives are listed as food additives which, in addition to the classic properties of a preservative, also counteract the breakdown of colorants, vitamins, fragrances and flavors optionally present in the granulate through the influence of oxygen. This means that the general shelf life of the granulate and the product made from it is retained longer.

Furthermore, the granules can additionally comprise vinegar and / or lecithin. Vinegar and lecithin are used to bind the ingredients in the granulate. The individual ingredients of the granulate can be combined better and more homogeneously by adding vinegar and lecithins.

The granules can additionally comprise a vegetable stearate such as magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate and / or aluminum tristearate. Magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate and aluminum tristearate are used as glidants or lubricants. The granulate or products made from it are therefore less adherent and can be more easily removed from casting molds, for example. In some embodiments, the granulate preferably comprises between 0.25 and 5%, preferably 1% magnesium stearate, 0.1-0.2% calcium stearate, 0.1-0.4% zinc stearate and / or 1.6% aluminum tristearate.

The present granulate also does not include any bioplastics, no bio-based plastics and no petroleum-based biopolymers. Bioplastics are understood to mean all biopolymers that are obtained through chemical modification of natural and / or vegetable raw materials. Certain petroleum-based polymers are also biodegradable and therefore “biopolymers” by definition. Petroleum-based polymers include polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polycaprolactones (PCL), and polyglycolide (PGA). Petroleum-based polymers are not used here and are not part of the granulate or the articles of daily use obtained from them. Bio-based plastics that have been produced by extensive chemical modification of the biogenic raw materials (e.g. polylactides (PLA) from lactic acid produced with the help of white biotechnology) are not included in the granulate or the commodities made from them. In addition to polylactide (PLA), bio-based plastics also include polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), epoxyacylates and lignin-based substances such as thermoplastics.

The granules can optionally be added to food coloring, conventional flavors, preferably essential oils, fragrances, tastes and the like.

Preferred variants of these granules have the following solid composition in addition to a residual moisture of 30-40% Version 1: Wheat starch 89% Natural fibers 10% (preferably in a length of 1.9mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Variant 2: Wheat starch 89% Natural fibers 9% (preferably in a length of 1 mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Food coloring (Spirulina) 1% Variation 3: Wheat starch 80% Guar gum 9% Natural fibers 9% (preferably in a length of 0.9 mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Food coloring (Spirulina) 1% Variation 4: Wheat starch 80% Guar gum 6% Xanthan gum 3% Natural fibers 9% (preferably in a length of 1.2 mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Food coloring (Spirulina) 1% Variation 5: Wheat starch: 80% Cellulose: 9% Magnesium stearate: 1% Variation 6: Wheat starch: 80% Plant fibers: 9% Magnesium stearate: 1%

Process for the production of the granulate according to the invention

1. a) Herstellen einer Mischung aus festen und flüssigen Bestandteilen.
2. b) Formen eines Granulatstrangs;
3. c) Aushärten und Entfeuchten des Granulatstrangs, wobei das Granulat eine Restfeuchte von 30-40% zurück bleibt
4. d) Schneiden des in c) erzeugten Granulatstrangs zu Granulat;

A method for making the granules of the present invention is also provided. The process has the following steps:

1. a) Preparation of a mixture of solid and liquid components.
2. b) forming a strand of granules;
3. c) Hardening and dehumidifying the strand of granules, the granules having a residual moisture of 30-40%
4. d) cutting the strand of granules produced in c) into granules;

In some embodiments, the method comprises step d), cutting the strand into granules before step c), curing and dehumidifying.

Step a

In step a) vegetable starch and natural fibers, and optionally vegetable thickening and gelling agents, are mixed with liquid comprising water to form a powdery mixture. This is done with a mixer that stirs the mixture into a homogeneous mass. The mixture can optionally also contain glycerine, sorbitol, vegetable fibers, cellulose, wood pulp, preservatives, flavors, wax (preferably rapeseed wax, carnauba wax or soy wax), natural rubber (preferably as an emulsion or powder), stearate (preferably magnesium stearate), oil (preferably nut oil) , Vinegar and lecithin and / or other additives described herein.

The solid / dry components should first be mixed (starch, thickening or gelling agent, fibers, etc.). The liquid ingredients (water, glycerine, oil, food coloring, flavorings, etc.) are then measured based on the weight of the mixture of solid / dry ingredients and mixed together before the mixture of liquid ingredients is added to the mixture of solid ingredients and the Mixtures are then blended. This prevents the mass from clumping and improves the homogeneous distribution of the individual components in the mass, which is then compressed and extruded.

Preferred Embodiments

The granulate is made from a mixture consisting of: Strength 75-90% Natural fibers 1-10% Thickening and / or Gelling agent 0-10% Optional accessories 0-10% Based on the weight of this mixture Liquid ingredients including water 70-80%

Preferred variants of the mixture for the production of these granules are: Version 1: Wheat starch 89% Natural fibers 10% (preferably in a length of 1.9mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Based on the weight of this mass addition of water 70% Vegetable glycerin 5% Rapeseed oil 4% Variant 2: Wheat starch 89% Natural fibers 9% (preferably in a length of 1 mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Food coloring (Spirulina) 1% Based on the weight of this mass addition of water 70% Variation 3: Wheat starch 80% Guar gum 9% Natural fibers 9% (preferably in a length of 0.9 mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Food coloring (Spirulina) 1% Based on the weight of this mass addition of water 70% Variation 4: Wheat starch 80% Guar gum 6% Xanthan gum 3% Natural fibers 9% (preferably in a length of 1.2 mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Food coloring (Spirulina) 1% Based on the weight of this mass addition of water 70% Variation 5: Wheat starch: 80% Cellulose: 9% Magnesium stearate: 1% In relation to the dry matter: Water: 70% Variation 6: Wheat starch: 80% Plant fibers: 9% Magnesium stearate: 1% In relation to the dry matter: Water: 55%

Step b

In step b), the mixture from step a) is shaped into one or more granulate strands by extrusion. A "single" or "twin extruder" can be used. The powdery to viscous mass from a) is fed directly into a feed hopper of an extruder, via which the mass is transferred via an intake into the cylinder of the extruder. The intake should have a temperature of 45 ° C. The material can be processed in the cylinder at a temperature between 50 ° C and 110 ° C. The compacted mass is guided by the rotation of the screw to one or preferably several outlets and pressed / extruded through them. Optionally, in a decompression zone in front of the one or more outlets, the water can be withdrawn from the compressed mass via a degassing dome. In this way, the compacted mass is formed into one or more granulate strands.

Step c

In step c) the granulate strands are dried and cured. This can for example done by drying with aeration / ventilation or air dehumidifier. However, it must always be ensured that the granulate has a residual moisture of 30-40%. If the granulate is used as packaging flakes, a residual moisture of 2-30% is preferred, most preferably 2-5%.

Step d

In step d), the granulate strands from step c) are cut into granulate with the aid of rotating blades. Optionally, the blades used for this can be cooled with water. The granulate is cubic or cylindrical or can be cut into platelets or flakes.

Optional step d) before step c)

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, after step b), the strand of granules is first cut into the desired length into granules and only then dried. The solidification can take place, for example, in a drying tunnel or by fans. The result is granules in the shape of cylinders, pearls or lentils.

Other optional steps

The method can also include irradiating the granulate or product for sterilization with UV light.

The finished granulate can then be packed and transported in sacks, boxes or other containers.

Manufacture of styrofoam-like products

The shapes and objects that are preferably produced from this granulate are produced by injection molding. When processing these mixtures into a product, it must be taken into account that a conveying screw is used that is heated to between 75 ° C and 95 ° C, preferably to 85 ° C. It should also be noted that the tool should have a temperature of 220 ° C-240 ° C. 220 ° C. are preferred. In order to obtain a styrofoam-like product, only a small amount of filling volume is injected into the mold, which then swells in the mold. Water vapor and gases escape. This creates a material with a lower density but with air spaces, which makes the material lighter and at the same time gives it excellent insulating properties and a lower conductivity. Thus, for example, 80 ° C hot coffee in the mug can easily be held by the consumer in the hand without being burned. With a conventional coffee mug made of coated cardboard, either a so-called “sleeve” is required or a double-walled mug is used right from the start so as not to burn your hand. The addition of fibers can also increase the breaking and tearing strength of a styrofoam-like product.

With this material with a high proportion of starch and low injection volume in the mold, the addition of natural fibers is essential for the functionality of the product. Without the added fibers, especially with a starch content of over 80%, the product produced would break very easily and would not withstand use and would break easily when used in the hand of the consumer.

Examples

Example 1: Production of “Styrofoam substitute” granules, so-called “packaging flakes” by foaming

The starting material for the production of the granulate corresponds to variant 2 Wheat starch 89% Natural fibers 9% (preferably in a length of 1 mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Food coloring (Spirulina) 1% Based on the weight of this mass addition of water 70%

This starting material was stirred into a mixture in a mixer (35 ° C.) (10 minutes).

The viscous mass was then poured directly into a twin extruder. A twin extruder is able to foam the mass due to the evaporation of water.

The twin extruder drew in the mass, compacted it and "plasticized" it while adding energy, and at the same time ensured a homogeneous mixture. The heated screw conveyor with five heating elements (in the order: 70 ° C - 80 ° C - 90 ° C - 100 ° C - 100 ° C) led the mass to the nozzles (approx. 160 ° C) and pressed the mass out. A high temperature nozzle at around 160 ° C causes the extruded mass to swell by the escape of water vapor from the mass. In this way, the mass was formed into strands with larger air spaces and cooled on a conveyor belt that leads through a fan tunnel. The strands produced were now made with a blade cut into larger flakes. The blade was cooled with water. Thus, packaging flakes were obtained. This gives the material good heat and sound insulation properties and is very light.

Example 2: Production of granules for an insulating product (cup)

The starting material for the granulate corresponds to variant 1: Wheat starch 89% Natural fibers 10% (preferably in a length of 1.9mm) Magnesium stearate 1% Based on the weight of this mass addition of water 70% Vegetable glycerin 5% Rapeseed oil 4%

The starting material was stirred into a mixture in a mixer until all the components of the mixture had mixed well (approx. 10-15 minutes).

The still powdery mass was then fed directly into an extruder. This drew in the mass produced, compacted and "plasticized" it while adding energy and at the same time ensured a homogeneous mixture. The heated channel of the screw conveyor was heated with five heating elements (in the order: 35C ° - 60C ° - 60C ° - 65C ° - 25C °) and led the mass to the outlets and pressed the mass out. In this way the mass was formed into strands and cooled by fans on a conveyor belt. The strands produced were then cut into granules with a rotating blade. The blade went through brushes that you cleaned before the cut. A lens-shaped granulate was thus produced. The granulate then hardened for 2 days and was finally packaged.

The finished granulate has a residual moisture content of 30-40% and a solid composition Wheat starch 89% Natural fibers 10% Magnesium stearate 1%

Example 3: Production of an insulating product (cup) from the granulate according to Example 2

The starting material is the granules from Example 7 (variant L).

To produce an injection-molded product, the granulate was filled into a rotating screw located in the cylinder of the injection molding machine via a funnel or an automatic feeder AZ with the aid of a vacuum suction system. The granulate was then conveyed in the direction of the screw tip by the rotation. Friction heat was generated by dividing and shearing the granulate, which, together with the heating of the cylinder, ensured that the granulate was homogenized. The screw should be a conveyor screw and be heated to 85 ° C. The mass was thus pre-compressed and homogenized

The mass accumulates at the screw tip, where the outlet nozzle is located, which was closed at this point in time. This created pressure on the mass. Since the screw can move axially, it unscrewed itself, like a corkscrew, backwards out of the molten mass under the pressure created at the screw tip. The backward movement of the screw was braked by a hydraulic cylinder or by means of an electrical control. This created dynamic pressure in the mass. This dynamic pressure in connection with the rotation of the screw compacted and further homogenized the mass.

As soon as the amount of compacted mass was sufficient for the volume of the workpiece to be manufactured, the rotation of the screw was stopped and the dosing process ended. At the same time, the screw was actively relieved of the load in order to decompress the mass.

The injection unit then approached the clamping unit. It was pressed against the nozzle and at the same time the screw was put under pressure on the back. This created a pressure of around 1500 bar, with the help of which the compound was pressed through the nozzle via the sprue system of the tool into its cavity. A backflow was prevented by means of a non-return valve to prevent the material from shooting out due to water evaporation. The mold was heated to 220 ° C. Here, an injection volume of 20% of the volume of the mold was injected, as the material expanded due to the high heat and adapted to the shape. In addition, gases and water vapor escape from the mold via an outlet valve. The baking process takes about 25 seconds. Then the ejector side of the tool opened. The molded part (e.g. cup) was separated from the mold by means of air pressure. The cups were then attached to spray nozzles by a robot arm using suction cups, which coated the molded part with an emulsion consisting of 25% natural latex, 25% rapeseed wax and 50% water in a rotating backward movement. The cups were then transported through a drying tunnel (top / bottom heat 65 ° C for 15 min, 12 meters).

Ultimately, the product was stacked and packaged. We received a styrofoam / cardboard-like product, in this case a mug.

The granules of the present invention can be processed immediately into an end product without further pretreatment or addition of further raw materials. The granulate provided is therefore a “ready-to-use” product.

A granulate according to the invention which does not yet contain any additives such as colorings, flavors, fragrances or stearates, these additives can also be added to the granulate during further processing. In this way, products with different colors or smells can be made from a “standard granulate”. The additives are added to the hopper of the injection molding machine or extruder together with the granulate.

Coating

The resulting product can be coated with a coating comprising natural rubber / natural latex and / or wax, preferably rapeseed wax or carnauba wax. A coating is particularly advantageous for products that are in direct contact with liquids, such as drinking cups.

A wax-based coating which contains wax as the main component (wax layer) comprises 30-50% wax, preferably carnauba wax or rapeseed wax, 50-70% water and optionally auxiliaries and / or one or more anti-stick additives. The wax-based emulsion preferably contains 32.5% carnauba wax, 17.5% paraffin and 50% water or 32.5% carnauba wax, 17.5% natural latex and 50% water. Another preferred wax emulsion consists of 50% carnauba wax and 50% water.

Particularly preferred is a natural latex-based coating which contains natural latex as the main component and also comprises fillers. A natural latex-based emulsion consists of 50-95% natural latex 5-10% wax, preferably carnauba wax or rapeseed wax, and optionally auxiliaries and / or one or more anti-stick additives. Other natural latex-based emulsions contain 10% carnauba wax and 90% rubber emulsion, consisting of 60% solid rubber and 40% water or natural latex milk; 5% carnauba wax, 45% rubber and 50% water; 5% rapeseed wax, 45% rubber and 50% water; 5% carnauba wax and 95% natural latex; or 5% carnauba wax, 2% glycerine, 93% natural latex.

In addition, the outer coating can comprise one or more anti-stick additives. The presence of such additives prevents the individual products from sticking together later when they are stacked or strung together or stored and kept next to one another. Anti-stick additives of the present invention are oils comprising rapeseed oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil, preferably rapeseed oils. The oil is added at 0-5%, preferably at 0.5-1%, most preferably at 0.5% of the amount of the coating emulsion. Another anti-stick additive is sunflower lecithin or soy lecithin. This can also be added to an oil so that the oil blends with the wax emulsion. An additional anti-stick additive is a stearate, such as magnesium stearate of vegetable origin. This can be added to the wax emulsion in an amount of 0.25% -0.75%, preferably 0.3%. The optional anti-stick additive glycerine can either be added to the coating emulsion or sprayed onto the cured first coating as a kind of second coating by means of nozzles or applied by immersion in glycerine solution.

Claims (17)

Granules consisting of natural, preferably purely vegetable components comprising starch and natural vegetable fibers having a solid composition consisting of Vegetable starch 75-90% Natural fibers 1-10% Thickening and / or Gelling agent 0-10% Optional accessories 0-10%, the granules have a residual moisture content of 30-40%. Granulate after Claim 1 , the solid composition being from Vegetable starch 80-90% Natural fibers 8-10% Optional accessories 0-2% exists and has a residual moisture of 30-40%. Granulate after Claim 1 or 2 where the vegetable starch is native starch and wheat starch, potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch or starch from manioc, tuber bean, potato, yam, tuber pea, arakacha, tuberous sorrel, tuberous nasturtium, ulluco, East Indian arrowroot, arrowroot, achira, taro Tannia, white water lily, yellow pond rose or chayote, preferably wheat starch, potato starch, corn starch, rice starch, tapioca starch or a mixture thereof. Granules according to one of the Claims 1 - 3 , wherein the natural fibers include vegetable fibers such as straw fibers, grass fibers, cellulose, wood pulp and fibers of the baobab tree. Granulate after Claim 4 , the natural fibers having a fiber length of 0.7 to 1.1 mm. Granules according to one of the Claims 1 - 5 , the thickening and / or gelling agent comprising guar gum, xanthan gum, devil's tongue, agar agar, pectin, carrageenan, alginate, locust bean gum, sago, gum arabic, rice flour, durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina or a mixture thereof. Granules according to one of the Claims 1 - 6th , wherein the optional additives include vegetable glycerin and / or sorbitol, wax, natural rubber, biopolymer, oil, preservatives, vinegar, lecithin, vegetable stearate, food coloring, flavors, fragrances and a mixture thereof. Granules according to one of the Claims 1 - 7th , wherein the granulate does not include any bioplastics, any chemically modified polymers including bio-based polymers including polylactide (PLA), polyhydoxyalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and no petroleum-based biopolymers. Granules according to one of the Claims 1 - 8th , whereby all ingredients of the granules are suitable for contact with food and consumption of the granules by humans or animals would not be harmful. Use of the granulate according to one of the Claims 1 - 9 as a starting material for the production of biodegradable, preferably compostable everyday objects. Use after a Claim 10 , wherein the granulate is used as the sole starting material for the production of biodegradable, preferably compostable everyday objects. Use of the granulate according to one of the Claims 1 - 9 as packaging flakes. Biodegradable, preferably compostable utility article made from granules according to one of the Claims 1 - 9 . Biodegradable, preferably compostable commodity after Claim 13 , whereby the commodity is suitable for skin contact and food contact. Biodegradable, preferably compostable commodity after Claim 13 or 14th , wherein the material of the commodity has properties similar to styrofoam. Biodegradable, preferably compostable commodity according to one of the Claims 13 - 15th , wherein the styrofoam-like commodity is a cup, a packaging box, a bowl, or a packaging container. Granules according to one of the Claims 1 - 9 and commodity according to one of the Claims 13 - 16 , wherein the granules and the commodity are compostable, preferably garden compostable.