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# University of Nottingham secures £1.4 million for mushroom EPS packaging alternative
- URL: https://www.packagingeurope.com/university-of-nottingham-secures-1-4-million-for-mushroom-eps-packaging-alternative/
- Published: 2026-11-05T11:17:27.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-05T11:21:42.000Z
- Author: Packaging Europe staff writers
- Tags: Collaboration, Renewables, Protection, News

**The** [**University of Nottingham**](https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/?ref=packagingeurope.com) **has secured £1.4 million (around €1.6 million) in funding to research a mycelium composite alternative to expanded polystyrene (EPS) protective and transit packaging in partnership with** [**Swansea University**](https://www.swansea.ac.uk/?ref=packagingeurope.com)**, the** [**University of Bath**](https://www.bath.ac.uk/?ref=packagingeurope.com) **and the** [**Magical Mushroom Company**](https://magicalmushroom.com/?ref=packagingeurope.com) **(MMC).**

The new research project is due to run for 2 years with support from the [Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council](https://www.ukri.org/councils/epsrc/?ref=packagingeurope.com) (EPSRC) through its Materials Innovation Partnerships programme. MMC will contribute its technical knowledge, access to manufacturing facilities and staff time.

The partners plan to investigate how fungal biology, material structure and surface treatments can improve packaging performance and extend its use as an alternative to expanded polystyrene (EPS). While current EPS packaging provides lightweight cushioning and impact protection, Nottingham University says its persistence in the environment, reliance on petrochemical feedstocks and limited recyclability highlight the need for more sustainable solutions.

The University states there is a need for high-performance, biodegradable alternatives to new plastic packaging in the UK due to current taxes and fees to cover the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging. The project builds on MMC’s existing commercial manufacture of mushroom packaging at its Beeston facility in Nottinghamshire, which supplies commercial customers including [Raymarine](https://www.raymarine.com/?ref=packagingeurope.com).

MMC says it will lead the project’s industrial translation with its technical team involved across all four work packages. Trials within the company’s manufacturing environment will assess consistency between batches, throughput, defects, energy use and cost. The results will guide further development and help identify practical routes to commercial use.

Elsewhere, materials and engineering researchers across the partnership will develop surface treatments without fluorine to improve moisture resistance, surface durability and resistance to biological deterioration under demanding storage conditions. The research also seeks to establish how a composite’s internal structure affects its ability to absorb impacts, withstand repeated loading and retain performance during humidity exposure.

Dr Juliana Calabria-Holley, associate professor and co-director of the University of Bath's RENEW: Regenerative Design and Engineering for a Net Positive World Research Centre, said:

"At the University of Bath, we will apply our expertise in the structure-property characterization of porous biomaterials to optimize strength, water resistance, and long-term durability. Using nano-scale testing, electron microscopy, and cutting-edge sol-gel surface engineering, we will help ensure that next-generation mycelium packaging is not only sustainable, but also robust, resilient, and fit for real-world applications."

In related news, this summer researchers at [Kyushu University](https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/?ref=packagingeurope.com) reported they had created a [flexible film](https://www.packagingeurope.com/kyushu-university-researchers-develop-self-repairing-film-with-freshness-indicator/) that can repair its own cuts to keep bacteria out during shipping and handling. The film is also embedded with a natural plant pigment that shifts colour as food spoils, using anthocyanins - the pigments behind the colour of purple sweet potatoes and red cabbage – to track chemical signature shifts in food such as meat.

The same month, the [University of Oulu](https://www.oulu.fi/en?ref=packagingeurope.com) revealed it was [developing](https://www.packagingeurope.com/university-of-oulu-pilots-wood-bark-based-coating-for-fibre-based-packaging/) coating materials from suberin (a natural compound found in birch bark) for applications such as fibre-based packaging materials, tested in partnership with [UPM](https://www.upm.com/?ref=packagingeurope.com) and [Metsä Board](https://www.metsagroup.com/metsaboard/?ref=packagingeurope.com). The material is particularly suitable for food packaging applications where the coating needs to prevent moisture from passing through the packaging material and protect the product.

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