Daffodil International University wins National Environment Fest 2026 championship

The students develop biodegradable packaging alternative to plastic

A team from the Department of Nutrition and Food Engineering at Daffodil International University has emerged champion at the 1st National Environment Fest 2026 held at the University of Barishal.

Organised by the Barishal University Environmental Conservation Society, the competition took place on May 9, bringing together teams from universities across the country.

The Daffodil team, named Team EcoPoly, secured the top position with a project titled “Biodegradable Food-Grade Packaging Films from Palmyra Palm (Bacterial Nanocellulose via Fermentation)”, the university said in a media statement.

The project proposes an environmentally friendly and food-grade alternative to plastic packaging using bacterial nanocellulose technology developed through fermentation of Palmyra Palm resources.

Team members included Md Mehedi Hasan, Md Rakib Shahriar and Dewan Md Touhiduzzaman Sajib, all students of the nutrition and food engineering department.

The project was supervised by Juwel Rana, assistant professor of the department.

According to the university, the innovation focuses on reducing plastic waste by introducing sustainable packaging materials.

The achievement reflects the university’s emphasis on research, innovation and sustainability-driven education, the statement read.