Heinz and Ford Partner to Create Tomato-based Automotive Parts

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Whether you’re someone who loves ketchup or can’t stand it — have you considered using tomatoes to build cars? Maybe not. Even so, H.J. Heinz and Ford Motor Company revealed a new partnership to research repurposing tomato byproducts for car parts

The idea is that skins, peels, stems and seeds would be recycled to make a plant-based plastic. Once manufactured, the material would be used for wiring brackets or vehicle storage bins. Ford has been collaborating with Coca-Cola, Nike and Procter & Gamble to research the development of plant-based plastic that can be used from fabric to packaging.

“We are exploring whether this food-processing byproduct makes sense for an automotive application,” said Ellen Lee, a plastics research technical specialist for Ford. “Our goal is to develop a strong, lightweight material that meets our vehicle requirements, while at the same time reducing our overall environmental impact.”

Fore more information, visit Heinz and Ford.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.