1- What is PLA? Its Relation to Corn? Why Was Such a Material Needed?

2- What Do the Products Look Like and Which Products Are Made from It?

3- How Is PLA Obtained?

PLA, produced from completely natural and renewable resources such as corn, provides the same properties as other synthetic plastics. Instead of being produced from petroleum, this new plastic is made using sugars obtained from plants through photosynthesis. After a simple process of fermentation, distillation, and polymerization—details of which will be explained below—the sugars extracted from these plants are transformed into polymers required by the packaging industry.

Because the use of petroleum, a depletable and limited fossil resource, has both environmental and economic impacts, it has become a major concern today. To secure their economies and independence, countries are making great efforts to research, develop, and implement non-petroleum alternatives. These initiatives, which began during the oil crisis of the 1970s, have borne fruit, and today many alternative biomaterials have been discovered—and continue to be developed. Among the most important of these materials is PLA.

PLA is derived from natural sources such as corn and can be used to produce thermoformed containers, lids, plates, boxes, cups, and packaging films. By using rapidly renewable biological resources like corn instead of petroleum, PLA consumes 20–50% less fossil resources, helping to protect our environment.

The MISIRPLAST series consists of products made from PLA resin produced from corn. These products are completely pure, natural, and derived from corn. All MISIRPLAST products fully biodegrade and return to soil within a certain period. They are produced close to you in Türkiye by SEM.

These products have excellent properties:
– High transparency and gloss for superior food and beverage service,
– Resistance to breakage,
– High rigidity, which allows the design of lower-weight products for cost advantages,
– Ability to preserve the smell and aroma of the food inside,
– Printable surfaces.

These products are ideal for cold food and beverage service. When not disposed of as waste but left in nature, they biodegrade, helping preserve natural landscapes. One of today’s most important ecological concepts—reducing the carbon footprint—is directly supported by these products. MISIRPLAST items contribute significantly less to greenhouse gas emissions. Visually, you may not notice any difference between a MISIRPLAST cup, plate, box, container, or lid and those made from conventional plastics, but because they are made from corn and fully decompose into soil within 6–8 weeks, they offer an excellent alternative for a more livable future.

Since these products biodegrade over time, they must be stored in dry places before use and must not be exposed to temperatures above 40°C.

How PLA Is Obtained from Corn

The story of how PLA—the main raw material of the MISIRPLAST series—is obtained from corn is as follows:

PLA is produced from corn starch extracted from the leaves of the corn plant. Carbon dioxide enters the plant through tiny pores on the leaves. The leaf veins supply water to the plant cells. Sunlight is captured inside small discs in the leaf called chloroplasts. Inside the chloroplasts, the plant produces sugar and oxygen. Plants use sugar as fuel for their growth. Excess sugar is stored in the kernels.

Farmers harvest the corn and sell it to mills. Mills cook the corn, softening it. Corn is cooked for 30–40 hours at 122°F (about 50°C). Wastewater is reused in later production steps or stored for use as animal feed. Machines grind the corn, and this mixture is passed through a filter to separate the starch. The starch is then converted into sugar.

Microorganisms ferment this sugar to produce lactic acid. Lactic acid molecules combine to form ring-shaped structures called lactide monomers. These lactide rings are then opened and linked together to form polylactide (PLA) polymers—a process called polymerization.

The material is then converted into small rice-sized pellets that the plastics industry can easily process. Finally, with specialized machinery, equipment, and technical knowledge, these pellets are transformed into products such as cups, plates, trays, containers, and lids.