HUID

HUID is a Scottish biorefinery startup converting onion skin agricultural waste into functional materials and ingredients for the packaging and food sectors. Our core innovation is a sequential mild extraction cascade recovering three co-products from a single waste stream - quercetin-rich phenolic extract, novel pectin, and cellulose fibre - using food-grade reagents and low-energy conditions. Our cellulose fibre offers a tree-free, recyclable alternative for paper-based packaging. Early composite testing at 20% inclusion indicates improved tensile strength and lower density for lightweighting. Porosity testing shows an increased barrier. As an MFC coating it shows further barrier potential. Commercial validation is advancing through relationships with paper mills and original equipment manufacturers, and interest from larger personal care and food parent companies. HUID holds a patent pending on the extraction process and is funded through Innovate UK grants.