UCIBIO Researchers turn gelatin into sustainable, unclonable security seals

Publication date

Sep 30, 2025

Susana Palam & Cecília Roque at the microscope

UCIBIO researchers from the Biomolecular Engineering research Lab at UCIBIO – NOVA FCT have found an innovative way to produce unclonable, sustainable, and highly secure authenticity tags made from gelatin. The study, published in Communications Materials (Nature Portfolio), showed how a simple, biodegradable material can be transformed into a powerful tool to fight counterfeiting and protect consumers worldwide. The research work was developed by Susana Palma, Efthymia Ramou, and Cecília Roque, who coordinated the study and is the head of the Biomolecular Engineering research Lab and the Director of UCIBIO.

Counterfeit goods, from fashion and electronics to toys and even medicines, represent a serious threat to public health and the global economy. This discovery offers a bio-based solution that combines enhanced security with environmental sustainability. “We found that by combining gelatin with light-manipulating molecules, we could create a novel material with unique optical properties, much like fingerprints, that cannot be replicated. These optical gelatins work as microscopic, nearly invisible security tags that can be directly applied to products”, explains Susana Palma, first author of the study.

The technology allows product authenticity to be verified through a dual-level authentication process. At a basic level, using a simple microscope or even a smartphone, distinct color patterns, resembling tiny rainbows, emerge, and each tag has a unique pattern. No two are alike. At a more advanced level, the modified gelatin changes its optical patterns when exposed to vapors such as acetone, creating a dynamic response that makes the tags impossible to counterfeit. Made of around 80% biodegradable materials, the tags are easy to produce, safe, and environmentally friendly.

“With this research, we show that a simple, natural material like gelatin can be turned into a powerful tool against counterfeiting while contributing to a more sustainable future,” highlights Cecília Roque. The work also shows a clear pathway from fundamental research to innovation. Initially supported by a European Research Council (ERC) grant awarded to Cecília Roque, the project was later funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT IP) to develop a prototype authentication system combining optical gelatin tags with artificial intelligence to prevent counterfeiting.

The research was conducted at UCIBIO – NOVA FCT, part of the Associated Laboratory i4HB – Institute for Health and Bioeconomy.

optical gelatin can be processed into different formats

Caption: The optical gelatin can be processed into different formats, including as an ink, brushed onto the surface of an earring, revealing a unique optical texture when observed under a polarised optical microscope.

gelatin optical ionogels