Compost or Eat Your Containers
References: wipo.int & newscientist
Let's face it: current food packaging, on one hand, is useful to keep food fresher, but is wasteful. Think of all the plastic and polystyrene containers that are just tossed away after you bring food home to cook and eat. There is enough going to landfills as it is.
Edible packaging in itself is not new. Usually these involve some starchy material which, unfortunately, dissolve when they come in contact with water. A patent filed by Canadian food scientist Jung Han from the University of Manitoba involves making edible packaging more likely to be widely adopted. He shows that introducing beeswax to pea starch will make the product resistant to water. The mixture can be spread into thin films.
There is no word yet on what edible food packaging actually tastes like. But even if people don't eat it, the packaging can be tossed into the compost bin and not the landfill.
Edible packaging in itself is not new. Usually these involve some starchy material which, unfortunately, dissolve when they come in contact with water. A patent filed by Canadian food scientist Jung Han from the University of Manitoba involves making edible packaging more likely to be widely adopted. He shows that introducing beeswax to pea starch will make the product resistant to water. The mixture can be spread into thin films.
There is no word yet on what edible food packaging actually tastes like. But even if people don't eat it, the packaging can be tossed into the compost bin and not the landfill.
Trend Themes
1. Edible Food Packaging - Beeswax-infused pea starch creates water-resistant edible packaging, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional packaging materials.
2. Waste Reduction - Edible packaging encourages composting and reduces landfill waste by providing an eco-friendly solution for food containers.
3. Innovative Materials - Exploring the use of beeswax and pea starch opens up opportunities for further innovation in creating new sustainable packaging materials.
Industry Implications
1. Packaging Industry - The packaging industry can leverage the development of edible packaging to create new eco-friendly options for food packaging, potentially disrupting the market.
2. Food & Beverage Industry - Food and beverage companies can benefit from adopting edible packaging as a sustainable packaging solution, capturing the growing demand for eco-friendly options.
3. Environmental Services Industry - The environmental services industry can provide composting and waste management solutions to support the adoption of edible packaging, contributing to a more sustainable future.
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