Maya Ellison
Plastic is a synthetic polymer invented in 1869, and it has since become a major source of pollution. With plastic waste on the rise, scientists are looking for alternatives to combat this issue. One such alternative is edible packaging, which has been in use for centuries in the form of natural materials like banana leaves and collagen casings. Today, edible packaging is being developed from materials like seaweed, sugar, cornstarch, and recycled cooking oil, offering a potential solution to reduce plastic waste and provide a safe and sustainable food source. While edible packaging shows promise, it also faces challenges, such as consumer acceptance and the need for secondary packaging for handling and hygiene. Nonetheless, with growing environmental concerns, the development of edible packaging offers a glimmer of hope in the fight against plastic pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Edible packaging material | Seaweed, banana leaves, collagen, cellulose, sugar, cornstarch, recycled cooking oil, guar gum, hibiscus powder, soymilk, emulsions, waxes, etc. |
| Plastic waste | 78 million metric tons of plastic packaging produced globally each year, of which only 14% is recycled |
| Plastic waste increase | 6 million metric tons between 2019 and 2021 |
| Plastic bottles produced in the US each year | 50 billion |
| Plastic bottle recycling rate | 31% |
| Plastic bottle decomposition time | 450 years |
| Edible packaging benefits | Renewable, biodegradable, compostable, hyperdegradable, sustainable, reduces waste, safe, eco-friendly, natural, zero waste, no carbon-based raw materials |
| Edible packaging concerns | Hygiene, consumer preference, secondary packaging required for handling and hygiene, not as cheap, light, or versatile as plastic |
| Edible packaging examples | Ooho, Nuatan, WikiCells, This Too Shall Pass |
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What You'll Learn
Edible packaging
The idea of edible packaging is not new, but the time is now ripe for it to take hold in the food industry. Concern about plastic waste is growing globally, and the most common items that become litter and pollute the ocean are linked to food, such as wrappers, straws, cutlery, and bottles. Edible packaging offers hope, but it also has limitations. For instance, plastic is hard to beat for packaging: it is cheap, light, and versatile, with excellent mechanical properties. Eating a food wrapper also raises hygiene concerns, and not everyone wants to eat their food packaging.
Despite these challenges, in the right contexts, edible packaging could help reduce our reliance on plastic. It comes from renewable sources, and even if people don't want to eat it, it would still be hyperdegradable, disappearing much faster than single-use plastics or compostable bioplastics. Several manufacturers are developing or producing food packaging that is edible. One example is made from seaweed, which has the same function as plastic packaging but can be dissolved in warm water.
Another example of edible packaging is Nuatan, a bioplastic made from sugar, cornstarch, and recycled cooking oil. Nuatan has a chemical structure that safely breaks down when consumed, mulched, or composted. It can withstand temperatures exceeding 212° Fahrenheit (100° Celsius) and maintain its structural integrity for up to 15 years. These properties make Nuatan a perfect replacement for plastic products that are harmful to the environment, such as straws, grocery bags, and water bottles.
In addition to these modern innovations, edible packaging has been used for food preservation for centuries. The first known example of edible film used for food preservation was made in the 15th century from soy milk (Yuba) in Japan. In the 1930s, emulsions and waxes were developed to coat fruits, improve their appearance, control the ripening process, and decrease water loss.
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Bioplastics
The world is currently facing a plastic waste crisis, with the amount of plastic waste rising by 6 million metric tons between 2019 and 2021. This has led to a renewed interest in bioplastics, which are plastics manufactured from bio-based polymers and renewable biomass sources. Bioplastics have the potential to be a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastics, as they are independent of fossil fuels and can utilize waste materials such as straw, woodchips, and food waste. They also have a lower carbon footprint and can be biodegradable, making them conducive to industrial composting.
One example of a bioplastic is Nuatan, which is made from sugar, corn starch, and recycled cooking oil. Nuatan has a chemical structure that safely breaks down when consumed, making it edible, and it can withstand temperatures exceeding 212° Fahrenheit. It is also stronger and more resilient than existing bioplastics, making it a potential replacement for harmful plastic products such as straws, grocery bags, and water bottles.
Another example of an edible bioplastic is Ooho, a single-use edible package for water. However, Ooho has limitations, such as its small size and delicate membrane, which make it unsuitable for grocery stores.
While bioplastics have the potential to reduce plastic pollution, they are not a perfect solution. They are more expensive than traditional plastics and have different strength and functionality, which has limited their widespread adoption. Additionally, bioplastics still need to be recycled or composted properly to avoid becoming a source of pollution themselves, particularly in landfills where they can release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Despite these challenges, bioplastics represent a growing market, with continued research and investment in bioplastic companies. With rising scrutiny on fossil-based plastics, bioplastics are becoming more dominant in some markets, although the output of fossil plastics is also increasing.
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Converting plastic into edible food
While edible packaging has been used for centuries, the idea of converting plastic into edible food is a more recent development. In 2021, two U.S. scientists, Ting Lu and Stephen Techtmann, won the Future Insight Prize for their technology that converts plastic waste and inedible biomass into edible food. The process, called synthetic microbial biology, uses gene-hacked microbes to break down the molecules of end-of-life plastics and turn them into protein.
The technology developed by Lu and Techtmann is a two-step process. First, the plastic waste is heated to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen to break it down into its individual components, a process known as pyrolysis. Then, the broken-down plastic, which has become an oil-like substance, is fed to a specialized population of bacteria that will ingest it and grow, this is the fermentation step. The resulting bacterial cells are composed of around 55% protein, and this protein-rich biomass can be used as food.
The food generated by this process contains all the required nutrition, is non-toxic, and provides health benefits, according to the Merck Group, which has funded and recognized the project. The process also allows for personalization to meet specific nutritional needs.
While the technology has the potential to generate a safe and sustainable source of food while reducing the environmental harms associated with plastic waste, there are some challenges to its implementation. One challenge is overcoming the regulatory hurdles to human consumption, as marketing an edible product made from bacteria may be difficult due to consumer hesitancy. In addition, there are concerns about the purity of the plastics broken down and the potential for toxic byproducts. Finally, there is a question of scalability, whether the process can be adopted on a large enough scale to address nutritional needs and reduce plastic waste.
Despite these challenges, the development of technology to convert plastic into edible food represents a significant step towards reducing plastic pollution and creating a more sustainable future.
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Seaweed as a packaging base
Edible plastic has been invented, with several companies working on creating sustainable alternatives to traditional plastic packaging. Seaweed is a popular choice for an edible packaging base, with numerous benefits.
Seaweed is a sustainable and biodegradable resource that can be cultivated and harvested with minimal environmental impact. It grows quickly in both seawater and freshwater without requiring fertilizers, making it an ideal base for eco-friendly packaging. Seaweed is packed with vitamins, fiber, and minerals, and its natural polysaccharides, such as alginates and carrageenan, give it excellent film-forming abilities. This makes it perfect for creating flexible, strong, and edible films and coatings that can replace single-use plastics.
The use of seaweed as a packaging base can also contribute to waste management and reduce plastic pollution. Since seaweed-based packaging is biodegradable, it can naturally decompose, reducing the amount of plastic waste that contaminates the soil, water, and air. Additionally, seaweed packaging can be safely consumed by humans and marine life, further reducing the impact of plastic waste on the environment and marine ecosystems.
Several companies are already utilizing seaweed as a packaging base. Sway, for example, creates home-compostable packaging from seaweed-based materials, ensuring fair pay across the supply chain and investing in coastal communities where seaweed is produced. Other companies like Evoware and LOLIWARE Inc. offer a range of seaweed-based packaging solutions for food and non-food items, including sachets, wraps, and straws.
While seaweed-based packaging shows great promise, there are still challenges to its widespread adoption. Scalability, cost, and consumer acceptance are some of the hurdles that need to be addressed through continued research and development, as well as increased awareness and education. However, with the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly alternatives, seaweed-based packaging has the potential to become a game-changer in the world of packaging.
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Plastic pollution
To address this issue, scientists and companies are exploring innovative solutions, including edible packaging. Edible packaging is made from natural, biodegradable, plant-based materials such as seaweed, sugar, cornstarch, and recycled cooking oil. It can be safely consumed by humans and even fish and other water creatures, or it can dissolve in water, leaving no trace of waste. Edible packaging has been used in traditional food preservation methods for centuries, such as sausage casings and ice cream cones, and it is also found in nature, such as apple and grape skins that protect the fruit.
One example of modern edible packaging is Ooho, a sports drink capsule made from seaweed and handed out to marathon runners in London. The runners could consume the drink and the packaging, or if they chose to spit out the capsule, it would biodegrade within 4-6 weeks. Another example is Nuatan, a bioplastic made from sugar, cornstarch, and recycled cooking oil, which has a chemical structure that safely breaks down when consumed, mulched, or composted. Nuatan has been found to be stronger and more resilient than existing bioplastics and can withstand temperatures exceeding 212 °Fahrenheit (100 °Celsius) while maintaining its structural integrity for up to 15 years.
While edible packaging offers a promising solution to plastic pollution, it also presents some challenges. For instance, edible films and coatings might not be able to entirely replace synthetic packaging, especially for products that require secondary packaging for handling and hygienic practices. Additionally, some edible packaging options might not be appealing to consumers or suitable for certain types of products. However, with growing environmental concerns and the limitations of traditional recycling methods, there is a strong impetus for further development and improvement in edible packaging solutions.
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Frequently asked questions
Edible packaging is made of zero-waste packaging materials that can be used for food and beverages. It is made of natural, biodegradable, plant-based materials and can be eaten on the go, without needing waste collection, processing, recycling, or disposal.
Some examples of edible packaging include seaweed-based capsules, Nuatan, and WikiCells. Seaweed-based capsules are used to encase liquid in a waterproof film. Nuatan is a bioplastic made from sugar, cornstarch, and recycled cooking oil. WikiCells are edible skins that encase food or liquids in a protective barrier using natural food particles held together by nutritive ions.
Edible packaging offers a solution to the growing problem of plastic waste. It is renewable, biodegradable, and compostable, reducing long-term waste. It also comes from renewable sources and is hyperdegradable, disappearing much faster than single-use plastics or compostable bioplastics.
Edible packaging cannot entirely replace synthetic packaging. It often requires secondary packaging for handling and hygienic practices. It may also not be something that consumers want to eat, and it may not be suitable for all types of food and beverages.
