Edible food packaging is exactly as it sounds: packaging that you can eat. Often made from plant-based materials or starch, the ultimate aim is to reduce waste by creating a pack that’s both biodegradable and tasty. Packaging within this space comes in many forms, all of which are constantly being innovated and improved.

In recent years, edible food packaging has become a booming sector in the food industry. It represents a growing market with an ever-expanding range of options, including rice paper containers, wafer cups, coffee cups, spoons and chopsticks.

Edible packaging is hardly a new phenomenon, however. Nature has been creating 'edible packaging' for millions of years — fruits and seeds are her most perfected creations. Humans have in turn learned from nature's ingenuity to create consumable packaging — from collagen sausage casings to ice cream cones. People in some parts of Asia even use plates and bowls made of banana leaves that later become cattle feed.

Food for thought

Plastic is everywhere, its convenience has become so much a part of our lives that we often don’t see it or think of the ramifications of its use. Nowhere is this more apparent than when we shop for groceries. Produce, meat and soft drinks all come to us via plastic, much of it cradled on styrofoam trays and cocooned in plastic wrap.

Let's face it, plastic is exceptionally good at what it does, and that makes replacing it a near impossible task. Plastic protects food throughout today's complex supply chains, guarding it against bacteria, light, humidity, and pressure. It's also strong, clear and optimal for running on high speed production lines. The feedstock for plastics is also in ubiquitous supply and incredibly cheap. At least for now.

Developing a replacement for plastic is no easy feat — the material plays multiple roles in consumer products and removing it could trigger a series of changes across the manufacturing process. Alternatives would need to tick a number of boxes to be deemed viable – certainly not easy.

Edible alternatives

A growing number of researchers, packaging manufacturers and innovative pioneers are looking at turning seaweed as well as foods such as mushrooms, tomato peels, kelp and milk into edible — if not always palatable — replacements for plastics, coatings and other packaging materials. Many of their recent successes with edible packaging have been through a mixture of proteins and carbohydrates extracted from plants. Focussing on protein and carbohydrate based polymers, a lot of work has centred around creating effective edible packaging that’s just as strong as plastics. Plasticisers such as glycerol and sorbitol can make edible polymer films flexible and stretchy. They also act as moisture barriers, allowing food to be stored without spoiling.

Another new form of edible packaging, called casein films, is made from milk proteins and has been used for a number of food applications. Casein films are far superior to plastics in terms of freshness and oxygen absorption. The lack of starch makes the film less porous than plastic and, because it is made of milk, it has no taste and keeps food fresher longer. Casein, which is also one of the two components of milk, can be just as durable as plastic without the added taste or smell. Although it has the look of plastic, the end-user cannot detect any difference in taste between products made with casein and those made o fplastic. To make it even more durable, some manufacturers have even added citrus pectin, making the material stronger in high temperatures and humidity.

Early adopters, brands and applications

Inspired by nature, and the grape's natural protective membrane, a start-up has created an innovative packaging-free water bottle. Ooho Water uses water, air and seaweed to create a sustainable alternative to plastic water bottles that can be refilled over and over. The technology has also evolved into food applications.

Several brands have adopted seaweed into their production processes, but Ooho capsules are different from these brands in one respect: they use an entirely different technique to embed their contents. Frozen balls of the product are first dipped in a sodium alginate solution, then a calcium chloride solution, creating a capsule that looks quite different from the usual edible packaging on the market — and functions well enough to be filled with everything from water to whiskey. Calcium ions cross-link the alginate molecules into calcium alginate fibres before they can harden. This makes the resulting membrane waterproof and strong enough to be used as a packaging material.

Molecular gastronomy is an up-and-coming trending topic in the culinary world. Chefs employ the tactic to create fluid-filled pearls that are smaller-scale versions of these capsules. Molecular gastronomy is the scientific exploration of chemical and physical interaction with food, creating unorthodox and surprising flavours. Chefs can explore these unconventional techniques that focus on altering the textures, colours, and temperatures of their dishes without changing the flavour or appearance.

Sixty-five restaurants in London's West End are now offering ketchup and other condiments in Ooho sachets. And Glenlivet has sold Whisky cocktail mixers served in Ooho sachets at London Cocktail Week.

Loliware has harnessed the power of seaweed and red algae to create a new kind of food-grade straw that's both safe for the environment and for use by consumers. By mixing two natural ingredients — alginate (extracted from seaweed) and agar(extracted from red algae) — Loliware has created edible, plastic-like straws that hold up against wet environments, while also being 100% biodegradable.

Evoware is a small Indonesian cup company that has designed packaging composed of seaweed, which it says can be cheaper to produce and can be used as an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic. Evoware started with a goal of eliminating plastic from instant-noodle seasoning sachets, and now produces a line of coffee pouches, too. In addition to cutting plastic use—Indonesia is the second-biggest source of ocean plastic waste—Evoware hopes to provide income to local seaweed farmers.

In an attempt to make takeaway cups more environmentally friendly, some coffee shops have introduced edible cups — made from cookies and cream. Diners can consume the cup of their choice after their beverage is gone or throw it in the trash where it will break down organically, unlike Styrofoam or plastic.

Advantages

If you’re trying to change consumer behaviour, edible food packaging is an interesting option. More and more people are becoming environmentally conscious, and they don’t want their purchases to contribute to a wasteful society. Edible food packaging eliminates the typical waste cycle by being entirely edible or compostable, and it doesn’t require any recycling. What could be better for the environment?

Furthermore, this type of packaging can be applied to a variety of uses . With food products, we've only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible with edible packaging. For example, at the moment, casein-based edible coatings are most prevalent for shelf-stable grocery products. However, the technology has been adapted for use in products like soup and coffee — where casein can be used in combination with heat to dissolve the coating after consumption.

Disadvantages

Although this type of packaging has several inherent flaws, it has the potential to surpass traditional packaging if the issues are addressed. The biggest problem with edible material is in its instability — that is, the fact that materials like casein are not able to withstand long-term storage or transport. The instability of casein prohibits it from being used in any type of product where it must endure heat or water. Moisture and heat can cause the packaging to dissolve and become sticky. Temperature and moisture management may be able to solve these problems.

Another aspect to consider is that some of these edible packaging options may not be compatible with those consumers that suffer from food allergies. Milk and lactose allergies are extremely prevalent and so that would be a concern for packaging that is made from milk proteins. Those with gluten allergies may also need to be more conscious of edible packaging as some can be made from ingredients that contain gluten.

The biggest hurdle, however, will be getting consumers to adopt this practice. The trouble with edible packaging is that customers are used to seeing food wrapped in plastic —but maybe not for long. Consumers' views on plastic packaging have changed a lot in recent years, and will change more over time. In the coming decades ,shoppers may forget what plastic looks like altogether — because they'll be used to seeing everything from candy bars to chips in sustainably sourced edible envelopes.

Something to digest

It's no wonder why edible packaging seems like a natural fit for food products; everything from straws to cups can be re-imagined into a sustainable alternative to existing materials, and most commonly littered items are food-related. Aside from the obvious financial and environmental benefits, there's also a social good angle; many of these alternatives can also change the way we consume — eliminating excess and encouraging healthier habits.

Edible packaging offers hope for consumers hoping to lead a sustainable lifestyle, but there are still many obstacles to clear. For example, plastic packaging is hard to beat for its versatility and affordability and has excellent mechanical properties.

There are many new innovative bio-products coming on the market and edible food packaging is continuing to progress. As more consumers are becoming more mindful of their carbon footprint and waste contribution there could be a shift to using edible food packaging as an alternative to harmful plastics.

As with any bio-industry edible packaging has a long way to go as far as development, approval from government agencies, and changing the minds of shoppers who are accustomed to seeing plastic packaging. Overall, with the innovations and developments that are in the works, we could be seeing edible packaging on shelves sooner than we think.

‍