Scientists develop packaging material that you can eat

Scientists are developing an edible form of packaging which they hope would be able to preserve food more effectively and more sustainably than plastic film, reducing both food and plastic waste.

The packaging film is made from a milk protein called casein, according to scientists from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Though the milk-based packaging is currently tasteless, flavours could be added to it, as also vitamins, probiotics and other nutrients to make it nutritious, they said.

Though the film looked much like plastic wrapping, it affords protection from oxygen that is 500 times better. It is also biodegradable and sustainable, the researchers said at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Pennsylvania, which runs until Thursday.

"The protein-based films are powerful oxygen blockers that help prevent food spoilage. When used in packaging, they could prevent food waste during distribution along the food chain," research leader Peggy Tomasula said in a statement on Sunday.

Around 30 to 40 per cent of food produced around the world never reaches the dining table as at some time after harvest or during transport, it gets thrown away by shops and consumers.

Yet, according to UN figures almost 800 million people worldwide go to bed hungry every night.

''Everything is in smaller and smaller packaging, which is great for grabbing for lunch, for school, but then it generates so much waste,'' said Laetitia Bonnaillie, a USDA researcher who co-led the casein packaging research, Bloomberg reported. ''Edible packaging can be great for that.''

To produce a more practical packaging material, the researchers added glycerol and citrus pectin to the casein film. With the addition of glycerol the protein film became softer, and citrus pectin added more structure to the film, which gave it resistance against humidity and high temperatures.