The Incredible Edible Wrapper

Pretty soon you may be able to have your cake and eat it’s package too. Edible packaging is the latest thing in the food technology revolution. Harvard’s Dr. David Edwards has been working on the development of WikiCells, an edible membrane that’s made from biodegradable polymers and food particles that imitates natural containers found in nature, such as the skins of fruits. Some of Edwards and his team of researchers creations consist of an “orange membrane” that is filled with orange juice, a tomato membrane that holds gazpacho soup, a grape-like membrane that holds wine, and my favorite - a chocolate membrane that contains hot chocolate. Edwards feels that flavor possibilities are endless. The environmental impact that such food technology could have in the areas of limiting waste and waste costs is enormous. Of course some type of conventional yet biodegradable wrapping will need to go around this new, edible wrapping to ensure food safety, but still edible wraps could greatly reduce the amount of conventional packaging that is required now. Who knows, in the not so distant future, you may be throwing that boxed baking mix into the mixer bowl pouch and all.