Scientists are creating edible packaging in bid to reduce waste
In a bid to cut down the amount of plastic we use every day, American scientists are working on creating a new kind of food packaging.
The packaging, which is being designed by scientists from the US Department of Agriculture, will be made from casein, a milk protein.
Not only will it preserve food more effectively, it will also be bio-degradable and edible, meaning it could dramatically cut the amount of plastic we throw way, plastic which is harmful to the environment.
Casein is typically flavourless, however, the scientists may well look to add flavours to it in the future. They are also considering adding other nutrients and vitamins to the casein to make it more nutritious, thus encouraging us to eat it.
Not only will this new packaging be edible, scientists also claim that it will be 500 times more effective at blocking oxygen from entering the food, meaning the contents should stay fresher for longer.
In a statement released on Sunday, the research leader Peggy Tomasula said,
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.
Food waste is at an all-time high at the moment, with many companies trying to find new ways to combat the fact that 30-40% of food never gets eaten as it can be spoiled at any part of the process from production to distribution.
Although there is already starch-based packaging available on some products, it is not as effective as the casein-based packaging that the USDA are developing as it does not block out as much oxygen.
The aim is to have this protein based packaging on the shelves within the next three years.