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Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

modernfarmer.com

101–110 of 141 posts

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't bought a cucumber wrapped in plastic in years (I actively avoid them) and have thrown away maybe two cucumbers in the same time. At this point, I think any plastic is a problem, and it needs very serious consideration whether plastic should be used. I'm fine with wrapping sterilized medical equipment in plastic. Crispbread, not so much.

But surely there is some point to it all. They point of the plastic is not for the consumer but the grocer and transporter. There should be some cost-benefit analysis — not just “all plastic must be avoided.” That’s a bit much.

Is it a bit much, though?

Unlike me, my children will never experience their home planet without microplastics everywhere, from the highest peak down to the deepest trench in the ocean. They will have to pay a hefty price for what we and those before us have done to the environment. I think that's a bit much.

Where's the cost-benefit for them of wrapped cucumbers?

Like I said, there are applications where plastic is justified, medical devices for example. Cucumbers, bread, smartphones, cutlery, plants, cereal, rice, potatoes, toys: I think there are plastic-free solutions that we should now absolutely and urgently go for.

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#102
post #93
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another point to add: rodents. This is an issue in large warehouses, in humid climates. Plastic is more resilient against rodents, since it is not edible.

Cling film does nothing to keep pests out: beetles & weevils go through plastic bags and I've had a persistent rat chew through 2mm of hard plastic box. More important would be retaining the protective atmosphere that perishables are commonly packed with.

Mites and liquids are issues too. Existing aluminized plastic packaging serves purposes to protect food against those.

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#103
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, this specific bio-material probably doesn't make sense for moisture and dirt. However, the bio-plastics made from shellfish leftovers (think: crab, lobster, shrimp) would be appropriate for this. The problem with petroleum based products (Styrofoam, plastics) is that they are crazy cheap due to our oil based economy. At some point the economics of that industry will change, and with it the prevailing winds on u…

From my understanding the shellfish bioplastic will trigger allergies so its not suitable for food wraps but can be okay things like straws

Thanks for mentioning this; I have shellfish allergies and this was my first thought when I saw the parent comment mention shellfish-based wrapping

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#104
> But what if you could toss the whole package directly into the bowl with your boiling water?

Then you'd have a hygiene code violation; the packaging is there for a reason. And what if the packaging gets moist? It's more likely than you think.

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#105
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Muffin liners actually make more sense to me. It’s often hard to get a muffin liner off of the muffin without losing a lot of muffin. An edible liner that has a good texture might have some actual value.

Or you could just sit and try to scrape the residual muffin off with your teeth getting little crumbs all over you and sticky crap all over your fingers like a normal person. Don’t try to play god with your edible wrapper technology. This is the way it’s meant to be.

The scientists were so intent on seeing if they could improve muffins. They never stopped to consider if they should.

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find most "protein" bars, processed or unprocessed, are relatively low in protein and function more like energy bars, meal replacement bars, or even weight gainers. I expect the ones made without processed ingredients like protein powders to be especially in that category. Not that there's anything necessarily bad about that, but it does bug me when folk label products as "high" in protein when all the protein come…

Some granola bars would probably be better considered candy bars dressed up to trick you into thinking they are healthy.

Here is your 6-monthly reminder to read the No S Diet[0] and learn its lessons on why health snacks exist.

[0] http://nosdiet.com

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#107

Sure, it 'could' - anything is possible! > Of all the ideas presented, creating a fibrous film that is edible, no-waste, anti-microbial and water soluble was the one that took off, and Zhao published her first paper on the subject 15 years ago. Since then, she’s continued to tweak and refine the formulation. This industry is driven by ROI and waste reduction. If this worked, it would've worked long ago.

Of the many things capitalism excels at, pricing in externalities is not one of them. Find a more ecological alternative and then tax the hell out of the current methods.

The better way to do it would be to fund through taxes the new method to see if it works. You shouldn't make people switch to an unknown by making their lives worse.

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#109
post #73
post #2

Plastic packaging protects food from moisture and dirt. If you make the packaging out of a water-soluble material and then eat it, surely that's almost completely useless? Like, now you need some kind of additional outer wrapper to stop your edible packaging from getting contaminated. The article mentions muffin liners as an alternative use case, but those are usually made of thin paper and are already compostable.

Another point to add: rodents. This is an issue in large warehouses, in humid climates. Plastic is more resilient against rodents, since it is not edible.

"since it is not edible". As of this time, but I wouldn't put it past them to evolve an ability to eat plastic somehow. (Though if they did, a new rat-based eco industry would be born)

Re: Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday?

#110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is wrapping in thin plastic a problem if it prevents food waste? I think of the cucumbers covered in plastic. It’s a very small amount of plastic—and I imagine that it ends up saving energy if it means fewer cucumbers are wasted. Perhaps there is a way to model when plastic is “good” or “bad?”

I haven't bought a cucumber wrapped in plastic in years (I actively avoid them) and have thrown away maybe two cucumbers in the same time. At this point, I think any plastic is a problem, and it needs very serious consideration whether plastic should be used. I'm fine with wrapping sterilized medical equipment in plastic. Crispbread, not so much.

> have thrown away maybe two cucumbers in the same time.

that plastic is not for you not throwing away two cucumbers, is for the supermarket and distribution centers to not throw away pallets of them, it increase the efficiency of the whole logistic chain (which runs on oil)

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