Human beings produce far too much waste (I'm not sure of the actual figure, but it's large). Why not make something that contains edible material, food packaging, edible as well? Wouldn't it be great to throw back a can of ravioli, then pop the can in your mouth as well? We could even make the packaging tasty and sweet--like a dessert. I'm sure there are examples of candy and such with some edible packaging that already exist, but I think we need this expanded to everything that contains the food we eat. It'd be best if all containers could be edible (gasoline cans, CD packaging), but some of that would just be too gross. We need to ease the general public into this thing starting with food containers.
-- smizzou, Jun 21 2001

Baked http://www.bbc.co.u...diblefoodwrap.shtml
This was on Tomorrow's World (BBC) this week [angel, Jun 21 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]

USDA press release http://www.ars.usda.../pr/2000/001218.htm
.. which the Tomorrow's World item was drawn from [jutta, Jun 21 2001]

Tara McHugh, PhD: edible packaging films http://www.foodtech.../emag/015/trend.htm
A more detailed article (interview with the inventor) [wiml, Jun 21 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Just a few well placed drops of cyanide...but I really like the idea.
-- Reverend D, Jun 21 2001


The edible contaners would need to be over-wrapped for protection or washed before eating. Also, an edible container couldn't preserve food like a can or jar, so such foods wouldn't have long shelf lives unless they were frozen. It is possible to print labels with edible material (like icing on a cake) but it is not as cost-effective as printing them on paper.
This idea is already baked in the form of sandwiches, stuffed vegetables, pitas, burritos, etc...
-- juan2003, Jun 22 2001



random, halfbakery