Edible Packaging: The Next Big Packaging Trend?

Is edible packaging the next big packaging trend? Packaging designers are constantly searching for new ways to make packaging more sustainable. Packaging you could eat could be the most sustainable of all. Click through to see what innovations are being made with edible packaging and what challenges this concept faces.

What are the benefits of edible packaging?

Edible packaging has the potential to enhance the shelf life of food products, plus it will be eaten instead of being thrown away in landfills. Although some “green” packaging is biodegradable, the breakdown process takes several years. This edible packaging will be disposed of immediately.

What are the drawbacks of edible packaging?

Would you really want to eat something that had been sitting on a store shelf, being picked up by countless other people? Food safety regulators speculate that this kind of packaging would require another, non-edible exterior layer of packaging to protect the contents, which would defeat the point.

Who is innovating with edible packaging?

Dr. David Edwards of “breathable chocolate” fame is creating a packaging called WikiCells. These edible membranes are made of food particles and biodegradable polymers that mimic the structure of a grape skin. Indiana-based company MonoSol is creating edible films that act as packaging but dissolve when they come into contact with water.