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Combating plastic waste is of utmost concern, and as people become more aware, innovative solutions pop up. One issue being taken to heart is reducing the use of plastic utensils. As they cannot be recycled, some people are refusing to use them, while others are literally eating their cutlery!
Edible cutlery is a growing industry, inspired by the need to reduce the use of plastic. In fact, according to Forbes, some 40 billion pieces of plastic utensils are wasted in the US per year. The production of plastic silverware adds carbon to the atmosphere, according to Conserve Energy Future.
Compelled by a desire to make the world a better place, here are seven companies that have developed creative ways to take the concept of “spoon feeding” up to the next level.
IncrEdible spoon
Did you eat your spoon today?! The new kid on the edible spoon block, this Indian company started selling their cutlery online this past summer. IncreEdible Spoon produces spoons that are vegan and are made from non-GMO wheat, oats, corn, chickpeas, and brown rice.
The spoons come in four flavors including black pepper, oregano chili, chocolate, and vanilla. They stay firm in hot soup for up to 25 minutes and in ice cream for 45 minutes, unless you eat the spoon before you are finished! The company will soon produce edible chopsticks, coffee stirrers, bowls, and cups.
Dedicated to saving the environment, their eco-packaging is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified and they plant trees using profits. To date, they have planted 3,000 trees to offset their shipping emissions and have saved 600,000 spoons from going to landfill.
Twiice
Based in New Zealand, Twiice makes edible coffee cups. They are leak proof, have no additives or preservatives and, as the company proudly claims, they have “more taste, less waste.”
Made from vanilla, sugar, egg, wheat flour and vanilla essence, the cups pair nicely with coffee or tea and can be used to serve dessert. They are being used in cafes across New Zealand and are now standard issue on Air New Zealand.
"For the program, the airline has been working with fellow New Zealand company Twiice, a small, family-run outfit that produces edible cups designed for use with coffee. The cups themselves are composed of wheat flour, sugar, egg and vanilla essence." https://t.co/dHgbbkhMD4
— Acaia (@AcaiaCoffee) December 5, 2019
In fact, airlines, hotels, restaurants, and railways who aim to reduce their carbon footprint are finding edible flatware and dishes to be a viable solution, according to Grand View Research. (After Etihad Airways introduced edible coffee cups, it resulted in a reduction of plastic by 17 tons a month.)
Edibles By Jack
Coming from Massachusetts, Edibles by Jack produces edible spoons and petal tartlets in 20 gourmet flavors. They are made from local, sustainable ingredients. Adding a culinary twist to attract caterers, the company offers French, Italian, and Mexican lines, plus snack and dessert spoons.
Some chef suggestions include pairing seafood with a frutti di mare spoon; tuna tartare on a wasabi sesame spoon; or mushroom risotto served on a corn lime spoon. For dessert, add toasted marshmallows to a chocolate spoon and creme brulee on a gingerbread spoon.
If, for some reason, you cannot finish your spoon, they are 100 percent compostable. However, after trying these taste sensations, you may never want to use regular tableware again!
EdiblePRO
Now you can have your cake and eat the plate too! Hailing from India, EdiblePRO makes healthy, crunchy coffee and tea cups, plus edible bowls and plates. They also produce edible spoons plus cute teddy bear spoons for toddlers.
Made from pulses, millet, and grains, the ingredients are mostly organic and they come in either a spicy or sweet flavor. The company prides itself in producing nutritious products that have zero waste, conserve water, and are biodegradable.
Mede Cutlery
This degradable tableware is manufactured in Zhejiang, China. Mede Cutlery makes edible spoons, chopsticks, sporks, and bowls from wheat, rice, corn, egg, refined oil, and flavoring.
In the process, the ingredients are mixed and puffed onto a sheet and are then steam sprayed and formed into press moldings.
Bakeys
Based in Hyderabad, India, Bakeys was started by scientist Narayana Peesapati who has a desire to help the world overcome plastic consumption. In a YouTube video, Peesapati says 120 billion pieces of disposable cutlery are thrown out in India each year.
His spoons are made from millet, rice, and wheat and have a shelf life of three years. They come in cumin, mint, ginger, and cinnamon flavors and decompose within four to five days. They are being sold to places where the majority of plastic waste exists. Bakeys supplies fast-food chains and cafe’s across India, according to Medium, as well as catering companies and event halls.
rel="noopener">#PlasticFreeJuly: Could we eat our way out of plastic pollution? Bakey’s Edible Cutlery, founded in India, has created an edible line of cutlery. Their spoons and sporks are made from rice, wheat and sorghum, and taste just like a cracker! Of the energy it takes to produce 1 plastic utensil, they can produce 100 sorghum based ones. And since sorghum requires fewer nutrients and water for cultivation it's much less energy intensive than the currently used Corn/PLA based biodegradable utensils. A tasty solution to a complex problem ????. . . . . . . #plasticfree #passonplastics #plasticfreeliving #ecofriendly #lessplastic #ecoconscious #zerowasteliving #zerowaste #sustainableliving #sustainability #environment #wherefrom #saveourplanet #noplanetb #plasticwaste #plasticpollution #edible #ediblepackaging #cutlery #bakeys #sustainable #environmentallyfriendly #biodegradable #innovation #innovative #packaging #india
Peesapati’s vision goes beyond reducing plastic. He would like to see Indian farmers switch from growing rice to millet, as rice uses 60 times more water to grow than millet. He told Unreasonable that India is depleting its source of groundwater, making rice an unviable crop because of its overuse of both water and power.
His ultimate goal is to increase production with the aim of providing edible cutlery that is priced the same as plastic cutlery.
Oriqa Edible
Oriqa Edible cutlery is located in Gujarat, India. They produce spoons, knives, forks, and plates in sweet and spicy flavors. In a YouTube video, CEO Manthan Rajguru says that the average Indian produces 24 pounds of plastic waste a year. And, single use plastic represents 43 percent of the total plastic waste.
Rajguru is passionate about edible cutlery being a solution, saying, “One small step may make the world plastic free one day.”
