Eco-friendly food wraps made with grains
Today is International Plastic Bag Free Day! Plastic bags while convenient can also be a strain on our environment. Instead of using plastic today try exploring using an eco-friendly food wrap instead.
Eco-friendly food wraps
Eco-friendly food wraps are wraps or food containers that can be reused multiple times to help reduce the use of single use plastics and even help with reducing food waste. Things like plastic bags or cling have their uses but may not the most sustainable option long term. Did you know many eco friendly food wraps can be made using Ontario grains?
Reusable food wraps made out of wax paper can be made out of plant-based waxes, like soybeans. In fact, William Chen, Professor and Director of Food Science and Technology Programme from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University created a biodegradable food wrap made from soybean waste!
When soybeans are crushed to extract the oil, the leftover bits are fermented by microbes to collect the nutrients. The leftover of this process is cellulose, which is a form of fibre material. This fibre is then processed into a food wrapping that is biodegradable, sustainable and a way to utilize every aspect of the soybean during processing!
You can also purchase plastic containers (and even bowls and cutlery!) made from wheat straw fibers. Wheat straw is lightweight and durable which makes it an excellent choice for a plant-based bioplastic. The individual straw fibers are broken down into a compound called lignin. Lignin is a naturally occurring polymer in plant cells that make the cell walls rigid. The lignin compounds are mixed with another substance to create a hard plastic that we can use to store or hold food.
There is also cling wrap alternative available made from corn. Corn starch is fermented to make a type of polyester called polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA). This plastic is commonly used to make food film, bottles and even medical equipment like screws, pins and plates.
Today, try searching out reusable and eco-friendly food wraps that contain grains. Use these to store your favourite good grain recipes.
