Texture Analysis in Research: Edible Packaging

At the grocery store, most foods — meats, breads, cheeses, snacks — come wrapped in plastic packaging.

Not only does this create a lot of non-recyclable, non-biodegradable waste, but thin plastic films are not great at preventing spoilage – and some plastics are suspected of leaching potentially harmful compounds into food.

Current food packaging is mainly petroleum-based, which is not sustainable. It also does not degrade, creating tons of plastic waste that sits in landfills for years – an issue that is now weighing heavily on the minds of all consumers after recent documentaries. To address these issues, scientists are now developing a packaging film made of milk proteins — and it is even edible.


To create an all-round better packaging solution, Dr Peggy Tomasula and colleagues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are developing an environmentally friendly film made of the milk protein casein. These casein-based films are up to 500 times better than plastics at keeping oxygen away from food and, because they are derived from milk, are biodegradable, sustainable and edible.

Some commercially available edible packaging varieties are already on the market, but these are made of starch, which is more porous and allows oxygen to seep through its micro-holes. The milk-based packaging, however, has smaller pores and can thus create a tighter network that keeps oxygen out.

After a few additional improvements within their research, this casein-based packaging looks similar to store-bought plastic wrap, but it is less stretchy and is better at blocking oxygen. The material is edible and made almost entirely of proteins.

Nutritious additives such as vitamins, probiotics and nutraceuticals could be included in the future. It does not have much taste, the researchers say, but flavorings could be added. In addition to being used as plastic pouches and wraps, this casein coating could be sprayed onto food, such as cereal flakes or bars.

Right now, cereals keep their crunch in milk due to a sugar coating. Instead of all that sugar, manufacturers could spray on casein-protein coatings to prevent soggy cereal. The spray also could line pizza or other food boxes to keep the grease from staining the packaging, or to serve as a lamination step for paper or cardboard food boxes or plastic pouches.

A fascinating video can now be watched that shows how this packaging is created and works.

For Texture Analyser users looking to discover the range of methods available for the testing of edible films, request our Edible Films article >






For help putting your packaging to the test, contact Stable Micro Systems today.

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