In Russia, young scientists boasted a new achievement - disposable dishes made from edible materials. The raw materials for the manufacture of plates and glasses were not familiar polymers and cellulose, but ... apple sauce.
“When people first hear about our invention, they are skeptical about this information,” say developers from the city of Samara. “But we successfully prove that the quality and practicality of such utensils are not inferior to the usual plastic sets.”
The developments were carried out on the basis of the Samara Polytechnic Institute, and today the university has managed to patent its invention.
Nadezhda Makarova, the head of the Department of Catering Technologies, assumed responsibility for managing the project. According to her, initially she and her colleagues planned to develop eco-packaging, which not only provides long-term storage of products. But also allows you to heat food directly in this organic shell.
How baked apples are useful for weight loss, during pregnancy and in other cases "We wanted our eco-wrapper food not only to be stored and reheated, but also eaten with this bio-packaging," Nadezhda admits. "But our capabilities have gone even further and now we present the audience with unique disposable tableware! " Researchers have found that if you form a layer from an apple or vegetable puree and dry it at a certain temperature, you can get a durable and eco-friendly material.
“For making dishes, mashed apples turned out to be the most suitable,” say the researchers. “Because he has more plasticity than other materials from vegetables and fruits. And the temperature of the dishes from apples holds well (if you pour a cup of hot water into an apple it will cool for an hour) without deforming at high temperatures. "
Moreover, such dishes can be easily eaten. And do not be afraid about the caloric content - the product is quite easy and quite dietary. Assure the developers.
Such a "service" is decomposed over several days. In water, this dish can be dissolved in 12 hours. As for the price, the cost of one apple cup varies so far from 30 to 40 rubles.