Breath Strips Just The Tip of Edible Film Uses

Newswise — For anyone who's ever placed a minty breath strip on their tongue, they've sampled only the tip of the iceberg in the uses of edible films that food scientists are dreaming up for consumers. Those scientists spoke Tuesday at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting here.

The films, made from whey protein, cellulose gums, gelatins, or other compounds, are already in use in cough medicines, appetite suppressants, and vitamins. And they've provided a handy way of administering medication to pets.

But experts see a host of new opportunities for this product. Possibilities include using it to separate layers in pies so that the moist filling doesn't make the crust soggy. Researchers in Spain put a film of aloe vera gel on fresh produce and found it prolonged the shelf life of the fruits and vegetables.

Films that contain spices are already commercially available, but some hamburger chains are now exploring whether cheese and ketchup can be carried on film. The coating would be placed on the burger and as the film melts away, the cheese and ketchup remain.

"They've asked us to make them, but we haven't seen them in the marketplace yet," said Mar Nieto of TIC Gums, based in Maryland. He says quick service restaurants may view the process as too costly right now.

"There's a huge potential in the edible films"¦because they can be used as wrappers, sachets, coverings and packaging," said Pretima Titoria of Leatherhead Food International.

The market for edible films has already experienced noteworthy growth during the past five years. Revenues that were less than $1 million in 1999 increased to more than $100 million last year, according to Tara McHugh of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She says the breath mint and cold medication markets have been responsible for much of that growth.

Titoria said films can be used to hold separate packets of meat and curry, which can be sold together then thrown together in a pot to create dinner. As the film dissolved, it would serve as a thickening agent for the sauce. As always, consumer acceptance is the key, according to Titoria.

"How would the consumer feel about eating something that used to be a package?" Titoria said. "That's something you have to think about when trying to promote this product."

Now in its 66th year, IFT Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPO® is the world's single largest annual scientific meeting and technical exposition of its kind. The convention runs through Wednesday.

Founded in 1939, and with world headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, USA, the Institute of Food Technologists is a not-for-profit international scientific society with 22,000 members working in food science, technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues. For more on IFT, see http://www.ift.org.