the Sugar Conspiracy 

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Tuesday, September 07, 2004 Goodbye styrofoam, hello wheat Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service are developing carry-out containers made of wheat starch. ARS plant physiologist Gregory M. Glenn is working with EarthShell Corp., the California-based innovators of potato-starch-based foam products such as burger boxes, to create environmentally friendly disposables made with starch from wheat, the world's most widely planted grain. His wheat-starch-based prototypes are sturdy, attractive, convenient to use, and just as leakproof as their polystyrene counterparts. -clip- "The machines are presses or molds that work something like giant waffle irons," explains Glenn. "First, a wheat-starch batter is poured onto the heated mold, which is then closed and locked. Moisture in the batter generates steam that, in turn, causes the batter to foam, expand, and fill the mold. The steam is vented and, when the baking is finished, the mold is opened, the product is removed, and the cycle starts again. This whole process takes less than a minute." A water-resistant coating, added later, helps the container keep its strength and shape... But once the container hits the backyard compost pile or municipal landfill, it biodegrades in only a few weeks. More. posted by chris at 10:52 AM   ------------------

    

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