London-based design students just invented an innovative edible water bottle called Ooho that you can cook up in your own kitchen! Made from a gelatinous membrane, the biodegradable bottle can be eaten or safely thrown away. Designed by Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, Pierre Paslier and Guillaume Couche, the blob-like water container received a 2014 Lexus Design Award.
Although recyclable, millions of plastic bottles clog landfills each year. An edible bottle would help consumers keep waste low, while also setting an example for environmental practices. Ooho’s edible algae membrane was inspired by egg yolks, which use a thin membrane to keep its runny contents in place. Using a much tougher membrane, the Ooho was designed using spherification, a culinary technique that shapes liquid into spheres, like caviar. The water is held safely inside with an extra membrane layer that is also gelatinous in form.
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The gelatinous layer isn’t exactly a culinary delight, given that it is made from brown algae and calcium chloride, but it is edible none-the-less. Although the shape isn’t a typical water bottle, the designers are hopeful that they can scale their product for commercial distribution. Because the Ooho is made of dual layers, labels can be placed in between without affecting the water quality inside. The “bottles” can also vary in size, controlled during the packaging process when the water is frozen.
The Ooho is a simple and inexpensive alternative to plastic packaging. So simple, in fact, the designers predict that consumers will eventually cook them up in their own kitchens.
Via PSFK
