Well, what could be better: drink a glass of coffee, then have a snack and go on with your business? I immediately felt invigorated and refreshed. Moreover, this is no longer fantasy. Such a project exists and is preparing for a mass launch.

At the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, researchers have created an edible coffee cup. It is capable of holding a hot drink for at least 60 minutes without disintegrating, and a cold drink for up to three hours or more. This miracle is made from kodo millet. This is the main material of course. In addition, refined wheat flour is added to ensure structural integrity, natural guar gum as a binder, sugar to enhance taste and hibiscus powder to enhance the antioxidant properties of the cups.

The composition of the edible cups is quite nutritious. Kodo millet is a rich source of protein, dietary fiber and many micronutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins. And the antioxidants found in hibiscus may reduce the risk of many diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The only drawback of these cups is that, being essentially a food product, they themselves require packaging and have their own expiration date. However, the developers say that in the laboratory they were packaged in foil with a moisture absorber and the shelf life was up to three months.

“The estimated cost of one cup produced on a laboratory scale is approximately $0.03.” says Prof. Kirthiraj K. Gaikwad, Associate Professor, Packaging Technology, Department of Paper Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. “However, we believe that the cost will be significantly reduced when produced on a large scale for commercial applications.” Negotiations are already underway with several interested companies to scale up production. An application for product and technology licensing is also submitted.

Materials used from packaginginsights.com.