Eat the evidence

The most embarrassing thing about parties is clearing up afterwards and carting the cases of dead bottles to the bottle bank.  But not for long.  The Guardian reports on edible bottles, made from a grape flavoured membrane.  “The Dumbledore of food technology [is] Harvard wizard Dr David Edwards whose previous innovations include an [sic] “breathable” chocolate delightfully called Le Whif.  He has now turned his attention to WikiCells – an edible membrane made from a biodegradable polymer and food particles – that can imitate ‘bottles’ found in nature, such as grape skins.”

WOSA’s 10 green bottles for Cape Wine 2012

The possibilities are endless.  The Prince of Pinotage Beyers Truter can get his breakfast milk delivered in an edible bottle that tastes of Pinotage, which he can polish off after he’s eaten his post toasties.  While the inventor of coffee/mocha Pinotage, Bertus Fourie, can douse his oats with milk from a coffee-flavoured bottle.  Edible bottles will be great for braiis and picnics and Dr Edwards notes “people in a village in Africa could become plastic bottle-free and make things for themselves.  It’s really exciting from a humanitarian point of view.”  They are certainly no pipe dream.

“So far, Dr Edwards and his team at Harvard’s Wyss Institute have created a tomato membrane containing gazpacho soup, an orange membrane filled with orange juice that can be sipped through a straw, a grape-like membrane holding wine and a chocolate membrane containing hot chocolate.  He believes pretty much any flavour is possible.”

If WOSA really wants to ensure that Cape Wine 2012 is a “green” event, they should commission some edible wine bottles, coloured green of course, with edible vegetable dye.