You may be what you eat, but if the Department of Agriculture has its way, you also could be what you wrap your leftovers in.
Scientists at the agency have developed edible wrap made of fruits and vegetables that keep food fresh. The point of the project is to provide more nutritional options to people and reduce waste, said Tara McHugh a research food technologist at the USDA's research arm in Albany, Calif.
When heated, the wrap transforms into a condiment for the food they're protecting. For example, wrap made of tomato puree that's covering a bowl of leftover pasta dissolves into sauce when placed in a microwave oven.
They really do have the color and taste of the vegetable or fruit they're made from, a reporter recently found. The vinyl-textured peach wrap, for example, resembles a fruit roll-up.
Popular Science magazine named the wrap to its list of 100 of the best innovations in 2001.
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, January 9, 2002.
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