Walkers experiments with crisp packets made of potatoes

[The Dragon Master]

Recycled potato peelings could be used to make environmentally-friendly crisp packets, a leading snack firm has said.



Walkers said it had already developed cellulose crisp bags made from wood pulp - but this resulted in crackly bags that might put off customers.



The Leicester-based company hopes that bags made of starch waste from potatoes would prove more appealing.



Walkers, the UK's biggest crisp maker, is aiming to make packets out of peelings within 18 months.

'Sticky starch'



Richard Evans, president of parent company PepsiCo UK, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: Imagine making it (a crisp packet) out of potato peelings.



In reality, if you think about starch - and you know how sticky starch is - if you could mass it together you could create a layer of starch and stabilise that.



We could use the peelings we have, that today go to animal feed and other recycling uses, to be turned into a crisp packets.



However, he said the firm was still experimenting with cellulose as it wanted to create bags that would naturally decompose.



The firm makes 10 million bags of crisps each day.



Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-11501357

 

[Jazzy]

What a great idea that would be if it works.

 

[Rapunzel]

The firm makes 10 million bags of crisps each day.

That is one heck of a lot of landfill!

I hope they manage to invent biodegradable bags.

 

[Evil Eye]

Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

 

[Rapunzel]

Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

That was my first thought too.



But then you have to consider how many hands would have been touching those bags before you bought them.



Think of all those unwashed hands. All those germs you'd be ingesting.



Without being 'girly' about it, you could ingest some serious hazards from the packaging.



Would you consider eating the packaging if you knew a severe bout of gastroenteritis would follow it?

 

[Genie]

Sounds awesome; it'd be good if they gave the packets a nicer design too; I think the current ones are too bland.

 

[The Dragon Master]

Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

You do know that, if you were stupid enough to eat it, then it would just probably pass straight through you? It's mainly starch and cellulose.

 

[Masri]

That's amazing..

 

[Rapunzel]

[quote name='Evil Eye']Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

You do know that, if you were stupid enough to eat it, then it would just probably pass straight through you? It's mainly starch and cellulose.[/quote]



and germs

 

[The Dragon Master]

[quote name='The Dragon Master'][quote name='Evil Eye']Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

You do know that, if you were stupid enough to eat it, then it would just probably pass straight through you? It's mainly starch and cellulose.[/quote]

and germs

[/quote]

And germs XD And whatever chemicals they use to bind the starch together.

 

[Rapunzel]

[quote name='Rapunzel'][quote name='The Dragon Master'][quote name='Evil Eye']Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

You do know that, if you were stupid enough to eat it, then it would just probably pass straight through you? It's mainly starch and cellulose.[/quote]

and germs

[/quote]

And germs XD And whatever chemicals they use to bind the starch together.[/quote]

I wonder if they'll flavour the bags to match the crisps?



So would salt and vinegar crisps come in a salt and vinegar flavoured bag or would they want you to try out other flavours and put salt and vinegar crisps in a cheese and onion flavoured bag?

Do you suppose this is one of life's great 'questions to ponder'? Along with 'Why are we here?' and 'What's the point of all this?'

 

[The Dragon Master]

[quote name='The Dragon Master'][quote name='Rapunzel'][quote name='The Dragon Master'][quote name='Evil Eye']Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

You do know that, if you were stupid enough to eat it, then it would just probably pass straight through you? It's mainly starch and cellulose.[/quote]

and germs

[/quote]

And germs XD And whatever chemicals they use to bind the starch together.[/quote]

I wonder if they'll flavour the bags to match the crisps?



So would salt and vinegar crisps come in a salt and vinegar flavoured bag or would they want you to try out other flavours and put salt and vinegar crisps in a cheese and onion flavoured bag?

Do you suppose this is one of life's great 'questions to ponder'? Along with 'Why are we here?' and 'What's the point of all this?'

[/quote]

Possibly on the same line

 

[Rapunzel]

[quote name='Rapunzel'][quote name='The Dragon Master'][quote name='Rapunzel'][quote name='The Dragon Master'][quote name='Evil Eye']Hmm

Could we eat the bags?

You do know that, if you were stupid enough to eat it, then it would just probably pass straight through you? It's mainly starch and cellulose.[/quote]

and germs

[/quote]

And germs XD And whatever chemicals they use to bind the starch together.[/quote]

I wonder if they'll flavour the bags to match the crisps?



So would salt and vinegar crisps come in a salt and vinegar flavoured bag or would they want you to try out other flavours and put salt and vinegar crisps in a cheese and onion flavoured bag?

Do you suppose this is one of life's great 'questions to ponder'? Along with 'Why are we here?' and 'What's the point of all this?'

[/quote]

Possibly on the same line

[/quote]



I bet that would make a fascinating topic of conversation - especially when you're rat-arsed!

The next time someone from Off Topix goes out and gets drunk, (assuming they're old enuff

) can they please bring this topic of conversation up and let us know how it goes?

 

[Evil Eye]

But thy are edible