Sustainable edible plates provide an innovative solution to address the environmental issues posed by single-use plastics. Seaweeds, such as Gracilaria edulis and Ulva lactuca , offer nutritional benefits and have potential for use in edible tableware. This study aimed to develop and optimize edible plates incorporating G. edulis and U. lactuca seaweed powder, using the Box-Behnken design of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to balance sensory and physical properties like overall acceptability, retention time, and nutritional value. The predicted models for overall acceptability and retention time were significant ( p ≤ 0.05) and aligned well with the observed values. Seaweed and wheat flour concentrations had the most impact on overall acceptability, while pearl millet mainly influenced retention time. Dietary fiber content increased by 21% in U. lactuca plates and 37% in G. edulis plates compared to the control ( p ≤ 0.05). The addition of seaweed enriched the plates with polyphenols. SEM studies revealed enhanced plate quality, and seaweed incorporation improved color and texture, producing brighter plates with reduced hardness, chewiness, and fracturability. Overall, these seaweed-incorporated plates are nutritionally beneficial, consumer-acceptable, and offer an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional edible plates.
Kalluri et al. (Tue,) studied this question.