Many college students know a thing or two about ramen noodles. But, for Holly Grounds, who studied product design at Ravensbourne University London, a main focus is the packaging of those noodles.
“The product can be cooked and eaten in under 10 minutes, yet the packaging can take eight decades to decompose,” notes Grounds. So, in order to eliminate the single-use plastic prevalent in most instant noodles, she has devised an “edible spiced packaging film.”
The biofilm is created from potato starch, glycerin, water, and seasonings. Once solidified, Grounds uses the film to wrap the noodles into a doughnut shape “for even heating on the stovetop.” The ramen bundle is then placed into a paper wrapper for the sake of hygiene.
Grounds’s invention was showcased in the recent VDF x New Designers graduate show, highlighting “standout student projects from across the UK.”