• FOOD FOR THOUGHT Ways to think about the foods we eat
• THE POWER OF FOOD Culinary Renewable Resources

BAMBOO One of the world’s most renewable resources
For any lover of Asian food, young bamboo shoots are enjoyed in many dishes, especially stir-fried and braised dishes. Sections of bamboo are hollowed out then used for serving saké or split in half and double as serving trays or constructed into furniture. When traveling throughout Asia, it is typical to see scaffolding made entirely of strong bamboo poles, scaling up sides of buildings meters and meters high.

Bamboo is a grass that grows to a harvestable height of 60 feet within 3-4 years. Some species grow up to 2 feet per day! With an extensive root system continually sending up new shoots, bamboo naturally regenerates, while hardwood trees have a 30-60 year growth cycle. Therefore, bamboo is sustainable, cost effective and is an ecologically responsible alternative to cutting our hardwood forests.

Bamboo is 16% harder than maple wood, 1/3 lighter in weight than oak, and possesses anti-bacterial properties, making it good for chopping boards, kitchen utensils, serving accessories and furniture. R & D of this grass has produced a fiber that is made into a fast-drying yarn, used alone or combined with organic cotton. Bamboo yarn has high absorbency and is made into plush bathroom towels, lovely bed sheets and clothing with a beautiful silky feel to them. Bamboo fiber is bacteria-resistant and allergen-resistant.



CORN Support the growing of plants
Corn conjures images of that popular American summertime tradition, golden yellow or white Silver Queen ears slathered with butter, or served as succotash or with New England clam bakes, popped, shaped into crunchy cereal, treated with lye then boiled to produce creamy white hominy, dried and ground into grits, polenta and masa, shaped into tortillas, used as valuable animal feed...

Its husks are used to wrap tamales, to hold foods during grilling, and often shaped into Native American toys. Now those husks are commonly used in food science research and could serve as a potential substrate for the production of citric acid. Remember corncob pipes and corncob jelly? Now those cobs are ground up, separated into pith and chaff and used for grit-blasting, instead of sand, and are an invaluable absorbent.

Then there is corn syrup, a sweetener for many products, corn starch used as a thickener and binder, corn distillate for liquor, and corn by-products used in glue, in paper products including paper cups and plates. Now with breakthrough technology, corn resin is made into plastic containers and shopping bags, replacing petroleum-based plastic. What does this mean? It means less fossil resources are used, and less greenhouse gasses (GHG’s) are emitted.

In 2002, IPER, a major grocery-store chain in Italy launched an innovative program where fresh foods were sold in corn-based resin plastic packaging, natural sold in natural. This has expanded to many grocery-stores now using an array of corn-based packaging options from carrying bags to film lidstock and containers, made by major American and European corporations. There are even bio-degradable pens (shaped into an ear of corn of course!), once disposed of, the plastic is absorbed by the environment within 6 months. Plus corn fiber is turned into yarn then woven into fabrics and soft blankets.

Research continues, and at Iowa State University there is a corn fungus that produces enzymes that break down corn fiber, typically used for animal feed, into simple sugars that are fermented into fuel-grade ethanol. Many valuable options from one resource. Corn, and lignocellulose, plant biomass. A renewable resource. A dedicated energy crop. Support our farmers.



CRAB/CRABYON
The next time you enjoy a crab claw dinner, reconsider and please value that annoying
white membrane encased in the shell for there is a relatively new fiber made from the extract of
that membrane.

Developed in Japan, the carapace which
is rich in chitin, proteins and calcium, undergoes a process of deproteinization
and decalcification. The chitin is solubilized and the resulting solution is mixed with cellulose to obtain a uniform solution which can be extruded in a damp spinning bath to obtain Crabyon.

Crabyon is successfully combined with natural fibers of cotton, hemp, wool, linen, cashmere, silk or combined with cellulose-derived fibers viscose, polyester and nylon to make clothing. Crabyon is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, non-allergenic and biodegradable. With increasing interest from the medical field, chitin is widely used for covering open wounds and in surgery where bandages cannot be applied. It is highly-absorbent, tends to not stick to open wounds, quickens wound healing and has proven to substantially reduce growth of Staphylococcus Aureus and Staphylococcus Epidermidis. Rethink crustaceans.



SOY
Tofu, tempeh, miso...soy beans have been a vital dietary staple in China since the Chou Dynasty (1134-246 B.C.) when they were fermented allowing them to be prepared in easily digestible forms. Before that time, the Chinese ideogram for soy denoted it as fixing nitrogen in the soil, and today it remains an important rotating crop. When soy is added to a dairy cow’s diet, milk production can be increased up to 20%.

Research continues strong for soy, once referred to as “a miracle crop”. Controversial for some when it comes to its applications and potential benefits of plant isoflavones, soy is generally considered to be a source of complete protein. Edamame, soy milk, even soy-milk gelato is popular and has had a loyal following in Italy for several years.

We hear about soy-based inks and soy-based lubricants as alternatives to petroleum-based products. But did you know that Henry Ford promoted the use of soybeans? He was so enamored with the integration of soy that he helped its development and use for food and industry including auto body panels made of soy-based plastics. The Model T, once contained 60 pounds of soybeans in its paint and molded plastic parts. In 2008, using bio-materials, Ford and Lear are introducing soy-based foam seats in their Mustang cars. This soy foam is made of 24% renewable content, and the production process emits less carbon-dioxide and requires less energy to make.

Today a by-product of tofu, soy pulp known as okara, is used to make high-quality textile fibers. Since some candles are petroleum-based, and our honey bee colonies are currently depleted, try soy-based candles which burn slowly and last up to 50% longer, stay cool and even spills clean-up easily with soap and water. This subtropical plant, a member of the pea family and native to southeast Asia, continues to surprise and amaze with viable possibilities.