Leaves as dining plates, food wraps and food packing material: Importance of renewable resources in Indian culture

Abstract

Background: The disposable plates made up of plastics such as polythene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, etc. pose health risks due to the release of toxic chemicals; bisphenol A, melamine, vinyl chloride, and phthalates. The usage of disposable plasticware not only depletes fossil fuels but also causes microplastics pollution. Thus, thrust has been shifted to utilization of disposable plates made from plant leaves, which are renewable, biodegradable, and enriched with antioxidants and medicinal values. Results: In India, serving food on leaf dining plates is a long-standing tradition with its own cultural, religious, medicinal, and socioeconomic significance. The leaf plate stitching is a livelihood activity for tribal people in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana states of India. The leaves and leaf plates are used for offering naivedyam to god during worship and distribution of prasadam to devotees. They are extensively used for serving food during marriages, religious festivals, community feasts, etc. The leaves from a vast variety of plants are used as dining plates, food wraps during steam cooking, grilling and frying of various dishes, and food packing material in India. Conclusions: The biodegradable leaf plates have vast potential in international market, which should meet in terms of quality and design. To sustain the practice of using leaf plates and discourage plastic plates; necessary regulations should be imposed by the government and monitored through local governing bodies. In addition, school children and college students should be educated and motivated to realize the importance.

Toxicological Risk Analysis in Data-Poor Countries: A Narrative Approach to Feed an “Awareness Raising—Community Empowerment” Vortex

“…Plastics are seen as a sign of modernity, whereas (often) safe materials coming from tradition are intended for poor people in the villages (e.g., banana leaves) ( Figure 6 a–c). Critical evaluation of products locally made with waste materials has helped local researchers to rethink about the value of natural, local resources, e.g., making disposable plates out of plant leaves that are renewable, biodegradable and rich in antioxidants and medicinal values [ 19 ]. Stainless steel, bamboo and cotton often provide toxic-free and eco-friendly solutions to plastics.…”

Banana plant as a source of valuable antimicrobial compounds and its current applications in the food sector

“…The leaves are thick, especially in M. paradisiaca species, and are recycled as wrapping food material because they seal the meal moisture and can then be taken away and consumed later (Harijati et al, 2013). Furthermore, the leaves are often used as wrappers for cooking dishes, including those that may be steamed, roasted, deep-fried, or grilled, in which the filling ingredients are shielded from flame-burning while still adding the flavor of the leaves (Kora, 2019). Forero-Cabrera et al (2017) used banana leaves as critical packaging to reduce the loss of quality, particularly firmness, of lulo fruit stored at different temperatures.…”

“…They are also rich in fibers, flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins (Al-Mqbali & Hossain, 2019). The leaves are traditionally used for treating some skin harms such as eczema, wounds, irritation, rashes, dandruff, and sunburn due to their cooling effect (Kora, 2019). The pseudo-stem comprises a major portion of the plant biomass, which is usually left in the plantation land or burned and wasted.…”

“…Banana tree parts, such as the peels and leaves, have antioxidant activities and biological functions, including anti-diabetic, anti-diarrheal, anti-tumor, anti-mutagenic, and anti-ulcerogenic properties (Kora, 2019). Bananas have also been shown to be the source of bioactive compounds that inhibit bacterial or fungal growth (Chiang et al, 2020;Evbuomwan et al, 2018;Ismail et al, 2018;Suleria et al, 2020).…”

Enabling Food Safety Entrepreneurship: Exploratory Case Studies From Nepal, Senegal, and Ethiopia

“…The cone-shaped leaf wraps are also used during the steam cooking of millet flour. The food wraps not only enhance the aroma of the steam cooked food but also extends their shelf life (Kora, 2019).…”