In a quest to replace plastic with more sustainable materials, many have turned to nature.
Fungi quickly become one of the most popular sources of alternatives to synthetic materials, based on their strength, water resistance, and rapid growth. Furthermore, materials made from organic mushroom materials can be made biodegradable, solving one of the most significant problems with petrochemical plastics.
Recently, researchers at the University of Maine described how they used mushrooms to create an organic, food-safe film that performs similarly to plastic film, in a study published in the journal Langmuir. Using a common mushroom, Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), scientists were able to bake on a barrier resistant to oxygen, oil, and water, on a variety of materials, including paper, denim, polyester felt, and birch wood veneer.
