A Comprehensive Review of Bio-Based Edible Cutlery (Cups, Bowls, and Spoons) for Food and Beverage Serving...

Edible cutlery (cups, bowls, and spoons) are emerging as sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics and laminated paper containers, offering both environmental benefits and functional versatility. These products are primarily fabricated from bio-based polymers, including starches, millet flours, plant fibers, and proteins such as soy, casein, and gelatin. Despite their promise, large-scale adoption is limited by low mechanical strength, moisture sensitivity, thermal instability, and short shelf life. This comprehensive review highlights recent advancements in the design, fabrication, and functional enhancement of biodegradable edible cutlery. It covers raw materials, processing techniques including molding, baking, thermal pressing, and extrusion and key strategies for improving performance, such as protein-polysaccharide composites, food-grade crosslinking, bioactive incorporation, and multilayer hydrophobic coatings. The manuscript also addresses critical practical aspects, including shelf stability, scalability, consumer sensory acceptance, economic feasibility, safety, and regulatory compliance, with references to international standards and food-safety laws. Real-time applications in cafés, restaurants, and consumer settings are discussed, along with sustainability considerations and life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate environmental impact. Finally, the review identifies knowledge gaps, particularly the need for standardized methods to assess durability, moisture resistance, and sensory performance. Compared to previous reviews on plant flour-based edible tableware, this work provides a broader perspective encompassing composite systems, advanced functionalization strategies, and integration of sustainability and commercial applicability. By combining material science insights, practical considerations, and environmental evaluation, this review underscores the transformative potential of edible cutlery in sustainable packaging and foodservice systems.