ISI's(TM) latest and one of our more innovative projects has been developing carrageenan formulations for use in food packaging. Carrageenan is a hydrocolloid widely used as a food additive extracted from certain species of red seaweeds. Therefore, it is an ideal candidate when considerting vegetable-based edible packaging concepts. In addition to being edible these products are also biodegradable. Carrageenan is used in foods as a stabilizer, gelling agent, thickener and water binding agent. As a stabilizer it finds widespread use in dairy products where it maintains homogeneity of system like in ice cream and chocolate milk by preventing curd and whey seperating. Carrageenan forms thermally reversible gels and in this way behaves very much like gelatin. Its water binding capabilities come into play when it is added to processed meat to prevent loss of moisture during cooking or loss of water through package purge. All of these performances properties of carrageenan, plus its film-forming capability, suggest it be considered as an edible film or coating for foodstuffs. Films of carrageenan can be made that are rigid, flexible or elastic, depending on the formulation. All formulations contain only ingredients approved for food use. They range in appearance from clear to slightly opaque. Carrageenan solutions for film making contain 1- to 3% by weight carrageenan and must be heated to 80- to 85oC to completely dissolve the carrageenan. Films will solidify at 45- to 50oC and are normally dried at room temperature to 40oC. Food coatings or glazes made from carrageenan are formulated in much the same way as solutions for making films. The solution can then be applied to an article of food by spraying, brushing or dipping. The viscosity of coating and film forming solutions vary from 50- to 1,000 cps depending on the type of carraageenan being used and its concentration in the solution.