Japan has revolutionized the edible house market with the development of cement made from a combination of food waste, including Chinese cabbage, coffee grounds, orange rinds, pumpkins, banana peels, seaweed, and onions. This unique cement is four times stronger than traditional concrete and can be flavored, colored, and scented. While perhaps not suitable for serving on fine china, this cement opens the door to the possibility of creating gingerbread houses.
Despite its edible nature, this cement does not attract insects or worms. It can also be coated with lacquer and waterproofed using chemicals, ensuring that it remains solid and durable. The inventors of this innovative cement, Kota Machida and Yuya Sakai from Tokyo University, created the company Fabula Inc with the goal of addressing Japan’s food waste issue. Japan produced approximately six million tons of food waste in 2018, but efforts are being made to reduce this amount to 4.9 million tons by 2030.
Machida and Sakai spent several years developing the cement, which involves drying the food waste, grinding it into a powder, heating it, mixing it with materials such as corn starch or cellulose, and molding it into shape. The strongest cement they created was made from Chinese cabbage, capable of supporting 27 kilograms of weight on a five-millimeter plate.
Fabula Inc. is collaborating with other companies to produce various products using this cement, including ornaments, furniture, and crockery. For example, coffee grounds can be transformed into coasters that resemble the color and aroma of coffee. Sweet potatoes have also been used to create plates with a vibrant purple color, and flat-pack stools have been made from a combination of coffee grounds and Chinese cabbage.
Beyond its application in housing, this edible cement is gaining attention for its potential in humanitarian shelters. Mitsubishi Jisho Design, an architecture and engineering firm, showcased a sustainable teahouse made from edible cement at the Venice Architecture Biennale. The teahouse, constructed using Italian coffee grounds and pasta, demonstrated the possibility of creating such structures worldwide. Fabula Inc. envisions the use of edible cement in emergency shelters during humanitarian crises when food supplies may be scarce.
In addition to its versatility, this cement offers environmental benefits. It is biodegradable and can be buried if no longer needed. It can also be reused and is durable due to the natural fibers within it. Its compatibility with other natural materials, such as hay bales and rammed earth, allows for the creation of sustainable and resilient buildings. Furthermore, edible cement serves as a solution to food waste while reducing the environmental impact of the construction industry.
While edible cement is currently more expensive to produce than traditional cement, ongoing technological advancements and streamlined production processes are expected to reduce costs and make it a viable alternative. Other innovations using algae-based cement are also being explored, with the U.S. Department of Energy funding research into creating cement from algae to achieve carbon neutrality or even negativity in cement production.
Although still in its developmental stages, edible cement represents a significant step towards sustainable housing solutions and has the potential to revolutionize construction practices in the future.