Stability, Biocompatibility, and Glycemic Response of Starch-Coated, Gluten-Free Edible Cutlery: A Groundbreaking Technique for Transforming Industrial Waste into Marketable Products

Abstract This study reports the development, characterization, and sustainability evaluation of a fiber-rich, gluten-free edible cutlery produced from cassava spent flour (TTF), offering an environmentally responsible alternative to cereal-based counterparts. Cassava spent flour contained 4.02 ± 0.01% dietary fiber, as confirmed through Raman imaging and proximate analysis. The optimized starch-coated treated cutlery (SCTC) exhibited enhanced mechanical integrity, with a tensile strength of 14.88 ± 0.36 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 18.47 ± 0.38 MPa, meeting the functional requirements of single-use cutlery. Safety assessments demonstrated high biocompatibility (cell viability > 85%), total plate counts < 10 cfu/g, and the absence of adverse effects in acute oral toxicity tests, confirming the product’s edible nature. Environmental performance was evaluated using life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA), accelerated shelf-life testing, and soil-burial biodegradation, collectively revealing reduced carbon footprint, minimal water-use intensity, and rapid degradability relative to conventional edible cutlery. Notably, SCTC exhibited strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 ≈ 10 μg/mL) and substantial α-amylase inhibition (IC50 ≈ 44 μg/mL), indicating potential suitability for diabetic consumers, which is an unprecedented functional attribute for edible cutlery. Overall, SCTC represents a safe, functional, and environmentally sustainable alternative to cereal-based edible cutlery.