Sugarware
Biodesign foodware for sugar-free sweetness sensation
Biodesign foodware for sugar-free sweetness sensation
Biodesign foodware for sugar-free sweetness sensation
Do you have a sweet craving but are worried about eating healthy? Sugarware is a spoon product designed to be crafted from recycled bagasse, with a unique spiky bottom to maximize taste bud contact. Coated with a ligand layer, it stimulates a sweet taste without the use of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Our goal is to offer a sustainable solution that addresses health and environmental concerns related to sugar consumption and production.
Do you have a sweet craving but are worried about eating healthy? Sugarware is a spoon product designed to be crafted from recycled bagasse, with a unique spiky bottom to maximize taste bud contact. Coated with a ligand layer, it stimulates a sweet taste without the use of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Our goal is to offer a sustainable solution that addresses health and environmental concerns related to sugar consumption and production.
Do you have a sweet craving but are worried about eating healthy? Sugarware is a spoon product designed to be crafted from recycled bagasse, with a unique spiky bottom to maximize taste bud contact. Coated with a ligand layer, it stimulates a sweet taste without the use of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Our goal is to offer a sustainable solution that addresses health and environmental concerns related to sugar consumption and production.
Client
Biodesign Sprint 2022
Role
Product Designer
Industries
Biodesign & Biomaterial Research
Timeline
Oct - Nov 2022
Design Inspiration
In this collaborative project, we aim to innovate culinary tools by incorporating a unique feature inspired by Studio Jinhyun Jeon’s work, SENSORY STIMULI. The design involves the integration of several bumps at the bottom of the spoon, strategically positioned to interact with the taste buds. Our goal is to enhance the taste experience by infusing these bump stimuli with ligands known to trigger sweetness. We have conceptualized a method where sweetness-inducing ligands are permanently bound to the culinary tools, enabling the stimulation of sweetness receptors (T1R2 and T1R3) without necessitating the consumption of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Our research has identified various ligands, including monosaccharides, disaccharides, amino acids, sweet proteins, and synthetic sweeteners, all capable of activating the sweet-sensing receptors. Through this project, we aspire to explore the potential of this innovative approach in elevating the culinary experience by offering a healthier alternative to experiencing sweetness.
In this collaborative project, we aim to innovate culinary tools by incorporating a unique feature inspired by Studio Jinhyun Jeon’s work, SENSORY STIMULI. The design involves the integration of several bumps at the bottom of the spoon, strategically positioned to interact with the taste buds. Our goal is to enhance the taste experience by infusing these bump stimuli with ligands known to trigger sweetness. We have conceptualized a method where sweetness-inducing ligands are permanently bound to the culinary tools, enabling the stimulation of sweetness receptors (T1R2 and T1R3) without necessitating the consumption of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Our research has identified various ligands, including monosaccharides, disaccharides, amino acids, sweet proteins, and synthetic sweeteners, all capable of activating the sweet-sensing receptors. Through this project, we aspire to explore the potential of this innovative approach in elevating the culinary experience by offering a healthier alternative to experiencing sweetness.
In this collaborative project, we aim to innovate culinary tools by incorporating a unique feature inspired by Studio Jinhyun Jeon’s work, SENSORY STIMULI. The design involves the integration of several bumps at the bottom of the spoon, strategically positioned to interact with the taste buds. Our goal is to enhance the taste experience by infusing these bump stimuli with ligands known to trigger sweetness. We have conceptualized a method where sweetness-inducing ligands are permanently bound to the culinary tools, enabling the stimulation of sweetness receptors (T1R2 and T1R3) without necessitating the consumption of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Our research has identified various ligands, including monosaccharides, disaccharides, amino acids, sweet proteins, and synthetic sweeteners, all capable of activating the sweet-sensing receptors. Through this project, we aspire to explore the potential of this innovative approach in elevating the culinary experience by offering a healthier alternative to experiencing sweetness.
Concept
The structural design of Sugarware is deeply intertwined with the form of sugarcane, a plant responsible for 79% of global sugar production and contributing to 40% to 60% of domestic sugar output. Sugarware is a stackable, taste-enhancing spoon designed as a substitute for artificial sweeteners, and it boasts remarkable features crafted from the residual waste of sugarcane. Drawing inspiration from the growth mechanisms of sugarcane, where the leaf spindle is enveloped within the sheaths of older leaves, forming a spiral-like shape as it grows, the spoon's stackability feature is further enhanced. This design not only mirrors the natural structure of Sugarcane but also opens up possibilities for versatile applications.
Potential Material Exploration
Potential Material Exploration
In order to circumvent the excessive utilization of fossil-based resources, the plentifully accessible renewable lignocellulosic biomass presents itself as a viable alternative, following the valorization of its carbohydrate and lignin components into retrievable high-value products like biofuels, bio-chemicals, and various associated materials.
In order to circumvent the excessive utilization of fossil-based resources, the plentifully accessible renewable lignocellulosic biomass presents itself as a viable alternative, following the valorization of its carbohydrate and lignin components into retrievable high-value products like biofuels, bio-chemicals, and various associated materials.
Concept Explained
Potential Material Exploration
This project was initiated and awarded in Biodesign Sprint 2022 with Student Runner-Up.It has also been receiving different press opportunities and has been featured in Scientific American, Bioeconomy.xyz, etc.
In order to circumvent the excessive utilization of fossil-based resources, the plentifully accessible renewable lignocellulosic biomass presents itself as a viable alternative, following the valorization of its carbohydrate and lignin components into retrievable high-value products like biofuels, bio-chemicals, and various associated materials.