We can get some potential energy (or at least refrigerator space) savings from this discovery made by Tufts University:
Silk's unique crystalline structure makes it one of nature's toughest materials. Fibroin, an insoluble protein found in silk, has a remarkable ability to stabilize and protect other materials while being fully biocompatible and biodegradable.
For the study, researchers dipped freshly picked strawberries in a solution of 1 percent silk fibroin protein; the coating process was repeated up to four times. The silk fibroin-coated fruits were then treated for varying amounts of time with water vapor under vacuum (water annealed) to create varying percentages of crystalline beta-sheets in the coating. The longer the exposure, the higher the percentage of beta-sheets and the more robust the fibroin coating. The coating was 27 to 35 microns thick.
The strawberries were then stored at room temperature. Uncoated berries were compared over time with berries dipped in varying numbers of coats of silk that had been annealed for different periods of time. At seven days, the berries coated with the higher beta-sheet silk were still juicy and firm while the uncoated berries were dehydrated and discolored.
Tests showed that the silk coating prolonged the freshness of the fruits by slowing fruit respiration, extending fruit firmness and preventing decay.
Silk Fibroin as Edible Coating for Perishable Food Preservation (open, DOI: 10.1038/srep25263)
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @04:11PM
Instead of the current process of picking strawberries and getting them to market quickly (and/or with refrigeration), now I have to eat spider web along with the strawberries?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by ikanreed on Friday May 06 2016, @05:26PM
I think I'd take that over the things that certain strawberry purveyors have included recently [cnn.com]
(Score: 2) by bitstream on Friday May 06 2016, @07:24PM
This method would only embed and protect those pathogens. So no benefit.
(Score: 2) by seeprime on Friday May 06 2016, @05:28PM
You don't have to eat strawberries covered with silk. But, if this was all that was available, and you were hungry, I bet you'd scarf them down. But, I agree that it sounds disgusting.
(Score: 2) by ikanreed on Friday May 06 2016, @07:23PM
That's why you don't call it 'spider silk' on the packaging. You label it as "organically produced preservatives"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @05:57PM
Spiders eat silk all the time. There is nothing wrong with it.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Friday May 06 2016, @09:06PM
Dogs and rabbits eat feces, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea for humans.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 07 2016, @07:31AM
They do not eat feces under normal conditions.
If your dogs are eating shit then you are failing to care for them properly, either physically or mentally.
(Score: 3, Informative) by butthurt on Friday May 06 2016, @08:21PM
Technically you wouldn't be eating spiders' webs. You'd be eating the cocoons of larval moths.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @04:20PM
Mmmmm, tasty tasty silk... Can't wait to taste *that* rainbow...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @06:56PM
Which is why it's San Francisco's favorite fabric in the frisky summertime.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @04:27PM
As far as I can see from a quick flick through, the article doesn't mention if anyone actually ate any of the strawberries - if the process ends up making strawberries taste like Durian ("King of Fruits") then I can't see much of a market for this process.
The other big issue is about the amount of energy and resources that this process takes, for something highly perishable where eating within a week of picking is expected, this might end up being more wasteful of energy, not to mention the silk.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @04:48PM
You say that like making the strawberry taste like Durian is a bad thing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @05:05PM
> if the process ends up making strawberries taste like Durian ("King of Fruits") then I can't see much of a market for this process.
To the contrary. If you can make strawberries taste like durian while still smelling like strawberries, or really smell like anything but durian, you'd be a multi-millionaire.
But how random of you to associate this with durians in the first place. Where did that come from?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 07 2016, @03:54AM
When I saw the word--before I read the (sub)thread, I thought I recognized it and did a quick Google. [google.com]
Smithsonian Magazine's contribution says:
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @06:20PM
>durians
The only people who don't like Krabby Patties have never tasted one!
(Score: 2) by Bot on Friday May 06 2016, @04:36PM
Soon we'll be able to eat mummified strawberries while reading soylentnews.
Isn't the future great.
But soylent green tastes better.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 07 2016, @12:57AM
Soylent Grey is robots!
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday May 07 2016, @11:48AM
I should have recognized the Lithium ions aftertaste :(
Account abandoned.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @05:08PM
"See, a week on and it still looks and feels fresh and juicy."
"Yeah, but it smells like sh!t. Are you going to taste-test it?"
"Umm... let's just not mention taste for now."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 07 2016, @04:07AM
"Let's give it to Mikey. He'll eat anything." [google.com]
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @05:43PM
I am curious if its just limiting respiration, would be interesting to see a side by side of the silk and bees wax let's say. Interesting property of silk none the less
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @06:44PM
Next experiment -- put some fresh picked strawberries in a silk bag to see if that does the trick (or may be that should be silk purse -- and not a sow's ear?)
(Score: 2, Touché) by Osamabobama on Friday May 06 2016, @06:59PM
Whenever I want to save potential energy, I just stay upstairs in bed.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Dunbal on Saturday May 07 2016, @12:53AM
This just means that the producers and distributors can hang on even longer to the merchandise in the supply chain before passing it on to you - a day or two before it rots. Funny how things like apples or potatoes would keep all winter long but take them home from the supermarket and they're bad in a week or two.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 07 2016, @03:42AM
nitrogen is amazeballs!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 07 2016, @07:27AM
> Funny how things like apples or potatoes would keep all winter long but take them home from the supermarket and they're bad in a week or two.
Where do you buy your produce? I buy mine at Walmart, which is not exactly known for being high quality, and I've had apples last for 2+ months because I forgot about them.
(Score: 2) by Joe Desertrat on Saturday May 07 2016, @01:36AM
If you see someone wearing silk they are hiding fresh fruit and about to attack! Release the tiger! Pull the lever and let drop the 16 ton weight!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 07 2016, @03:37AM
I seem to remember reading about street musicians in China who passed off dairy products that were tainted with nitrogenous material. "Filk ilk's silk milk: bilk" was the story.