An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from "eatable" because it does not indicate how an
item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some
mushrooms
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...
,
insects
Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of j ...
,
seaweed, and so forth – are referred to as edible. Processed items that normally are not ingested but are specially manufactured to be so, like
edible underwear
Edible underwear is a candy product which is made into a form and can function as underwear but which is edible.
The product was invented by David Sanderson and Lee Brady in 1975 when they formed a company Cosmorotics, Inc. to manufacture and ma ...
or
edible packaging
Edible packaging refers to packaging which is edible and biodegradable.
Edible food packaging
Several manufacturers are developing or producing food packaging that is edible. One example is made based on the seaweed, Eucheuma cottonii.
Trad ...
, are also labeled as edible.
Edible items in nature
It is estimated that approximately half of about 400,000 plant species on earth are edible, yet ''
Homo sapiens
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' consume only about 200 plant species, because these are the simplest to domesticate.
Edible plants found in nature include certain types of mushrooms,
flowers
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...
,
seeds,
berries
A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...
,
seaweed, and
cacti. Being able to identify the versions of these plants that are safe to eat is an important
survival skill.
Many animals are also edible, including domesticated livestock as well as wild insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Advocates of the increase in consumption of edible insects cite the environmental benefits of being able to raise more food using less land while producing fewer
greenhouse emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and la ...
. More than 1,900 insect species have been documented as being used for food, including ants and beetle larvae in the diets of some African and Australian tribes, and crispy-fried locusts and beetles enjoyed as street food in parts of Thailand.
Etymology
The term "edible" dates back to the 1590s. It originates from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word "edibilis" (eatable), which comes from the word "edere" (to eat), which comes from the prefix "ed-" (to eat).
References
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Food and drink