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Startup develops edible water bubble they hope will be used at road races

Do you see these catching on at road races?

Ooho Water

English startup Skipping Rocks Lab sees thirsty road racers as potential users of an interesting product: edible water drops.

The company’s goal is to reduce waste by creating an alternative to the traditional plastic water bottle. Three London-based students began developing the idea back in 2014 with the product set to go to market in the near future.

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The biodegradable water drop, known as Ooho, is made possible because of its casing made from seaweed. As such, the membrane is edible. Interestingly, multiple sources have noted that the company is looking to the running industry, specifically marathons, as a potential market. The drops would be used at water stations where, for the most part, traditional cups or bottles are used.

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“If you run in a race in London in the near future and pass a hydration station, you may be handed a small, bubble-like sphere of water instead of a bottle,” writes Fast Company. In its current form, the water droplets appear too small to replicate a full cup of water at an aid station.

RELATED: This self-filling bottle makes clean water out of thin air.

Skipping Rocks Lab told the Independent that one of the visions is a version with a “very thin membrane suitable to hand out to runners in a race.”

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There is an outer layer that is to be removed to keep the inner layer clean. The outer layer can be composted. (Ooho is not yet available commercially.)

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