The device known as shoyu-tai (or soy-sauce snapper in Japanese) was invented in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, the founder of Osaka-based company Asahi Sogyo, according to a report from Japan’s Radio Kansai.
It was then common for glass and ceramic containers to be used but the advent of cheap industrial plastics allowed the creation of a small polyethylene container in the shape of a fish, officially named the “Lunch Charm”.
The invention quickly spread around Japan and eventually worldwide, and it is estimated that billions have been produced.
Aren’t these biodegradable, though? I imagine the body would eventually process them, unlike hydrocarbon based plastics.
“Biodegradable” doesn’t mean “biodegradable in the conditions in the human body.” Lots of ‘green’ plastics are only compostable at a fairly high temperature (120F/50C) and with specific bacteria present.
PLA is not one of those. It’s used in biodegradable implants. Even fairly large bone screws will dissolve within a couple years.
Biodegradable ( “green” ) needs a new definition
I’ve started to see home compostable on some packages.