We have a stubborn teenager in our house that likes to eat the plasticky / waxy orange rind of cheese, despite the packet warning that it is not edible. Can you help me understand why it is not edible? What is it made of, and what could happen to you if you persist in eating it (for years)?
In: Chemistry
Assuming you’re talking about ONLY the waxy kind (sometimes they contain cloth or leaves too), they are considered inedible but are not toxic or harmful – just largely indigestible. In other words, they’ll just pass through and come out the other end pretty much the same way they went in. Harmless unless your teenager eats a large amount in one sitting and it gums up the works.
If you’re talking about the natural cheese rinds that form on most cheese (which can sometimes seem waxy and thick), those are perfectly fine to eat.
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