Fed up: food artist questions cosmetics industry

At the ‘Does Dark Matter?’ event at 29 New Inn Yard, Candela cooked and served ‘krustapseudicals’. Despite their jagged and robust appearance, the krustapseudicals (krustallos is Greek for ‘ice’ ) are made of gelatine which is used to create jelly ‘the wobbly, perishable confection reserved for young children’. The krustapseudicals contain vitamins, minerals, proteins and small edible amounts of skin and dental care products such as lip gloss – ingredients that are sold to consumers as ways to improve appearance or to slow the signs of ageing.

Candela used her invention as a way to highlight the workings of the cosmetics industry. According to the artist, the show referenced the trend for ‘cosmeceuticals’ – cosmetic pharmaceuticals – and ‘nutricosmetics’, pills which often also look like jelly and which are being marketed as beauty products by brands previously known for making basic items such as soap or skin cream.

For more emerging food trends, see our Food Futures report.