Oblaat
In Japan, oblaat is a thin, edible layer of starch used to wrap some candies and pharmaceuticals, similar to capsules.Description
Many types of dagashi Japanese candy are wrapped in oblaat, which is an edible, thin cellophane made of rice starch. It has no taste nor odor, and is transparent. It is useful to preserve gelatinous sweets by absorbing humidity.Etymology
The name comes from the Dutch word "oblaat".History
Oblaat was introduced to Japan by Dutch pharmaceutical companies in the late 19th century to wrap bad tasting medicine so that it could be swallowed without tasting any bitter powder. Dagashi isn't wrapped in oblaat because it tastes bad; it's wrapped in oblaat to keep the pieces of candy from sticking together.
