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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FINAL PROJECTSEA-STRAW (Edible Straw)
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This student project developed an edible straw made from natural materials as an alternative to single-use plastic straws. It is a product design project aimed at reducing plastic waste, with no primary research on microplastic pollution.
In the year of 2019 with the following years, people will have a problem with plastic. Plastic is one of the most used item in the history of human being. People use it as a packaging, fishing lines, glues, etc every day without realizing on how long it takes for plastic to decomposed/disappear. It only takes hours or maybe minutes for them to throw plastic like its going to disappear in seconds, when normally, plastic takes over 100 years or more to dicomposed. So that I come with a breakthrough of creating an edible straw that I called “Sea-Straw”. Sea-Straw is made out of seaweed that came out of the ocean. Before we get through a lot more question, here is a fact: 1. In the year of 2017, Americans used about 390 million plastic straws each day. This data comes from from the market research firm, Freedonia Group. 2. Straws are currently the 8th most found ocean trash in cleanups by quanity (January 2019). 3. It is projected that by 2050, 99% of all sea bird species will have ingested plastic. Mortality rate can be “up to” 50%. And, already, research has shown plastic in sea salt, 94% of U.S. tap water, and shellfish. Plastic Straws are really bad for the Earth, especially to the ocean. When plastic does make it into the ocean it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces known as “microplastics” rather than biodegrading or dissolving, which poses great threats to marine life including fish.
More Papers Like This
Edible Straws as Promising Biodegradable Alternatives to Single-Use Plastics: A Comprehensive Review
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Single-use plastic straws are a small but symbolic part of the microplastics problem, and this review surveys research into edible straws as a biodegradable alternative, covering materials ranging from cassava starch and seaweed to cellulose and proteins. Lab results are promising — cellulose-based versions show good strength, seaweed-based ones biodegrade quickly, and life cycle analyses confirm ecological advantages over plastic — but challenges including high production costs, short shelf life, and lack of regulatory standards are holding back commercial adoption. The review concludes that realizing the potential of edible straws will require coordination across material science, food engineering, and policy.
A Review on Edible Straws
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This review examines edible straws as a biodegradable alternative to single-use plastic straws, synthesizing research on their material compositions, structural performance, sensory properties, and alignment with global sustainability goals to reduce microplastic accumulation from disposable plastic products.
Production of Cost-Effective Biodegradable Straw
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Researchers developed a biodegradable drinking straw made from natural, chemical-free materials as an alternative to plastic straws. Plastic straws are a common source of single-use plastic pollution and potential microplastic generation in marine environments.
Reducing microplastic pollution by replacing plastic items with edible vegetable-based products: A review
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Everyday plastic items like straws, cups, and spoons break down into tiny microplastic particles that end up in our food, water, and bodies — and scientists are still learning how this affects our health. This review paper rounds up existing research on edible alternatives made from plant materials (like starch, seaweed, and vegetable scraps) that could replace single-use plastics entirely, since you can eat them instead of throwing them away. While promising, the authors note these products still need to become cheaper and longer-lasting before they can realistically replace plastic on a large scale.
Evaluation of paper straws versus plastic straws: Development of a methodology for testing and understanding challenges for paper straws
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This study developed a methodology for testing the performance of paper straws as alternatives to plastic straws, evaluating their structural integrity, taste neutrality, and environmental impact under realistic use conditions. The work addresses the need for objective evaluation of plastic straw alternatives as regulations drive substitution away from single-use plastics.
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