An Innovative Alternative to Plastic Straws with Bacterial Cellulose

Abstract

This study aims to introduce the usage of biodegradable bacterial cellulose as an alternative material to straw production. Cellulose is a crystalline linear chain polysaccharide found in various organisms with cell walls. Known for its strength and durability, cellulose is also biodegradable due to its organic nature. Through a series of different experiments that include the production of cellulose from SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and the subsequent creation of straws from the cellulose and food-safe glue, this study proposes a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic straws. Further experiments were done to compare the functionality of the cellulose straw to that of plastic straws and other alternatives currently in the market, including paper and metal straws. This was done using a strength test to see how much weight the straws could hold before breaking, a test to see how long the straws could maintain their integrity with water running through them, and an experiment where different drinking liquids were used. It was found that the cellulose straws displayed no loss in functionality when compared to the other straws and displayed similar levels of durability as the plastic straws.