Edible Straws as Promising Biodegradable Alternatives to Single-Use Plastics: A Comprehensive Review | Chapter 4 | Food Science and Agriculture: Research Highlights Vol. 6

 

The most standard type of straws commonly found in the food industry is made of plastic. Plastic pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century, with single-use plastic straws contributing significantly to marine litter and microplastic accumulation. In response, edible straws have emerged as a promising biodegradable alternative aligned with global efforts to reduce plastic consumption. Edible straws are being actively researched for their biodegradability, functionality, and consumer acceptability. While their biodegradable nature makes them appealing, their safety, environmental impact, and regulatory compliance are paramount for successful market adoption. This review synthesises insights from 32 Scopus-indexed studies (2020–2025), highlighting advancements in raw materials, processing methods, mechanical strength, environmental sustainability, and consumer perception. Edible straws are primarily manufactured using renewable, food-grade biopolymers such as starch (from cassava, corn, rice), seaweed polysaccharides (agar, alginate, carrageenan), cellulose (agro-waste derived), and proteins (soy, whey, gelatin), with functional additives like plasticizers (glycerol, sorbitol) and hydrophobic coatings (beeswax, shellac) enhancing their performance. Among them, cellulose-based straws show high tensile strength and moisture resistance, while protein- and seaweed-based versions offer favourable sensory profiles and faster biodegradation. Despite these benefits, challenges such as high production costs, short shelf life, variability in material behaviour, and lack of regulatory standardisation limit market penetration. Life cycle assessments confirm the ecological advantages of edible straws over plastic and paper alternatives. Innovative developments such as hybrid biopolymer blends, nanofillers, scalable extrusion techniques, and flavour-infused designs hold promise for enhancing commercial viability and user acceptance. Achieving mainstream adoption will require integrated efforts in material science, food engineering, policy regulation, and public awareness. Despite growing academic and industrial interest in edible straws, several critical knowledge gaps and developmental challenges remain unaddressed. While laboratory-scale development has yielded promising outcomes, large-scale production of edible straws remains largely unexplored. Future research should prioritise scalable manufacturing methods, improved shelf-life formulations, comprehensive life-cycle and techno-economic assessments, expanded consumer acceptance studies, and the development of harmonised regulatory standards to enable the commercial viability of edible straws.

 

 

Author(s) Details

Meegada Akhila
Department of Food Technology, JNTUA College of Engineering, Kalikiri, Andhra Pradesh, India.

 

Santhi Sri K. V
Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, ANU College of Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.

 

M. V. Keerthi
Department of Food Technology, JNTUA College of Engineering, Kalikiri, Andhra Pradesh, India.

 

M. Mounica
Department of Food Technology, JNTUA College of Engineering, Kalikiri, Andhra Pradesh, India.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/fsarh/v6/7101