GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
Edible Straw as an Alternative to Drinking Plastic Straw
A Research Paper Presented to the Faculty
of Senior High School Department of
Golden Acres National High School
Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in
Inquiries, Investigation and Immersion
Rosales, Cirila Mae E.
Amac, Kurt Kaizzer
Dysuanco, Daren Jake A.
Duyog, Jairam S.
Unabia, Maricris
Hadjisaid, Nasrullah M.
Guzmana, Richmun C.
Tabuzo, Marc Francis A.
Yango, Angel Matthew Jr. C.
May, 2022
Chapter 1
The Project and Its Background
1.1 Introduction
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
Plastic particles are widely distributed and can create entanglement, as well as being
swallowed and inhaled by animals or any living organisms. They could also serve as additional
contamination channels for other substances, such as organic contaminants. Modern plastics
really expanded in the first 50 years of the twentieth century, with at least 15 new classes of
polymers being synthesized. The success of plastics as a material has been substantial; they have
proved versatile for use in a range of types and forms, including natural polymers, modified
natural polymers, thermosetting plastics, thermoplastics and, more recently, biodegradable
plastics.
Almost 2.7 million tons of plastic waste are generated in the Philippines each year, and an
estimated 20 percent ends up in the ocean. The reality is that used plastic straws frequently have a
much worse destination: our oceans. It's estimated that 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the
ocean each year, and 1.15–2.41 tons of it are carried there down major rivers around the world.
The general situation that makes us develop this study is the increasing amount of plastic
waste in our environment. We the researchers aim to conduct a study to help reduce the increasing
use of plastics that can harm the environment and can cause climate change, by creating an
alternative for plastic straws which make up 0.025 percent of the total eight million tons of plastic
that flow into the ocean every year.
This proposed alternative for drinking plastic straw is an edible candy straw which will be
develop by the researchers to have a quality like the normal straw. But this one will not contribute
to plastic pollution because it is edible and it also takes less amount of time to decompose than
plastics, which means after it is used it can just dissolve and does not have any harm on our
environment.
1.2 The Scientific Problem
The study aims to know the effectiveness of edible candy straw as an alternative to
drinking plastic straw.
Specifically, the researchers would like to address the following problem:
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
1.1. Will the edible candy straw be able to decrease the usage of plastic straw?
1.2. How effective are candies as a raw material for edible straw?
1.3. What are the benefits of creating an edible candy straw?
1.3 Significance of the Study
This research entitled Edible Straw as An Alternative to Drinking Plastic Straw will
benefit the following:
Street sweepers – It may help the street sweepers to have lesser work because this project can
lessen the pollution of plastics, which means fewer plastics to be cleaned.
Consumers – Consumers may benefit in this project because he/she can prevent the increasing
plastic pollution by simply using edible straws instead of plastic straw. It is also in favour of
consumers because they can eat or consume the edible straw.
Community – The community, as a whole can benefit in this study for it promotes a safer society
with less plastic pollution. If the whole community will use this project, the amount of plastic
waste will definitely decrease since these edible straws will not pollute the environment.
Future Researchers – The research would support them in future studies that they will be
conducting regarding the production of Edible Candy Straw.
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
1.4 Conceptual Framework
Input Process Output
Candy Gathering and Examination of the
preparation of the
Water edible candy straw
materials
Flour if it has a potential
• Producing the
Calamansi to be sold in the
ingredients into an edible
Wax Paper market
straw
Stick • Examining the straw in
terms of its; taste and
durability
• Collection of data based
on the trial results.
Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study
Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of this project. This figure
shows the production of edible candy straw, which will be examine based on its taste and
durability. The input-process-output framework was used by the researchers. 2
In the planning process, all of the necessary materials and research ethics for conducting
this study were taken into consideration. In the developing process, the necessary materials were
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
gathered, and procedures were preceded. After completing all the methods, the researchers then
conducted a trial to determine the effectiveness of the Edible Candy Straw.
1.5 Scope and Delimitations of the Study
This study primarily focuses on making straws out of candy, and based on the time,
funding, and capabilities of the researchers, it will not expand further into designing alternative
configurations for the product that will be manufactured. The study's criteria are focused on
generating edible candy straws and determining their effectiveness as an alternative to plastic
straws. To do so, we shall collect data from a certain population, namely restaurant customers or
consumers. In terms of data gathering technique and analysis, this will be the only scope or
coverage of our study.
Chapter II
Review of Related Literature
According to Yang et al. (2021), the widespread use of disposable plastic straws cause
serious environmental problems and poses potential threats to human health, while paper straws,
their most used alternatives, are not so satisfactory due to poor mechanical performance and
unpleasant user experience.
Yavagala and Kulkarnia (2020) indicated that by some estimates, globally use about
500 million straws. According to Bloomberg, straws account for roughly 0.03% of the plastic
waste in the ocean. This corresponds to a large amount of plastic waste generated and thus it
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
becomes quite challenging for the sustainability of the earth. We have come up with a material
that can resist usage of plastic straws. This material is moulded into desired shape to form straws
that are edible. These edible straws are flavoured are designed for the sustainability of the future
and reduce the use of plastic straws.
According to Penerbit and Uthm (2018), the total of world plastics production is
around 360 million metric tons and Malaysia ranks in the top 10 for worst countries worldwide in
plastic waste. It is also believed that some of 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flow into the
oceans every year and 7.5millions of it consists of plastic straws. Therefore, a few solutions have
been made to produce efficient straws that can be both edible and affordable. For an ‘edible-
straw’, it is important to be safe. Edible-straw is not a brand name of straw that friendly-use and
can be eaten. It also does not damage the environment since it is made of candy materials.
The study has been undertaken to determine the effect of bioplastic formulations of
carrageenan and gelatin on the manufacture of edible straws with water resistance. The research
design used was 2 factorial complete random designs (RAL). Edible straws with 20% gelatin
addition formulation have the best water resistance value of 65.18%. Based on these results it
shows that there is a correlation between the gelatin added and the temperature used in the use of
edible straws. Bioplastic formulations can be used as edible straws with the best formulation of
carrageenan 3 grams with the addition of 20% gelatin which can be applied to 4 C cold drinks and
is best applied to drinks at 25 C. (A’yun et al. 2021)
Plastic straw rubbish is the fifth largest contributor to plastic waste in the world.
Different from other plastic waste, plastic straw rubbish tends to be ignored because of its small
size and has no sale value for recycling. Even plastic straws are not a concern of scavengers
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
because of their low sales value. In Indonesia, plastic straws are still widely used by restaurants,
cafes, food depots and hangout places that have foods and drink. As performed by Chealsea
Briganti and Leigh Amn Tucker who is the founder of Loliware. They created straws made from
seaweed. Besides being environmentally friendly, the straws made by loliware can even be eaten.
Chapter III
Methodology
This chapter presents the materials used in process of making the edible straw. It also covers the
variables that were measured as part of the function of the project, and the statistical techniques
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
used to interpret the data obtained from testing.
Research Design
The design of this research is Experimental Research Design. According to Sugiyono
(2006), experimental research is a research which has the purpose to find the reason impact
relationship among factors in a controlled condition. The fundamental element of experimental
research is that examiners intentionally control and manipulate the conditions which decide the
occasions, where they are intrigued, introduce mediation and measure the distinction that it
makes. Darci Harland states that experimental research is a review that rigorously sticks to a
logical examination plan. It incorporates a speculation, a variable that can be controlled by the
analyst, and factors that can be estimated, determined and thought about. Above all, it is finished
in a controlled environment. The researchers gather information and results will either support or
reject the speculation. This technique for research is alluded to a speculation testing or an
insightful examination strategy.
A. Materials
Candy – The main ingredients for straw
Stick – It was used to mold the candy
Flour – It was used for candy to not stick in the ceramic
Microwave – It was used for the candy to melt
Wax paper – It was used it was used for the candy not to stick to the ceramic
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
B. Procedures
1. The candy was put in the microwave to melt it.
2. Then, slightly spread it in wax paper to cool it.
3. After that, mold it using stick (the stick was soaked in oil).
4. And last, cool it until it become solid and remove the stick.
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
Possible Risk
In making the project, the following risks may be encountered:
Microwave – when heating the candy, there is a possibility of being injured by burning your
hand. It was advisable to wear gloves or to use heating pad.
Temperature of the candy – when you roll the candy to mold it, there is a chance that your
finger may burn because of the temperature of the candy; wear gloves to protect your hands.
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
Chapter IV
Results and Discussion
This chapter presents the results obtained in conducting the experiment and data were
analyzed in order to answer the questions and problems that were stated.
3.3 Durability Test
Trial Time soaked in Description Interpretation
water
1 1h The water was Failed
colored
2 2h The water tasted Failed
sweet, like candy
3 2 h 30 min The straw was so Failed
sticky
4 3h The straw was Failed
hard, then it
cracked
5 3h The straw became a Failed
bit soggy and hard
to mold
6 3 h 30 min The straw was not Failed
flexible and hard to
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
mold
7 3h–4h The straw was Passed
easily shaped and
did not dissolve
easily
3.4 Cost Analysis
Materials Quality Unit Price Actual Price
Candy -Sugar-based candy ₱ 40 ₱ 80
-Barbeque stick
Stick -All-purpose flour ₱ 10 ₱10
Flour -Non-stick and ₱30 ₱30
Wax paper moisture-resistant ₱80 ₱80
wax paper.
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
Chapter V
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendation
This chapter presents the data obtained in the measurement of
the variables of the project, and the corresponding interpretation of
the data obtained from testing.
Conclusions
Based on the results, the following were concluded:
1. The edible candy straw has the potential to be an alternative to drinking plastic straw as it
is durable and long lasting enough before it decomposed.
2. Edible candy Straw as an Alternative to Drinking Plastic Straw has a significant impact on
lessening the amount of plastic pollution.
Recommendation
The researchers recommend the following:
1. Instead of using commercial cooking oil, substitute a vegetable oil to help the candy be
molded easily and test the durability of edible straw that uses the vegetable oil. The use of
lard is also recommended.
2. Further study is needed to test the result if non-sugar based candy is used. This study can
be used as a basis in creating an alternative straw that doesn’t require plastic.
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
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GOLDEN ACRES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL- Senior High School
Marcos Alvarez Avenue, Golden Acres Subdivision, Talon Uno, Las Piňas City
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM)
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