A Vietnamese firm has succeeded in producing straws made of rice flour, which can be eaten, to replace plastic ones at a time when environmental protection is a topical issue in Vietnam.

SAFIMEX SJC Food’s, a company based in Ho Chi Minh City, currently makes 100,000 rice-flour straws a day at its plant in Sa Dec, which is a city in Dong Thap Province, Vo Minh Khang, its general director, said.

The firm will expand the capacity by five times this month, Khang added.

These eco-friendly straws have been introduced to such markets as South Korea, Japan, European countries and purchase deals have been signed, the executive revealed.

In Vietnam, many distributors have approached SAFIMEX’S for an exclusive deal while high-end restaurants and hotels are the target segment, Khang said.

 “I have been to many countries where environment-friendly products are favoured,” he said. “My company are good at making rice-flour products so we have researched and started production. “It amazes me that consumers have responded so well to our straws.”

SAFIMEX SJC explored ways to make the rice-flour straws for one year before rolling them out four months ago.

“We faced such difficulties as finding the formula and machinery to ensure the straws are hard to be broken, stiff enough, and evenly made,” the executive confided.

These straws can be kept at room temperature for 18 months whereas the duration will be shortened to 30-120 minutes when they are put in normal or cold water.

The straws come in white taken from rice, green from amaranth spinach, purple from beetroot, and black from sesame seeds.

They are eatable but the producer warns against consuming too many straws a day.

Vo Minh Khang, general director of HungHau Foods, introduces the products at its factory in Sa Dec City, Dong Thap Province, Vietnam. Photo: Ngoc Tai / Tuoi Tre

 Environmental protection has gained significant attention from both the people and the government in recent times.

Many initiatives and campaign have been launched to raise public awareness of the issue.

Vietnam was amongst the five countries that dumped the most plastic into the ocean, according to a 2017 report by Ocean Conservancy.

Two metropolises of the Southeast Asian nation, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, alone get rid of about 80 metric tons of plastic a day, according to data from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

RELATED NEWS:

Turning rice straws into packaging materials avoids environmental hazards

Philippine project intends to develop packaging materials for specialty rice and food commodities following an environment-friendly process protocol

Rice, when harvested, leaves a voluminous amount of straws on the field. Burning seems to be the easiest way to get rid of them; but burning rice straws causes air pollution and risks to human health.

Rice straws, considered by farmers as wastes; have the potential to become packaging materials for packing rice and other food commodities. A research project will study these straws alone and in combination with other biodegradable raw materials to develop an eco-friendly process of converting them into packaging materials.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) has recently approved the implementation of the project; “Development of Green Packaging Technology Using Eco-friendly Materials for Rice and other Commodities.” This will be implemented by Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISaTU); in La Paz, Iloilo City.

In an inception meeting at ISaTU, project leader Dr. Yvette G. Gonzales explained that raw materials available and abundant in the locality will be identified and characterized. Potential raw materials will be converted into packaging papers.

The project intends to develop packaging materials for specialty rice and food commodities following an environment-friendly process protocol.

The process protocol is expected to be cost-effective and will result in longer preservation of rice products; reduced use of health hazardous chemicals to avoid food contamination; and reduced carbon emissions. Series of tests and evaluation will be conducted until packaging materials become strong, durable, moisture-resistant, and affordable.

ISaTU plans to partner with Zarraga Integrated Diversified Organic Farmers Association (ZIDOFA) for some of the activities of the project.

Those who will benefit from the outputs of this project; include farmers growing organic/specialty rice and consumers. ISaTU researchers and inventors intend to file for patent on the process and product as soon as these are fully developed.

With this project, PCAARRD looks forward to further provide solutions to waste management problems in rice farms through innovative products and processes that are eco-friendly as well.

Source: http://news.bio-based.eu

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