Nutritive enriched edible, bioplastic straw from red seaweed, Gracilaria verrucosa as an effort application of marine resources for health

This study was aims to introduce edible and bioplastic straws from the red seaweed Gracilaria verrucosa to reduce the use of domestic plastic straw and determining the characteristics of prepared edible bioplastic straw. The dried G. verrucosa were purchased from a local market in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Biofilms were directly separated by boiling seaweed in water (20 g: 600 ml),which is the most cost-effective method for preparing biofilms using these materials. Coconut oil was added as a plasticizer to enhance the moisture barrier properties. Sensory evolution (color, texture, taste, and oder), antioxidant properties, water solubility, and customer survey analyses were performed to check straw quality. In the sensory analysis color, texture, taste, and odor were observed. Data was collected over a six-month period and the experimentation place in a laboratory setting at the Ocean University of Sri Lanka and the color, odor, texture, and taste did not change during this period. The antioxidant capacity of G. verrucosa was evaluated using a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Free radical scavenging activities of seaweed extracts showed higher activity in 100 µl/ml and 75µl/ml methanol concentration when compared with 50 µl/ml, and 25 µl/ml methanol (p = 0.959). The average solubility of the seaweed films is reported 93.11% after 15 min, 93.77% after 90 min, and 95.73% after 16 h, respectively, indicating a high solubility in water at room temperature. This study found that seaweed straws used for drinking cold beverages could be used longer than  straws used for drinking beverages at room temperature, making it suitable for cool drinks. Customer survey results showed that customers were satisfied with the edible seaweed straw.  Prior to this study, no preliminary research had been conducted on the production of edible biodegradable bioplastic straws from G. verrucosa. These findings hold great promise for promoting sustainability and reducing the use of single-use plastic straws.