Starch straws are also degradable straws, edible straws, home–compostable straws, and eco–friendly straws. As a straw rookie, it has many advantages that are not comparable to existing plastic straws and paper straws. Starch straws are produced using natural crop starch such as wheat, rice, corn, cassava, potatoes and other natural crops as the main raw materials, and have undergone a lot of verification and testing to meet the needs of contact with different beverages and different scenarios. Starch straws will not melt when used, but also can be eaten, do not produce pollution, and can achieve the purpose of environmental protection.
The production process of starch straws abandons the traditional production method of straws and creates a new production method. The whole production line is made of raw material mixing→ high-temperature extrusion→ cutting and forming→ hot air drying→ disinfection and packaging, which can achieve automatic and large-scale production, and there is no pollutant generation in the production process. The starch straw extruded at high temperature has good water resistance, does not soak and soften as easily as paper straws, and can maintain its basic form for 2 hours in cold drinks. Although the hardness will still decrease after long-term soaking, the use process can not be extended indefinitely, to avoid long-term soaking, but this is also its advantage, after long-term soaking, it becomes soft and can be eaten directly or eaten by livestock or fish. Or home compost degradation without the harsh conditions of industrial composting. Starch straws can be stored in cool, dry and dark conditions, and the shelf life can be up to 2 years.
Pure PLA straws have good biodegradability, degrade to generate CO2 and H2O, do not pollute the environment, and can be completely degraded under industrial composting conditions. The straw after high temperature extrusion has good thermal stability, good solvent resistance, and its product gloss, transparency, and hand feel performance can replace plastic straws, and the physical and chemical indicators of the product can meet the requirements of local food safety regulations. Therefore, it has a wide range of applications and can basically meet the needs of most beverages on the market. PLA straws have stable performance at room temperature, good moisture resistance and toughness. However, it will automatically decompose under the action of temperatures higher than 45 °C or oxygen-rich microorganisms. Special attention should be paid to the temperature during the transportation and storage of the product, as the long-term high temperature will lead to deformation and fragmentation of PLA straws, resulting in a short shelf life and a shorter shelf life. Due to the limitation of raw material performance, PLA straws can not be used for hot drinks in the process of use, and are suitable for cold drinks more, and it is believed that in the future technology will continue to improve and innovate, we will gradually develop straw products that are both high temperature resistant and environmentally friendly.
The paper straw is made of food-grade virgin wood pulp paper as the main raw material, and its production process is processed by three or four layers of food-grade base paper gluing, coiling, slitting, drying and other steps. The whole production process is simple and easy to mass-produce. However, the price of paper straws is higher, and the use experience is very poor. Customers often say that they use paper straws to feel like a mouthful of some hair。It is necessary to use paper, adhesives and inks that meet food safety requirements, because they all need to be in direct contact with food, and the food safety performance of the product must be guaranteed. At the same time, it is also necessary to meet the needs of many beverages on the market, many paper straws will be soft and open when they come into contact with high temperature drinks or acidic drinks, which are the problems we need to pay attention to.
