As a preemptive measure to save the earth, a battle against single-use plastics has been waged, with plastic straws being declared as public enemy number one.
Although there have been several types of straws created to replace plastic ones such as the reusable metal straws that have been trending in restaurants lately, they clearly raised hygiene concerns among users for they need to be cleaned properly with plenty of detergent and water.
Thus, enter the “rice straws”, which made their way to Singapore yesterday (21 March) for its debut at the Café Asia 2019 and Restaurant Asia 2019 exhibitions.
The straws are made out of rice and tapioca, which means they are completely edible and fully biodegradable as they would decompose within 90 days if not used.
The Halal-certified rice straws are produced by Penang-based Nlytech Biotech Sdn Bhd and proved to be quite durable as they can last in cold drinks between 4 and 10 hours whereas, in hot drinks, they can be used for around 2 to 3 hours.
“We are in the midst of setting up mass production in Penang. The product is expected to be commercialised in the local market, as well as for export markets, starting in May 2019,” said Nlytech Biotech CEO Mr Law Yee Tee.
Mr Law added that the price of the rice straws “will be very much affordable compared to other types of eco-friendly straws”.
For those who are interested, Cafe Asia 2019, Restaurant Asia 2019, International Coffee & Tea Industry Expo 2019 and Sweets & Bakes Asia 2019 will be running until 23 March (Saturday) at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre.