Turn rice straws into packaging materials

CONSIDERED by farmers as waste materials, rice straws can have the potential to become packaging materials for packing rice and other food commodities.

When harvested, rice usually leaves a voluminous amount of straws in the field, and burning seems to be the most convenient way to dispose it.

However, burning rice straws causes air pollution and risks to human health.

To address the situation, a research project will study the straws alone, and in combination with other biodegradable raw materials to develop an eco-friendly process of converting it 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 approved the implementation of the project dubbed “Development of Green Packaging Technology Using Eco-friendly Materials for Rice and other Commodities.”

It will be implemented by the Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISaTU) in La Paz, Iloilo City.

The raw materials available and abundant in the locality will be identified and characterized where the 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.

A series of tests and evaluation will be conducted until the packaging materials become strong, durable, moisture-resistant, and affordable.

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.

In another development, a project to document the indigenous vegetables locally known as “katutubong gulay” in the different provinces of the Philippines has been officially set in motion following a recent inception meeting at the DOST-PCAARRD.

Titled “Documentation of the Indigenous Vegetables in the Philippines,” the project will gather and compile information about several indigenous vegetables in the country.

This initiative could lay the foundation for further research and development works.

The importance of mainstreaming the production and utilization of indigenous vegetables as healthy alternatives to common vegetables in every Filipino’s food basket has already been discussed.

The team will gather available printed or electronically published, including unpublished materials in 25 provinces of the 17 regions in the country.

They will also source out materials from national and local agencies as well as public and private institutions to produce information, education, and communication (IEC) materials.

A database of all the abstracts and indices on indigenous vegetables will be one of the outputs of the project.

In line with the targets of the “Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) for Vegetables,” the project will indirectly help increase the consumption of safe vegetables in the country. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)

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