Sugarcane Leaves as a Food Container

A. Introduction

Paper industry is one of the factors affecting deforestation. According to the

Union of Concerned scientists, 10% of the total deforestation is caused by wood
products, including paper. Studies state that in one department alone, 1.8 million sheets
of paper are used annually, and this is only an initial estimation. Although paper
products are taxing to the environment, it cannot be denied that papers are crucial to
the society as they are essential for development.

The idea of putting food safely in metal packaging was first had in 1809 when
Napoleon Bonaparte said he would award 12 thousand Franks to whomever comes up
with a method to protect the army’s food supply. The first printed box in the history of
metal packaging was made in 1866 in USA. Food containers are durable because the
paper is thick: however, the thicker the paper, the more wood is used. Thus, this study
is created, to somehow solve the problem of deforestation, to substitute wood with
sugarcane leaves.

B. Methodology

Materials (for cooking and beating):

1. Sugarcane leaves
1
2. Alkali substance (3 ounces per pound of sugarcane leaves)
2
3. Water
4. A large, nonfood, nonreactive pot (stainless steel, glass, or enamel-coated)
5. A scale
6. Potholders
7. Nonfood, nonreactive stirring utensils
8. Mesh strainer
9. Bucket
10. Nonfood blender

Materials (for papermaking process)

1. Screen and frame

2. Vat
3. Felts or old blankets
4. Press or sponges and brayer
5. Drying equipment (optional)
 Method:

1. Gathering fiber stocks

-Gathering the leaves of sugar cane leaves is required in the process. Only the
blade of the leaf is needed, and the midrib is being separated, to make the paper
finer.

2. Cutting the fiber

-Cutting the blade of the leaf can make the process on making the product easy
and with less difficulty in further procedures. Cut the leaf at least a half an inch or
half an inch. Soak in water overnight to fully hydrate the fiber before cooking and
processing.

3. Cooking the fiber

-Fill a pot with water to cover the fiber, about 2 gallons per pound. Heat the pot
and add the alkali before it boils. As the alkali dissolves, add the soaked fiber and
stir. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer. Every half hour
while simmering, stir the fiber and test it for doneness. Take a piece of fiber, rinse
it, and pull it. If the fiber pulls apart easily, it’s ready.

4. Formation Aide

-For the leaves to stick, it is needed have a solution that serves as a glue to the
leaves. Okras are used in the process, chopping it into pieces and place it a
boiling pot with water. Wait until the extract of the okra turns thick and pour it in
an empty container.

5. Blending the fiber

-Blending turns the fiber into a pulp. The process helps to make the leaves more
time into a pulp. The process helps to make the leaves finer. Adding water into
the container, add the cooked fiber and blend it until it turns into a very thin pulp.

6. Filling the vat

-Place the pulp into a tray.

7. Straining the formation aide

-Straining the extract of the formation aide, to avoid any other parts of the aide to
mix with the pulp. Pour the strained extract into the tray with the pulp.

8. Canvas and screen

 -The canvas and the screen is used to strain the pulp and the formation aide
together, creating the paper. If the following materials are unavailable improvise
some objects that will serve as the canvas such as picture frames with a thick
cloth.

9. Pipping the mold

-Gather up small amount of pulp and spread it across the screen. If the paper is
required to be thick, gather up large amount of pulp to make the product even
more thick.

10. Interlocking the fibers

-Gently rock the pulp across the screen. The process increases the paper
strength and for the product to become equal and even; not too thin and not too
thick on each sides.

11. Couching

-Transferring the pulp into the canvas. If the canvas is not available, a thick cloth
will do. Make sure that the paper is sticking to each other so that the paper will
not break.

12. Drying the sheet

-Dry the paper in a heater or any procedure.

13. Pulling the sheet

-Separating the dried paper from the canvas or thick cloth after the product
completely dries.