Chapter 1

PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter is comprised of the introduction, background of the study,

theoretical framework, conceptual framework, conceptual model, statement of the

problem, scope and delimitation, significance of the study, and the definition of

terms.

Introduction

Plastic is often used in material packaging in the public market. It has a lot

of advantages because of its durability, lightweight, and cheap price; that's why

many corporations produce plastic as packaging. Plastic is usually used in

packaging foods like candies, snacks, and many food products. Plastic has many

advantages, but not all of them are recyclable. Small plastic packaging is hard to

recycle because of its tiny appearance, like the packaging of small candies and

single-use condiment pouches. Because it can’t be recycled, this plastic will

become trash, which is actually a bad thing because it will be contributing to plastic

waste

Plastic waste can cause pollution— water pollution and plastic pollution—

that can affect nature. This plastic is not biodegradable, which means it is hard to

decompose— it takes hundreds of years to disintegrate — which is bad for the

environment. That's why it needs to make new alternative packaging, and this is

producing edible plastic using gelatin powder.

The concept of this edible plastic is because of the environmental issue that

our world is facing now. Edible plastic is biodegradable, which is less harmful and
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eco-friendly. One of the first materials used to create bioplastic is gelatin. It is

utilized because it is inexpensive and easy to find because it is usually readily

available on the market. Using gelatin as a main ingredient in making edible plastic

will be less toxic— it doesn't contain harmful chemicals, yet gelatin plastic has a

plastic-like consistency. Gelatin is also used to make capsules for medicines, so it

is safe to eat edible plastic made from gelatin. Food packaging disposal is a

significant contributor to global environmental pollution.

The researchers aim to determine the acceptability of the Home economics

learners of SCAS to the use of edible food packaging for candies. Researchers

can make conclusions that we can use to make a judgment, assessment, and

decision that would benefit our environment and society.

Background of the Study

Most candy wrappers are not recyclable because they are made of mixed

materials and considered to be contaminated with toxic chemicals and it can cause

brain damage, kidney problems, growth problems and irreversible nervous system

disorders especially to those Children who really like to eat candies and it happen

because of the contaminated plastic that we use as wrappers in a candies. The

process of decomposition of candy wrappers releases toxic gasses which affect

atmosphere and pollute the soil too which is bad in our environment. Plastic

wrappers candies can affect also our cellular level. It can altering our

chromosomes in ways that it can lead to infertility, obesity and cancer. For women

it is possible that they can have breast cancer and for men, these plastic chemicals

can cause prostate cancer.

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Candy wrappers are topped list of plastic waste in the ocean according to

data collected from coastal cleanups worldwide and it can cause water pollution

that can cause destruction of Ecosystems or aquatic animals like fish, tuna ,

octopus and etc. that people can eat and when people eat this affected aquatic

animals because of water pollution that cause of plastic wrappers candies possible

that they can experience are diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, and

polio which is bad in a health of people.

There are various records of the utilization of edible packaging in the past.

Furthermore, its acceptability towards people is reluctant since edible food

packaging involves hygiene and sanitary concerns. The development of several

edible packaging was set aside due to the advent of plastic packaging. Plastic

packaging proves to be more advantageous and extensively used as food

packaging since it is convenient and accessible.

The use of edible materials as food coating has also had few historical

reports. The edible packaging employed in making sausages, preserving meat by

stuffing it in animal intestines, a process developed by Sumerians in Mesopotamia

around 3000 B.C. The Chinese settlers in China around 580 B.C. A particular type

of edible thin film made from the skin of boiled soy milk was used in Japan during

the 15th century to cover different foods. In China and Europe, during the 16th

century, to coat fruits and other food products for their conservation and later

consumption, they utilized animal grease (lard) and wax. During the 19th century,

the coating made from gelatin in meat products in the USA emerged. The edible

packaging contains bioproducts such as polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, or bio-

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composites. Those bioproducts are considered biodegradable, biocompatible,

recyclable, and have a renewable origin. As synthetic plastics dominated the

packaging market after WWII, the use of edible resources for packaging was set

aside due to the development and synthesis of various plastic materials for food

packaging. The plastic industry has profoundly expanded in the 21st century.

Edible packaging exists in nature, such as apple and grape skins, which

protect the fruit from microbes and the environment. Meanwhile, humans have also

produced consumable packaging for decades, such as sausage casings made of

collagen and cellulose. In addition, the use of ice cream cones to consume ice

cream. The researchers and food industry experts conclude that edible packaging

will require an outer layer, just like ice cream cones are wrapped in paper and sold

in a box. The outer layer's materials should be compostable or sustainable.

Various components or ingredients that are a handful in producing edible

packaging are polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids. Those are biopolymers used

to fabricate edible films or coatings as packaging. While polysaccharides (starch

and derivatives, gums, etc.) and proteins (gelatin, gluten, etc.) offer edible films

with mechanical and optical properties that are considered adequate. This study

or research focuses on gelatin as edible food packaging for candies. As we tackle

the history of edible packaging previously, subsequently is how gelatin is

considered a component of edible food packaging.

Commonly, gelatin gets from particular mammals, like pork and cow, or

poultry. Alternative gelatin sources, such as gelatin from various fish species, are

being explored. Due to its functional qualities, such as its capacity to bind water,
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produce gels, operate as a gas barrier, form films, create foam, and have an

emulsification property, gelatin is widely utilized in the food, pharmaceutical,

photographic, and cosmetics sectors. In addition, it is an ideal material for food

packaging due to its versatile advantages, such as low price, polymerization,

biodegradability, and good antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Although

gelatin exhibits excellent gas barrier and swelling properties, it has poor

mechanical resistance and is permeable to water vapor. The poor water vapor

barrier characteristic limits the gelatin's application for packing material. By

combining gelatin with another valuable ingredient, it can overcome its imitations.

The gelatin is used as packaging for pharmaceutical products. In 1834

French chemist Francois Mothes developed gelatin capsules to mask the bitter

flavor of many drugs and medicines and simultaneously protect them from

degradation. In 1847 Londoner James Murdock developed a hard-divided gelatin

capsule – but it would be another 50+ years before mass-produced gelatin

capsules would revolutionize the pharmaceutical sector with the vast potential of

encapsulated powdered medicines. The gelatin capsule is successful in the field

of pharmaceuticals. Therefore, researchers want to determine the capabilities of

gelatin as edible food packaging for candies and distinguish the status of its

acceptability towards the particular target population.

Almost all of the packaging in our world is made up of plastic and it is the

number one environmental issue that we are all facing and it affects not just our

nature but also our health. Due to the meltability of gelatin edible plastic, it cannot
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last longer than a week and if almost all food companies used it as food packing it

can probably reduce almost 36% of plastic pollution in our country. Humans are

exposed to toxic chemicals and microplastics, especially in inhalation, digestion,

and direct skin contact, through this study we can minimize the health problems

that caused by plastics such as infertility, obesity, diabetes, and prostate or breast

cancer due to the toxic chemicals in plastic (Geneva Environment Network).

Animals are the most affected species in our world in terms of plastic

pollution. Almost 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year (IUCN)

and plastics damage the health of marine species and cause them to early death.

The most visible impact of plastics is the ingestion, suffocation, and entanglement

of several marine species. If plastic production increases it can cause them to be

endangered. Fishermen are also affected by the plastic pollution that we are

encountering. Fishing vessels and equipment such as propellers are damaged due

to plastic, because it blocks the water intake systems. The way of life of the

fishermen is also affected due to the lack of fish, some of which have plastic within

their stomachs and some die as a result of the plastic being attached to their

bodies.

According to Sir P.S Jagadeesg Kumar, plastic is a most destructive

weapon than a nuclear bomb or an atomic bomb, its impact shall remain for

centuries on the future generation. The said environmental issues are the

fundamental reason why researchers are conducting this study. Researchers aim

to spread knowledge that we can replace plastics with an alternative or substitute

like this edible plastic. This study also aims to disseminate information that if we
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don’t reduce the use of plastic, the issues of our environment will continue to

increase and unfortunately, it can be worse.