Is less sodium soy sauce gluten-free?

Soy sauce is a staple in many kitchens, adding rich umami flavor to a variety of dishes. However, if you’re looking for a healthier option, you might have wondered, "Is less sodium soy sauce gluten-free?" The answer depends on the brand and the production process. Let’s dive into what makes a soy sauce gluten-free, and explore the best options for those seeking low sodium and gluten-free alternatives.

 

Understanding Soy Sauce and Gluten-Free Considerations

Traditional soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. This means that most standard soy sauces contain gluten, which can be problematic for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. However, less sodium soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce typically retains the same ingredients, just with reduced salt content. If the soy sauce still contains wheat, it will not be gluten-free.

 

For those seeking a truly gluten-free low salt option, Gluten Free Low Salt Soy Sauce is available. These sauces are specially crafted without wheat, using alternative ingredients like rice or other gluten-free grains to maintain the rich flavor while being suitable for individuals with gluten intolerances.

 

Low Sodium Soy Sauce: A Healthier Choice

If you’re watching your sodium intake, low sodium soy sauce is an excellent choice. These sauces offer the same great taste but with less salt—ideal for those aiming to reduce their sodium consumption without compromising flavor. Look for labels that indicate “gluten-free” for the best of both worlds: low sodium and gluten-free.

 

Why Choose Pearl River Bridge Soy Sauce?

When it comes to high-quality soy sauce that meets both dietary needs and flavor standards, Pearl River Bridge stands out. Known for its commitment to authenticity and quality, Pearl River Bridge offers a range of sauces, including gluten-free options like their Gluten Free Low Salt Soy Sauce. With a carefully crafted recipe that excludes gluten while maintaining a perfect balance of saltiness and umami, Pearl River Bridge ensures that every bottle is both delicious and suitable for a variety of dietary preferences.

gluten free low salt soy sauce

So, next time you're looking for a healthier, gluten-free soy sauce, consider Pearl River Bridge. Whether you need a less sodium soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, or a gluten free low salt soy sauce, Pearl River Bridge has you covered with premium quality and outstanding taste.

An Antioxidant Can Help Prevent Neuron Loss in Schizophrenia and Depression

In schizophrenia and depression gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) deficits have been implicated.  In schizophrenia, deficits have been particularly well-described for a subtype of GABA neuron, the parvalbumin fast-spiking interneurons.  The activity of these neurons is critical for proper cognitive and emotional functioning.

It now appears that parvalbumin neurons are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress, a factor that may emerge commonly in development, particularly in the context of psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, where compromised mitochondrial function plays a role.  parvalbumin neurons may be protected from this effect by N-acetylcysteine, also known as Mucomyst, a medication commonly prescribed to protect the liver against the toxic effects of acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose, reports a new study in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry.

Dr. Kim Do and collaborators, from the Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences of Lausanne University in Switzerland, have worked many years on the hypothesis that one of the causes of schizophrenia is related to vulnerability genes/factors leading to oxidative stress.  These oxidative stresses can be due to infections, inflammations, traumas or psychosocial stress occurring during typical brain development, meaning that at-risk subjects are particularly exposed during childhood and adolescence, but not once they reach adulthood.

Their study was performed with mice deficient in glutathione, a molecule essential for cellular protection against oxidations, leaving their neurons more exposed to the deleterious effects of oxidative stress.  Under those conditions, they found that the parvalbumin neurons were impaired in the brains of mice that were stressed when they were young.  These impairments persisted through their life.  Interestingly, the same stresses applied to adults had no effect on their parvalbumin neurons.

Most strikingly, mice treated with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, from before birth and onwards, were fully protected against these negative consequences on parvalbumin neurons.

"These data highlight the need to develop novel therapeutic approaches based on antioxidant compounds such as N-acetylcysteine, which could be used preventively in young at-risk subjects," said Do.  "To give an antioxidant from childhood on to carriers of a genetic vulnerability for schizophrenia could reduce the risk of emergence of the disease."

"This study raises the possibility that GABA neuronal deficits in psychiatric disorder may be preventable using a drug, N-acetylcysteine, which is quite safe to administer to humans," added Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry.

Monk fruit which is a zero calorie sweetener

Monk Fruit comes from plants. People use products made from the extracts to sweeten foods and drinks.

Monk fruit which is a zero calorie sweetener
Monk fruit is 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Monk fruit is also called luo han guo or swingle. It looks like a small gourd, and it grows on a vine.

Monk fruit is native to regions of Southeast Asia, including some parts of Thailand and China. Buddhist monks in the 13th century were the first to cultivate the fruit, which is the reason for its name.

Fresh monk fruit spoils rather quickly. Traditionally, people used dried monk fruit in herbal medicines.

Today, monk fruit is most popular as a natural sweetener. The fruit's extract contains substances called mogrosides, which are intensely sweet.

According to the International Food Information Council Foundation, monk fruit is around 150–200 times sweeter than sugar. Some manufacturers mix the extract with different sugars to balance out the intensity.

A monk fruit sweeteners has several benefits when compared with sugar:

1.Zero calories. Monk fruit extract contains no calories, which is helpful for people on diets that restrict a person's caloric intake.
2.Zero carbohydrates. The extract also contains no carbohydrates, which may make it ideal for people on low-carb or keto diets.
3.Zero sugar. There is no sugar in pure monk fruit extract, which means that consuming it will not affect blood sugar levels.
4.No harmful side effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers monk fruit sweeteners to be generally regarded as safe. There appears to be no evidence that monk fruit sweeteners cause harmful side effects.
5.Available in multiple forms. Monk fruit sweeteners are marketed as granules, powders, and liquids. Some products may be easy to carry and use throughout the day.

Monk Fruit sweeteners may also have some health benefits:

1.Antioxidants. Some studies in animals suggest that mogrosides extracted from monk fruit may have potent antioxidant properties. Further research is needed to understand the effects in humans. Also, it is unclear if eating the processed sweetener has the same benefits as eating the fruit.
Diabetes.
2.Research in animals also suggests that mogrosides play a role in controlling blood sugar levels.
3. Results of another study indicate that mogroside extracts may help prevent diabetic complications. However, researchers have yet to investigate these effects in humans.

 

Monk fruit cons For the following reasons, a person may think twice before using monk fruit sweeteners to replace sugar:

Availability and cost. Monk fruit is difficult to grow and costly to export, which means that it is not as widely available as other sweeteners, and it can be expensive.

Taste. Monk fruit sweeteners taste different from regular table sugar, and some find the taste unusual or unpleasant. The sweeteners can also leave an aftertaste.

Other ingredients. Some manufacturers balance the taste of monk fruit by mixing it with other sugars, such as maltodextrin or dextrose. This can change the sweetener's nutritional profile and make it unsafe or undesirable for some people.

A glimpse into the world of paper cups

Customer printed paper cups are one of the most commonly used disposable items in the world. You can find them in restaurants, homes, offices, schools and just about everywhere else. But what many people don’t know is that there is a hidden world of paper cups that exists beyond their everyday use.

In this blog post, we will explore the different types of compostable paper cups along with the process of paper cup making.

How is paper and paper cups are made?

Most food, refreshments, and snacks are supplied in paper packaging, demonstrating how important paper is in our daily lives. I’ll walk you through how trees are made into paper in the sections below.

  • Pulp Production

After being cut, trees are debarked and turned into wood chips, which are then processed into pulp using a mechanical device. The pulp is put through the digester, where it is cooked in a chemical solution including sodium hydroxide and sodium sulphide at a high temperature.

  • Beating

The residual pulp is pounded and squeezed at this stage of the process. Different filler materials, like clays, chalks, or chemicals like titanium oxide, can be introduced during this process, and these additions will affect the opaque nature and other aspects of the finished product.

  • Paper from Pulp

The pulp is spread out and passed through a mesh screening system, where it is crushed by a succession of rollers to assist in removing water.

After the water has been removed and the pulp has been pressed, the paper is passed through a succession of steam-heated cylinders to assist eliminate any leftover moisture before being wound onto enormous reels. The paper is flattened and compressed even more by feeding them through calendars, which are metal rollers. The paper could be further treated by running it through a size vat to get a coating that can be brushed on or rolled on. For instance, when producing paper cups, this covering may be plastic.

The Types of Paper Cup

Normal paper cup: Wood, a renewable resource, is the primary raw material used by paper manufacturers. The paper used in regular cups can originate from jungles all around the globe, like the Amazon, but it could also come from European forests that meet FSC requirements but are not certified.

  • FSC paper cup

When an item or paper is labelled as FSC recognized, it signifies that the entire production line has been validated, including the producer, distributors, and suppliers. The FSC organisation has 10 principles that must be followed in forestry, such as harvesting no further trees than what the forest itself can renew, ensuring a steady supply of material.

  • FSC 100%

This indicates that the product’s wood is sourced from FSC-certified and well-managed forests.

  • FSC Recycled

All of the wood or paper used in the item has been salvaged or re-used.

  • FSC Mix

This indicates that the product is created from a combination of recyclable materials, FSC-accredited forests, or managed timber.

  • FSI Paper

Fibre Sorting, Inc. (FSI) is a paper manufacturing company that has been in business for over two decades and produces paper products entirely from recycled resources. FSI employs 100 per cent recycled paper as a raw resource, and the firm collaborates with wastepaper vendors in the Philippines to provide a stable and dependable source of raw materials.

What is the process for paper cup making?

After the paper is done, it is transferred to various facilities and companies for various uses, one of which is the creation of paper cups.

When it comes to making paper cups, there are three or four phases. The number of stages depends on whether they are printed or otherwise; if they are printed, they are printed before being carved out and pleated into paper cups. This is also why printing on paper cups that have previously been folded is nearly impossible. After the paper cups have now been printed, the cups are cut out in slightly bent templates and then fed through a large machine that curls and folds the tip of the cup to make it comfortable to drink from. In the last process, the bottoms of the paper cups are inserted and reinforced to strengthen the cup’s structure.

  • Offset Printing

Offset printing is among the most often utilised printing processes for paper cups, particularly when printing in big quantities. The printing plate is the costliest aspect of offset printing. The efficient method also assures reasonable pricing, which will decrease as the volume is increased.

  • Tampon print

Tampon printing is comparable to the ‘stamping’ method, in which ink is transferred from an engraved metal plate to a flexible pad, which is then pressed onto the item to be printed.

  • Flexographic printing

Flexographic printing is a newer variant of letterpress that can print on nearly any sort of material, like paper, plastics, metals, and even cellophane.

  • Printing on a computer

Digital printing, often referred to as “printing,” is one of the most frequent and effective techniques of printing colour images or text onto paper or another substance.

Digital printing is increasingly commonly employed in newspapers since it is faster and less expensive when publishing articles with many distinct designs in small numbers.

Paper cup coating

  • PE – plastic coating paper cups

Most paper cups include a thin coating of plastic within the cup that keeps it together and keeps it from seeping. The plastic-coated paper cups are manufactured of PE-plastic, which implies the plastic is manufactured of naphtha, an oil by-product.

  • Paper cups with PLA – Bioplastic

PLA paper cups, like every other type of paper cup, have a thin layer of plastic within the cup, but it is distinct from the others. PLA is manufactured from plant-based resources including sugar, maize starch, cassava starch etc.

  • Cups made with paper instead of plastic

Because of the public outcry over plastic trash and non-recyclable customized PLA paper cups, policymakers, corporations, and producers had to respond quickly and come up with a great solution to eliminate plastic waste. Therefore, the idea of plastic-free cups was born, and it is now a reality.

Water-based dispersion is used on both sides of the coating to allow liquids to be contained, while chemithermomechanical pulp is used in the cup’s centre layer.

System of recycling improvement

The plastic coating jams the filters at the paper mills, preventing paper cups from being recycled. The United Kingdom has expanded from one tiny paper recycling plant to two and is currently constructing the world’s largest paper recycling lines.

What are coffee shops up to these days?

Starbucks and environmental charity Hubbub established a £1 million fund to reduce paper cup waste. To achieve this, they will use the funds to help extend and improve paper cup recycling facilities across the UK and other nations.

To assist reduce paper cup waste, the UK’s largest coffee businesses, including Costa Coffee, Pret a Manger, Greggs, Starbucks, and Café Nero, are offering discounts to customers who carry their cup rather than using a throwaway cup.

Paper cups that are CO2 neutral

Whenever we say paper cups have a big impact on the environment, we also mean the CO2 they generate during production, transportation, and decomposition. This section will discuss how CO2 neutral paper cups can be achieved.

Regrettably, it is not possible to manufacture and transport paper cups that do not emit more CO2, necessitating the completion of other operations for the paper cups into becoming CO2 balanced. Planting more trees, assisting individuals with isolating their homes so they consume less energy, or a third alternative that is CO2 positive are some of the activities that these organizations/companies engage in.

Coffee mugs made from natural, biodegradable materials

A creative design firm is attempting to reduce plastic waste by ‘growing’ coffee cups from fruit.

They’re constructed from gourds, which are like pumpkins in appearance, and are ‘grown’ inside to take on the shape of a coffee cup. The concept derives from our forefathers’ use of fast-growing squashes for storing liquids and drinking water. Everything about these cups is entirely natural. To make varied sizes, they 3D-print moulds and place them inside baby gourds, allowing them to grow, then removing the moulds and allowing the gourds to dry. Gourds require 3 weeks to fruit from the day they are sown, and they’ll need to stay outside and dry for four months before they can be utilised.



Advantages of Using Eco-Friendly Disposable Cups

Disposable eco-friendly cups are usually made of paper. This disposable cups wholesale consists of thin plastic or wax lining, which prevents leakages. Demand for cups made from recycled paper is on the rise for various reasons.

For one, they are less tacky than Styrofoam or plastic options. Their single-use nature also makes them more hygienic than reusable cups. Here are the advantages of using such cups:

Eco-Friendly

Biodegradable products can help your brand market itself with an eco-friendly consciousness. And, Disposable paper cups made from pulp extracts by paper cups manufacturers can help you with that endeavour. People can avoid travelling to various places to buy cups and do online business. It is essential for people to use online means in various activities, such as playing online casino games at Euro Palace Casino instead of making physical movements. Each individual needs to go online and, if possible, do all activities online.

Safe

These cups can handle both hot and cold beverages, unlike other disposable options. They also don’t contain any additional toxins, which many endanger users. This also ensures that the drinks don’t have any flavour from the cup.

Variety

These cups come in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes so these custom paper cups wholesale are very popular.They also come in a variety of designs. Such designs include sporty, coffee cups, cartons, and other models. It’s also relatively cheap to print a logo and other forms of branding on the surfaces of the cups.

Convenience

Disposable cups are lightweight. Such convenience makes them easy to use and carry around. You also don’t need to wash a pile of cups and glasses when you can use disposable cups. They are also easy to pack and transport for outdoor events.

Clean

Disposable paper cups were first used in 1918 during the Spanish flu. Their single-use and disposable nature helped the masses reduce the spreading of the infection. Such benefits are also as relevant now as they were back then.

Are eco-friendly paper cups or bowls microwave safe?


Microwave ovens have become an everyday convenience for many people. But for heating any beverages or food items, we need to take some precautions and should use the right types of material.

When you want to heat coffee or other food, you naturally put it in the microwave oven and try to heat it. But, does that work if the cup or bowl is made of paper? It's safe or not?

Can you microwave a customized printed paper cups& paper bowls? Normal paper cups and bowls are lined with leak proof coatings and held together with glues that are designed to hold hot beverages. The chemicals may leach into your food or beverages when overheated. Use microwave safe paper cups and nuke on medium heat for 2 minute to minimize risk.

It does not mean that you should not use biodegradable paper cups or bowls and put it into the microwave oven for heating purpose. Before buying customized paper cups or bowls, you will have to check whether it is microwave-safe or not.

However, not all paper cups are labeled as microwave safe.The good news is that our company usesthe pla materialfor the inner coating,you'll don't worry about problem of that.And then you will have a question, what's difference between pla material and normal cups or bowls inner coating material?

Polylactic acid is also called polylactide and belongs to the polyester family. Polylactic acid is a polymer obtained by polymerization of lactic acid as the main raw material. The raw material source is sufficient and renewable. It mainly uses corn, cassava, etc. as raw materials. The production process of polylactic acid is pollution-free, and the product can be biodegraded to realize the circulation in nature, so it is an ideal green polymer material. Polylactic acid has good thermal stability, the processing temperature is 170-230°C, and it has good solvent resistance. It can be processed in a variety of ways, such as extrusion, spinning, biaxial stretching, and injection blow molding. In addition to being biodegradable, products made of polylactic acid have good biocompatibility, gloss, transparency, hand feel and heat resistance, and have certain bacteria resistance, flame retardancy and UV resistance, So they are very versatile.For exemple, our company uses pla material for the inner coating of disposable paper cups andeco-friendly paper bowls. They can be used for microwave heating and are harmless to our health and environment.

So if you are concerned about your health, caring for the situation of environment, interested in our products, don't forget to contact us!


Bagasse Cups The Most Environmentally-Friendly Cups Around


Bagasse cups are the most environmentally-friendly cups in our range. They are suitable for warm and cold drinks, natural in colour and have a paper-like texture.

Bagasse is the fibre that remains after sugarcane has been pressed for its juice. It’s a fantastic widely grown and easily renewable recycled material. Our Bagasse is also certified GMO and PFA free.

Our Sugarcane Range of Take-away Containers are oil and water resistant, sturdy and strong, suitable for hot and cold foods, microwave safe and freezer friendly.The customized pla cup made by our factory are very suitable for home,travel and business.

Bagasse is also a great tree-free source of paper, which is used in our Serviettes and Toilet Paper.

Sugarcane products can be composted in home and industrial compost facilities and in worm farms. They are also recyclable with paper streams if free from food residues.

The cups make a great environmentally-friendly replacement for polystyrene, plastic or paper. They are the made from natural raw materials instead of petroleum-based plastic. The cups are made from recycled raw materials as opposed to virgin wood pulp as is the case with disposable paper cups lined with plastic, which is required for waterproofing.

We suggest warm drinks are served with a cup sleeve.  Drinks can be served with a compostable PLA plastic lid, with or without a sipping hole.

What we love about our cups

1.Made from natural recycled raw materials.

2.Cost effective – half the price of our other eco- hot and cold cups

3.These cups will compost in your home compost heap.

4.Custom design your own sleeve to show your brand or stamp your brand onto the cup.

Whether you are serving water, juice, coffee or tea, try the bagasse custom biodegradable cups. And be sure to collect them after they’ve been used, they make great compost!

Biodegradable Paper Cups

CREATING SAFE PAPER CUPS

There are plenty of ideas on how paper cups are produced, and how they impact the environment. As you read further, you will find out how paper cups must be made. There is a proper way to dispose of them and you will know about it here. They influence the environment a lot, which is why it is important to know more about them.

Being on the lookout for which branded custom printed paper cups to produce is the manufacturer’s responsibility. Bio Paper Cups has adapted to environmentally-friendly ways to produce branded paper cups. We know that we must meet customer expectations. That is especially when it comes to cost and sustainability. There are many types of paper cups and critical factors to consider before we make them.

MANUFACTURING OF PAPER CUPS

We are not unclear on how we produce our paper cups. Bio Paper Cups is happy to elaborate on the safety, production, and recyclability of our paper cups. We distribute them to the public because they are safe to use. Manufacturing paper cups use raw materials, coating styles, and production processes. In addition, raw materials are the only ones we include the innovation. Since paper cups are an old concept.

By producing biodegradable paper cups, we do not have to worry about how they will go through the recycling process. These cups do not require a separate recycling machine and no distinct process is necessary. Our disposable paper cups are completely recyclable and compostable, our baseboard is bioboard, this is made from cornstarch, totally natural raw extract.

100% BIODEGRADABLE PAPER CUPS – PE VS. PLA

PE is polyethylene, and it is for making packaging, plastic bags, and containers. Additionally, they use it for a paper cup coating so they are stronger and waterproof. PE is petroleum-based, which affects how long a cup breaks down. The PE-lined paper cups are still recyclable. They must go through a recycling process that is different from other recyclables.

PLA comes from plant-based materials like sugar cane or cornstarch. This is a bioplastic since the materials used are renewable sources. PLA is completely biodegradable and compostable. PLA naturally breaks down due to environmental exposure. It also does not leave toxic residues.

Our company began offering PLA-coated paper cups in early 2016. It was after many of our customers requested it. Like any other business, customer demands are always prioritized. They wanted a compostable bioplastic, and PLA was the answer to that.

PLA’s level of heat resistance is the same with PE’s. PLA can handle anything that PE could. As of now, there is still a higher demand for PE than PLA, but that’s because people lack awareness.

Unlike the PE-lined cups, PLA-lined cups do not have to go through a separate recycling process. That is because they can be thrown into the composting bin right away. Thus, reducing landfill. PLA production also uses the same equipment for plastic. That makes it cost-efficient to manufacture.

PAPER CUPS PRINTING

A lot of paper cups are used for marketing, which is why they print the company logo on them. There are many printing methods, and each one is specialized. It will depend on the efficiency and usefulness to customers.

Offset printing is a common printing method, especially for large quantities. The printing plate is the more expensive part of the process. It ensures that each cup has the same printing. The process also ensures reasonable prices. The prices become lower as the amount increases.

Flexographic Printing – This type of printing is the modern letterpress version. It is for printing on almost any kind of substrate. That includes plastic, paper, cellophane, and metal.

The advantages of flexo printing include being able to run on very high press speeds. Flexo is also for printing on a huge range of substrate materials.

The disadvantage is the high cost of printing plates. But, if they are properly maintained, they can be for printing millions of impressions. Furthermore, if a complex job is important, they consume several hours on printing set up.

Digital Printing is a common and efficient method of printing. The documents or color pictures onto paper or other material become easier. Digital printing is cheaper and faster, so they use it more in newspapers. This is because the cost of printing plates is cheaper.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING PAPER CUPS

The paper cup’s design is essential because they are now used for branding, and it is influential. If you have eco-friendly paper cups, focus on the design as well. You must also consider ink safety when you buy the branded paper cups. The water-based ink dry-out and will not contaminate beverages.

The manufacturer’s credibility is important because they must use sustainable solutions only. Bio Paper Cups practices sustainability and we only produce biodegradable paper cups.

The paper cups we make do not harm the environment and they are better for your business as well. With the millions of paper cups being thrown daily in the UK, we want to help the environment. You can read about how our products support FSC’s movement.

Can coffee cups be composted?

Coffee is one of the most desired beverages, and the use of custom printed paper cups is increasing due to the rapid growth of the global coffee market. However, in order to ensure environmental sustainability, industry players are switching to compostable coffee cups. Here we will look at the methods, usage, benefits and different varieties of these eco-friendly coffee cups.

Up until recently, customized PLA paper cups were unfortunately not compostable and this created a lot of confusion about the difference between recycling and composting. Custom biodegradable coffee cups are made with a thin coating of plastic that can’t be easily separated during the recycling process.

Therefore, Industry players such as Starbucks, have spent a significant amount of money researching and developing a more environmentally sustainable coffee cup material. Their new cup has a compostable lining, so it can be composted or recycled using single-stream recycling.

Compostable cups are usually made from polylactic acid (PLA) plastic. PLA is an environmentally and resource-friendly bio-based plastic made from renewable raw materials such as corn-based resin.

Why is polylactic acid (PLA) a better choice?

  • Compostable packaging, such as PLA hot cups, has a bioplastic liner. Because this lining is composed of plants, it lowers the consumption of fossil fuels. The product is a polymer with a renewable base.
  • PLA packaging composts under conditions established by the European Union standard EN134321. Commercial composting facilities have these requirements. Ensure that your product is collected for commercial composting to ensure that it is successfully processed.
  • PLA cups are not designed to degrade in home composting environments and must be collected for commercial composting.This is to ensure they may be processed and degraded with food or organic items.
  • Avoiding the landfilling of organic waste eliminates the possibility of the paper component of paper and bio-plastic coffee cups degrading and emitting greenhouse gases such as methane. By ensuring that your PLA goods are successfully collected for commercial composting, you can eliminate the risk of these items emitting greenhouse gases in landfill.

Compostable Coffee Cups All You Need To Know

Coffee is one of the most desired beverages, and the use of coffee cups is increasing due to the rapid growth of the global coffee market. However, in order to ensure environmental sustainability, industry players are switching to compostable coffee cups. Here we will look at the methods, usage, benefits and different varieties of these eco-friendly coffee cups.

Can coffee cups be composted?

Up until recently, coffee cups were unfortunately not compostable and this created a lot of confusion about the difference between recycling and composting. Coffee cups are made with a thin coating of plastic that can’t be easily separated during the recycling process.

Therefore, Industry players have spent a significant amount of money researching and developing a more environmentally sustainable coffee cup material. Their new cup has a compostable lining, so it can be composted or recycled using single-stream recycling.

Compostable cups are usually made from polylactic acid (PLA) plastic. PLA is an environmentally and resource-friendly bio-based plastic made from renewable raw materials such as corn-based resin.

Why is polylactic acid (PLA) a better choice?

Compostable packaging, such as PLA hot cups, has a bioplastic liner. Because this lining is composed of plants, it lowers the consumption of fossil fuels. The product is a polymer with a renewable base.

PLA packaging composts under conditions established by the European Union standard EN134321. Commercial composting facilities have these requirements. Ensure that your product is collected for commercial composting to ensure that it is successfully processed.

PLA cups are not designed to degrade in home composting environments and must be collected for commercial composting.This is to ensure they may be processed and degraded with food or organic items.

Avoiding the landfilling of organic waste eliminates the possibility of the paper component of paper and bio-plastic coffee cups degrading and emitting greenhouse gases such as methane. By ensuring that your PLA goods are successfully collected for commercial composting, you can eliminate the risk of these items emitting greenhouse gases in landfill.

How long does it take for compostable coffee cups to decompose?

In a commercial compost facility that can maintain a consistent temperature of 140 degrees, the PLA cups decompose into carbon dioxide and water in 30–45 days.

However, it can take more than six months for one cup to decompose in a backyard compost bin. Nonetheless, this is still quicker than if they were to end up in a landfill and buried, taking hundreds of years to decompose.

With the goal of diverting waste from landfills and instead diverting it to compost, it seems obvious that cups made of organic material would be preferable to cups made of oil-derived plastic.

What are biodegradable coffee cups made from?

Bio-based plastics are derived from plants rather than petroleum. It is made by extracting sugar from plants such as corn and sugarcane to make PLA, which is used to line many compostable coffee cups.

The process of producing biodegradable cups is through a mechanical process called wet milling, first corn starch must be converted into sugar.

The moisturiser separates the starch from the kernels. When these components are separated, acid or enzymes are added. They are then heated to turn the starch into sugar. Next, it is fermented with sugar.

The addition of Lactobacillus bacteria to the sugar is one of the most common fermentation methods. In turn, this produces lactic acid. The lactic acid is then converted into lactide, a lactic acid ring shape dimer. These lactide molecules connect to form polymers.

The polymerization results in small pieces of polylactic acid plastic raw material that can be converted to a range of PLA plastic products.

Reasons to use compostable coffee cups

Bio cups, unlike Styrofoam or plastics, can be recycled or composted. This helps to ensure that paper cups are recycled into other useful materials. As a result, fewer coffee cups end up in landfills and oceans. This encourages waste reduction.

Here are a few reasons why you should use compostable cups:

Protect marine life

Ensuring the safety of water bodies

Sustainable for future generations

Reduced waste

Healthy and safe for human consumption

The preservation of fossil fuels

Preserving forests and preventing soil erosion

How to dispose of compostable coffee cups and lids?

When it comes to compostable cups and lids, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Compostable cups cannot be recycled alongside paper or cardboard and must be collected separately for commercial composting. This is because it is difficult to separate the liner from the paper fibre.

Takeaway cup lids are typically made of rigid polystyrene (triangle code 6), which is not commonly recycled and must therefore be removed and discarded separately. Although polystyrene can be recycled, it is widely regarded as too complicated and costly to be worthwhile.