Sorghum spoons enriched with selected edible flowers: A sustainable alternative to conventional cutlery in the food and tourism sectors

Sorghum, a widely cultivated grain, shows great potential for eco-friendly and innovative applications. This study focuses on developing sorghum-based spoons enhanced with edible flower powders (hibiscus and rose) and roasting techniques, offering a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic (SUP) spoons in the food and tourism industries. The spoons were standardized using a closed mold, resulting in a 2-mm thickness, 13-cm length, and 8-g weight. Adding flower powders and roasting significantly improved the spoons’ optical properties (L*, a*, b* values) and their micronutrient and fiber content compared to unprocessed versions. Sensory evaluation indicated high consumer acceptability, with flower-enhanced spoons scoring above 8, and unprocessed versions scoring 7 on a 9-point hedonic scale for appearance, taste, flavor, texture, and hardness. Texture analysis demonstrated superior strength in flower-enriched spoons (56.21 N) compared to roasted (34.5 N) and unprocessed (31 N) versions. Roasted spoons retained structural integrity in hot soups for up to 30 min, while flower incorporation did not affect durability or water absorption, and all spoons withstood a 50-cm drop test. Microbial loads were within safe limits (13 × 10¹ cfu) after 120 days, with minimal cytotoxicity (3 to 10%) in the brine shrimp lethality assay. Additionally, the spoons were fully biodegradable within 12 days. This study underscores the potential of sorghum-based spoons as a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to conventional cutlery, supporting environmental conservation and reducing plastic waste.