Can Beeswax Wraps Replace Plastic Wraps?

This project follows the Scientific Method. Review the steps before you begin.

Experimental Protocol

In this experiment, you will make beeswax wraps to compare to plastic wrap. After the beeswax wraps are made, you can test their physical properties (durability, flexibility, ability to seal, and heat resistance), sustainable characteristics (cleanability, versatility, reusability), and/or food preservation capabilities. You can use these tests to answer any of the following questions: 

• Which wrap has better durability? Test the physical properties!

• Which has the most sustainable characteristics? Test the sustainable characteristics!

• Which will keep food fresher for longer, or are they similar? Test the food preservation capabilities!

If you're interested in testing different types of materials besides beeswax wraps, check out the variations section for ideas.

Creating Your Beeswax Wrap

Before you start your experiment, you will need to create a few beeswax wraps to cover several different types of food containers. If you perform all of the tests (physical, sustainable, and food storage), you will need 9 types of each wrap total or 3 of each type of wrap for each type of test. 

1. Preheat the iron to about 150°C (high/wool setting) to ensure it's warmed up before use.
2. Place the fabric under the open end of the container or jar you plan to use for your experiments.
3. Trace around the container with at least 1 inch of extra fabric around each edge. 
4. Cut the fabric on the traced lines.
5. Place the baking sheet on a flat surface.
6. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
7. Place your piece of fabric on top of the parchment paper.
8. Add a thin, single layer of your wax pellets over the piece of cotton fabric.
9. Cover the wax with another layer of parchment paper. 
10. Iron over the parchment paper to melt the wax onto the cotton.
    1. Note: Add more wax if there are gaps along the fabric surface. The wax will remelt each time you reheat the wrap, so make sure to do this between the two pieces of parchment paper. 
11. Let the wax cool for at least 30 minutes or until the wax has hardened.
12. Peel the beeswax wrap off of the parchment paper.
13. Trim any extra wax off the edges and save it for reuse. 
14. Once you are done making your beeswax wrap, overlay the plastic wrap and cut out the same size and shape. 
15. Proceed to test the physical properties, sustainable characteristics, and/or food preservation capabilities of the beeswax wrap compared to plastic wrap.

Test the Physical Properties

In this part of the science experiment, you will test the physical properties of the beeswax wrap and compare it to plastic wrap. You will test the durability, seal, and heat resistance of each type of wrap.

• Durability measures how a material can perform its function without damage or need for repair.
• Seal tests the ability of a material to create an impermeable barrier, for example, preventing a liquid from escaping a container.
• Testing the heat resistance of a material determines if a material can withstand high temperatures without breaking down the sample.

In these tests, you will test the overall physical properties of the wraps to compare and contrast their useability. 

1. To test the durability of each wrap, place each wrap over a container or jar and obtain round items of increasing weight to drop onto the wraps. Then, score the deformity of the wrap after each item is dropped from the same height.
   1. Cover the container with each type of wrap, stretching it tightly to match the original height of the container. 
   2. Obtain some items from around the house that are increasing in weight.
      1. Note: Round items will be ideal if a round-mouthed jar is used. Some household examples could be apples, oranges, and onions.
   3. Before testing, weigh and record each item's weight using a kitchen scale.
   4. Arrange the items from lowest to highest weight to ensure the weight increases with each subsequent test. 
   5. Drop the first item onto the wrap over the container. Then, gently remove it.
   6. Score the amount of deformity from the wrap's original height associated with the weighted item using the scale below.
      1. 0 = Not durable, a lot of deformation >4cm from the original height, or wrap broke
      2. 1 = Somewhat durable, some deformation, approximately 1-3 cm from the original height
      3. 2 = Durable, no deformation or <1cm from original height
   7. Record your data in a table, like Data Table 1 below.
2. To test the seal of the wraps, measure 1 cup of water into a jar or container. 
   1. Before starting the tests, place the wrap over the top of the jar or cup and press around the edges to create a seal. 
   2. Test 1: Tip the container upside down over another container to catch the water.
      1. Record the time it takes for the water to come out of the container. Then, measure the amount of water that fell into the catch container in cups.
   3. Test 2: Over the catch container, tip the container upside down. This time, move the container up and down to introduce force into the system. Keep this motion consistent between trials. 
      1. Record the time it takes for the water to come from the jar into the catch container, and measure the amount of water that escaped in cups. 
3. To test the wraps' heat resistance, expose each wrap to steam from boiling water to see if it deforms due to increased temperature.
   1. Before the test, write down your observations of how the wrap looks or take a picture so you can reliably score any changes to the wraps.
   2. Pour 1 cup of boiling hot water into 2 similarly sized and shaped containers. 
   3. Place and seal the wraps over the containers for 5 minutes simultaneously.
   4. Score the heat resistance of each type of wrap:
      1. 0 = not heat resistant, drastic changes to wrap
      2. 1 = semi-heat resistant, some change to wrap (holes, melting)
      3. 2 = heat resistant, no change to wrap
   5. Record your results in your data table.

Test the Sustainable Characteristics

Multiple tests will be used to test the sustainable properties of the different types of wraps to see how cleanable, multi-purposeful, and reusable they are.

• Cleanability is the ability to restore an item to its original usable state, allowing it to be reused.
• Flexibility and versatility are important to be able to wrap many different household items for multiple potential uses. In this case, an example would be a wrap that is able to cover an apple, a container, and a sandwich fully.
• Reusability is the ability for an item to be used for its normal function, which is important for its long-term use. The reusability of an item also reduces the need for its replacement, preventing the generation of more waste. 

In these tests, you will evaluate the wraps' overall sustainable properties to compare and contrast their reusability. 

1. Test the cleanability of each wrap using sticky materials and different cleaning methods. Some examples of sticky items could be maple syrup, honey, or peanut butter.   
   1. Place each wrap flat on the table.
   2. Add 1 teaspoon of sticky material on top of each wrap.
   3. Test 1: Rinse the wrap and record the amount of sticky material that can be removed using continuous running water. Keep the water running between trials so that the water remains at the same speed for each trial. This will ensure you can reliably compare your results for each type of wrap by directly comparing them. 
      1. Score the amount of sticky material that could be removed from each wrap with a scale from:
         1. 0 = Not cleanable, none was removed
         2. 1 = Semi-cleanable, some were removed 
         3. 2 = Cleanable, all was removed
   4. Again, add 1 teaspoon of sticky material to each wrap. 
   5. Test 2: Rinse the wrap and record the amount of sticky material that can be removed from the wrap using a wet washcloth. Consistently wipe the surface 3 times before scoring.
      1. Score the amount of syrup that could be removed from each wrap with a scale from:
         1. 0 = Not cleanable, none was removed
         2. 1 = Semi-cleanable, some were removed 
         3. 2 = Cleanable, all was removed
   6. Record your results in your data table, similar to Table 2 below. 
2. To test the wraps' flexibility and versatility, collect 10 items from around the house that can be wrapped. The wrap that can fully cover more items is more flexible and versatile.
   1. Record the number of items that could be fully covered by the wrap in your data table. 
      1. Note: Consistently compare the same items for each wrap to create a reproducible experiment. 
3. Test how many times you can reuse the wrap over time before it is damaged. A wrap is no longer usable if it can’t conform to the shape of an item due to holes, tears, cracks, or folds. 
   1. Record the total number of times it was used in the data table. 

Test the Food Preservation Capabilities

To test the wraps' food preservation capabilities, you will test how they impact food freshness, condensation, and oxidation. 

• The freshness test will compare and contrast the food storage capabilities of wraps to preserve bread.
• The condensation test compares the amount of water droplets formed on the inner surface of the wrap after covering a filled container. 
• The oxidation test will determine if covering the surface of the fruit with the wrap can slow down browning by preventing air exposure.

In these food storage tests, you will compare and contrast the efficacy of beeswax wraps with plastic wrap as a food preservation method.

1. Before experimentation, wash the reusable wax wraps with mild dish soap and cold water. Dry them off before using them for the food storage experiments, and ensure all food items are room temperature or colder before use.
2. Perform the freshness test by observing changes to a piece of bread over time.
   1. Cut a piece of bread in half.
   2. Wrap each half of the piece of bread into each type of wrap. Keep the bread at room temperature and observe daily for up to 1 week.
   3. Check the bread daily for freshness by seeing when the piece of bread is less pliable or bendable. Observe the bread daily for mold to form on the bread. Record the number of days it takes the bread to become stale or mold to form for each wrap in your data table, similar to Table 3 below. 
3. Condensation occurs when water drops form on surfaces due to evaporation. To perform the condensation test, you will need 2 similarly shaped containers, water, and a fridge.
   1. Add 1 cup of water or a piece of cut fruit to 2 similarly shaped containers.  
   2. Cover each container with each wrap.
   3. Observe and record the initial amount of condensation on the wrap.
   4. Place each container in the fridge after 2 days.  
   5. Gently remove the cover and flip the wrap upside down to see how much surface area is covered in water. 
      1. For example: If about half the wrap area that covered the container condensed water on it, this would be ½ = 0.5. Then, multiply this fraction or decimal by 100 percent to get the total percentage (0.5 * 100 = 50%). 
   6. Record the percent area coverage of the in the data table below. 
4. To perform the oxidation test on fruit that spoils through enzymatic browning, record the time it takes for the fruit to turn brown while being covered by each wrap. 
   1. Cut your fruit in half to expose the inner part of the fruit that browns during oxidation.
   2. Place each half of the same piece of fruit into each type of wrap, taking care to cover the cut surface into the wrap.
   3. Leave the produce in the wrap overnight with frequent observations.
   4. Observe the time it takes for the produce to start browning for each wrap, checking regularly in 4-hour increments up to 24 hours.  

Data Analysis and Conclusions

• What physical properties are similar and dissimilar for each type of wrap?
• How does each wrap compare in terms of its sustainability tests?
• Which wrap keeps food fresher for longer, or are they similar?
• Graph the performance of the tests. Based on these comparisons, would beeswax wraps be a suitable replacement for plastic wrap? Why or why not? 
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of wrap?