Students sticking with it

A group of high school students has created a fully biodegradable fruit sticker and is scrambling to get intellectual property rights.

Sarah Wixon, Maggie Peacock, Rylie Bensemann and Zoe Rookes – all Year 13 students from Woodford House in Havelock North – spent all year creating fully biodegradable and soluble fruit stickers.

The idea was borne out of the waste minimisation revolution, and everything down to the glue is eco-friendly. The group tried prototype after prototype of both sticker and glue before reaching a standard they were happy with. This was where the sticker would dissolve by rubbing it under warm water, preventing it from coming off too early or when it wasn’t wanted. However, they say they’re still perfecting the product.

The experimentation may have been undertaken in a food-tech classroom, but it combines just as much science and business. The exact recipe for the product, while secret, is made out of apple extract.

Because of international interest in the project – named Bayuble (Hawke’s Bay and soluble) – the group has been working with Wellington-based intellectual property law firm AJ Park to get a patent. While others may have considered selling the idea, the group said they wanted to start their own company while studying at different New Zealand universities next year.