Killer paper for germ-free food packaging | health http://israel21c.org/201103108857/health/killer-paper-for-germ-free-food-packagingcopied by slp Wed Mar 16 2011 14:56:25 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
Imagine if all the paper, cardboard, foil and plastic that envelops the food we buy could not only keep it clean and tidy but also free of the bacteria that leads to spoilage. That scenario is quite possible in the near future, thanks to an Israeli student and his master's thesis supervisors. Graduate student Ronen Gottesman developed a silver nanoparticle-coated paper with the guidance of Prof. Nina Perkas at *Bar-Ilan University's Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA)<http://nano.biu.ac.il/> * and *Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences<http://life-sciences.biu.ac.il/en> *. As reported in *Langmuir<http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/la103401z?prevSearch=%255Bauthor%253A%2Bronen%2Bgottesman%255D%2BNOT%2B%255Batype%253A%2Bad%255D%2BNOT%2B%255Batype%253A%2Bacs-toc%255D&searchHistoryKey=> *, the journal of the *American Chemical Society <http://www.acs.org/>*, the "killer paper" is intended for use as a new food packaging material. It could provide an easy alternative to preservation methods such as radiation, heat treatment and low temperature storage. "Metallic silver has been known for generations as an antibacterial agent," explains Prof. Aharon Gedanken, director of the Kanbar Laboratory of Nanomaterials at BINA. Silver already is widely used as a bacteria fighter in medicinal ointments, kitchen and bathroom surfaces and even odor-resistant socks. Scientists have been exploring the use of silver nanoparticles -- each 1/50,000 the width of a human hair -- as long-lasting germ-fighting coatings for plastics, fabrics and metals. "The smaller the size of the particles, the more effective they are against bacteria," Gedanken tells ISRAEL21c. However, developing a nanoparticle-coated product suitable for commercial use has proven difficult. .......................the article continues on the web page indicated on line 1. Saralou -- BREAK ROOM Tax Service Location: 211 Court Street, downtown Decatur ~next to (east) the Post office ~across from (south) the Court House Mail: P O Box 74, Decatur, IN 46733 Email: breakroom.deca...@gmail.com Phone: 260/724-2011 ...render unto Caesar the things that are his, and unto God the things that are God's...
