14 DAY TRIAL // Israeli scientists have reported the development and the successful lab testing of a 'killer paper' – a material with anti-bacterial properties that could be used as the next food packaging material.
The principle is simple – the paper contains a coating of silver particles, which allow it to fight the bacteria that causes spoilage, and help food preservation.
Aharon Gedanken along with colleagues at the Bar-Ilan University, note that silver is already widely used as a bacteria fighter in certain medicinal ointments, kitchen and bathroom surfaces, and even in odor-resistant socks.
Scientists have been testing the use of silver nanoparticles – every 1/50,000 the width of a human hair, as germ-fighting coatings for fabrics, plastics and metals.
The effect of nanoparticles lasts longer than that of larger silver particles, and this could be very useful in overcoming the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, when bacteria develop the ability to escape existing antibiotics.
A silver-coated paper could represent an alternative to the current common food preservation methods, like heat treatment, radiation or low temperature storage, say the researchers.
Nevertheless, they have faced several problems in producing 'killer paper' suitable for commercial use.
The scientists are now working on the development of a very effective, long-lasting method for depositing silver nanoparticles on the surface of paper, method which involves ultrasound, or the use of high frequency sound waves.
This coated paper showed powerful antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus – two major causes of bacterial food poisoning, by killing all of the bacteria in just three hours.
The researchers are pleased since this means that this paper can be applied as a food packaging material for promoting longer shelf life.
Escherichia coli bacteria lives in the intestines, and most types are harmless.
However, some types can make you sick, and the worst type of E. coli can sometimes cause kidney failure and even death.
You can get E. coli infections by eating foods containing the bacteria, but most cases of E. coli infection get better without treatment in 5 to 10 days.
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the 30 or more types of Staphylococcus, and the one that causes the most staph infections, including skin infections, pneumonia, food poisoning, toxic shock syndrome and blood poisoning (bacteremia).
There are some staph bacteria that are resistant to certain antibiotics – MRSA, making infections harder to treat.