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Will paper coated with silver nanoparticles make an appearance at the meat counter?
Scientists have developed a technique to coat paper with nanoparticles of silver — a combination that makes the paper lethal to bacteria such as E. coli and potentially suitable as a food packaging material.
Silver is widely used to fight bacteria, and silver nanoparticles are already found in textiles, fibers, plastics and metals for biomedical applications. The technology is used in wound dressings and microbial resistant catheters, as well as consumer products such as odor-resistant socks (and even space underwear).
Until now, scientists have been unable to deposit the particles of silver — each one-50,000 the width of a human hair — onto paper. The new method involves the use of ultrasound, or high-frequency sound waves, to anchor the particles on paper.
The technique was pioneered by a research team led by Aharon Gedanken at the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and described last month in the journal Langmuir, published by the American Chemical Society.
In laboratory tests, the so-called "killer paper" showed lethal antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, two causes of bacterial food poisoning, "suggesting its potential application as a food packaging material for longer shelf life," the researchers write.
In addition to food packaging, the coating method could be extended to other nanomaterials to create properties such as water resistance, various degrees of conductivity, and roughness. That "could lead to interesting applications," the researchers say.
Are you ready for your meat to come wrapped in paper coated with nanoparticles? Feel free to weigh in with a comment below.
More on nanotechnology:
- City of Berkeley to regulate nanotechnology
- Scientists see risks and benefits in nanofoods
- Nanotechnology leaves the lab
- FDA told to watch nanotech products for risks
John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by hitting the "like" button on the Cosmic Log Facebook page or following msnbc.com's science editor, Alan Boyle, on Twitter (@b0yle).
Leave a Comment:
I feel that nanotechnology will play a big role in many areas of science in the near future and beyond. Both biological applications and engineering as well as electrical applications will be innumerable in the coming decades. Every new venture has its risks. Nanotechnology is no different. Genetics gives me much more to ponder than nanotechnology. I can see where a lot more could go wrong in that area.
everybody should watch Food Inc. to really understand the true gravity of this endeavor, it's really something! I'm looking forward to it
I find this to be another process that has escaped us and was pursued by another country, may be because THEY HAVE A MORAL CAPACITY TO CARE FOR THEIR CITIZENS. This country and it's corporate research machine is kept afloat by our tax dollars that are given out to FIND SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS, not necessarily the profit motive. The old adage is true, IF YOU BUILD A BETTER MOUSE TRAP PEOPLE WILL BUY IT.
One question: Would this discovery have been made if Israel didn't exist? Maybe, but in how many years?
What University in what Islamic country would/could have done this? I know of none.
None. They do not have the capacity to invent.
Why bring race/religion into this?
The last 2 comments are both bigoted and prejudiced. One - This is not a discovery, but a new application of something already being done. Two - Someone would have eventually figured out how to do this, basic probability. Three - What do Muslim countries/Universities/peoples have to do with this discussion? Lastly, to the Vet, you do realize that the Muslim world was at one time hundreds of years ahead of any western civilization in their knowledge of science, arts and humanities? They discovered or invented many things that we take for granted like coffee, chess, the parachute, shampoo, surgery and the windmill - all hundreds of years before being introduced or re-invented by Europeans. I'm pretty sure neither of you will read my comments, but I want to ensure others that do have a different opinion available.
Bigoted, NO, A realistic assessment, yes. All those 'Arab' accomplishments are from the distant past. What important research, (outside of maybe archeology), in a Muslim University in the last 100 or so years? I am waiting.....
Leonardo DaVinci invented the parachute without any help from his Muslim 'brothers'. Cave men did successful head surgery, (Skulls with signs of extensive healing have been found, so we know the patient survived), Soap was invented by tribes in the area now known as Switzerland well before the Christian era, (The Romans documented that), Chess was developed from a game that came from India, I could go on.
Oh yes, and the Russians invented Baseball, too!
I would prefer the silver to be deposited onto saran wrap, since I like to SEE my foods, like fresh meats, before I buy it. In paper you don't know what quality of food you have hidden under there. I don't know why they can't install UV germ fighting lighting over meat counters to inhibit germ growth. Make food workers wear silver impregnated gloves when handling meat and other foods. Impregnate the insides of milk cartons and cans with silver. And grocery stores QUIT putting old eggs into cartons of fresh ones so you sell those old ones that people wouldn't buy when their cartons had too many broken ones in them! Stop hiding old hamburger inside fresh bright red hamburger when you make up those family packs - do you THINK that darker centered meat in the packs probably has more bacteria in it?
Replacing eggs from one carton into another is wrong, unless those eggs have the same plant and experation date, plant num ect. Eggs do get damaged as long as these things are the same where is the issue with stores trying to reduce waste of good eggs?
As for meat ground hamburger has blood in it when it sits the blood drains to the bottom, hense lighter colored meat. Red meat is red because of blood cells in the meat. Also mixing older meat with newer meat is a violation of FDA laws, that is criminal and why would a store do that to save a few bucks when they could be sued for food poisoning?
I am not sure what store you buy from but if that is happening you need to call the athorities and start shopping at a different grocery store, You will be safer that way from getting food poisoning.
Sweet so finally all of our food will be protected from Vampires and Werewolves, pure Awesomeness!
My main concern with this is the potential for nano-silver to migrate into the food and into the body. Silver particles in the bloodstream does not sound like a good idea! Also, won't bacteria simply evolve to become resistant to silver? My understanding is that nano-silver does not kill all the bacteria, leaving a small resistant residual that reproduces into a resistant strain.