Nanotechnology Now

• About Us
  
  • Advertising
  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Comments
  • Friends
  • Contact
• Nanotechnology
• News
  
  • Current News
  • Press Releases
  • Submit Press
  • Press kit
  • Interviews
• Columns
• Products
  
  • Our Products
  • Books
  • Featured Books
• Directories
  
  • Companies/Academic
  • Events
  • Glossary
  • Best Of
• Career Center
• Nano-Social Network
• Nano Consulting
• My Account

Home > News > Can 'green bags' really keep your food fresh for weeks?

October 10th, 2010

Can 'green bags' really keep your food fresh for weeks?

Abstract:
Loong-Tak Lim, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, says in theory, green bags and containers should make some foods last longer. They're made with absorbent minerals or clay particles, which are known to absorb the ethylene gas that fruits and vegetables give off as they ripen.

Lim, who studies food packaging and works with nanofibres to create packaging that extend the shelf life of bags of milk for example, says he's never tested green bags or containers. But he says packaging that uses "ethylene scavengers" should slow ripening, in theory.

"I think it is quite feasible. It is not a crazy idea," he tells CTV.ca.

The problem is that only a certain number of foods can benefit. These foods are called "climacteric," and include those fruits and vegetables that ripen after being picked. They include: bananas, avocados, cantaloupes, mangoes, peaches, pears, and tomatoes.

"For climacteric foods, anything that absorbs ethylene gas could extend shelf life," Lim says.

But that shelf extension would be a matter of only a few days, not the weeks and weeks suggested in some of the infomercials.

Source:
ctv.ca

Bookmark:

Related News Press

News and information

How do cold ions slide May 24th, 2013

Heinrich Rohrer dies at 79; a father of nanotechnology: With IBM colleague Gerd Binnig, Rohrer invented the scanning tunneling microscope, which can show individual atoms on a surface and move them around May 23rd, 2013

Gold nanocrystal vibration captured on billion-frames-per-second film May 23rd, 2013

Glowing Plant Releases Maker Kit, Enabling Anyone to Make a Glowing Plant at Home: Glowing Plant seeks funds via crowdfunding and raises almost $400,000 May 23rd, 2013

Products

International survey supports need for built-in water protection on smartphones and tablets May 21st, 2013

Peratech designs the QTC Ultra Sensor - an ultra-sensitive touch sensor for domestic, commercial and industrial use: Pressure sensor so sensitive that it can be operated through glass or steel sheet May 13th, 2013

Industrial Nanotech Launches Nansulate(R) Vinyl Fresh: Clear Liquid Thermal Insulation and UV Protection Coating Rejuvenates Vinyl Siding on Homes April 18th, 2013

MouthWatchers Nano-Silver Tooth Brush Released for Sale April 12th, 2013

Announcements

How do cold ions slide May 24th, 2013

Heinrich Rohrer dies at 79; a father of nanotechnology: With IBM colleague Gerd Binnig, Rohrer invented the scanning tunneling microscope, which can show individual atoms on a surface and move them around May 23rd, 2013

Gold nanocrystal vibration captured on billion-frames-per-second film May 23rd, 2013

Glowing Plant Releases Maker Kit, Enabling Anyone to Make a Glowing Plant at Home: Glowing Plant seeks funds via crowdfunding and raises almost $400,000 May 23rd, 2013

Food/Agriculture/Supplements

Plants ‘talk’ to plants to help them grow May 8th, 2013

Thailand promote agricultural and medical sector at BIO 2013 May 6th, 2013

Microchip proves tightness provokes precocious sperm release April 29th, 2013

Greener methods for making popular nanoparticle April 24th, 2013