Brazilian agribusiness Agrindus, has increased the shelf life of grade A pasteurised fresh whole milk from seven to 15 days by incorporating silver-based nanoparticles with bactericidal, antimicrobial and self-sterilising properties into the rigid plastic bottles used as packaging for the milk.
[3] The technology was developed by Nanox, a spinoff from the Center for Research and Development of Functional Materials, one of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers supported by São Paulo Research Foundation.
Silica ceramic particles are first coated with silver nanoparticles, which is reported to have a synergistic effect, with the silica boosting the antimicrobial properties of the silver. The resultant powder is incorporated into the liquid polyethylene preform that is used to make plastic bottles by blow or injection moulding. According to Agrindus, the particles are inert so there is no risk of their detaching from the packaging and coming into contact with the milk.
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