FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ACS News Service Weekly PressPac: February 03, 2021
Nanotech plastic packaging could leach silver into some types of foods and beverages
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Antimicrobial packaging is being developed to extend the shelf life and safety of foods and beverages. However, there is concern about the transfer of potentially harmful materials, such as silver nanoparticles, from these types of containers to consumables. Now, researchers reporting in听ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces听illustrate that silver embedded in an antimicrobial plastic can leave the material and form nanoparticles in foods and beverages, particularly in sweet and sugary ones.
Some polymers containing nanoparticles or nanocomposites can slow the growth of microorganisms responsible for food and beverage spoilage and foodborne illness. Although these polymers are not currently approved for use in packaging in the U.S., researchers are investigating various types of nanoparticle-embedded polymers that could be incorporated into containers in the future. Prior studies have shown that some of these polymers can leach nanoparticles, dissolved compounds and ions into water-based food simulants, but so far, little is known about how such packaging might interact with real foods and beverages. Some sugar compounds, which are typical food ingredients, can effectively convert silver ions into potentially harmful nanoparticles, and could then be ingested by humans. So, Timothy Duncan and colleagues wanted to see how the complex ingredients in sugary foods and beverages influenced the formation of these nanoparticles, both when directly exposed to dissolved silver and when they are stored inside silver-laced packaging.
To test if dissolved silver aggregates in complex edible mixtures, the researchers spiked silver into liquid foods and beverages, including naturally and artificially sweetened solutions, soda, milk, juices, yogurt and a starch-based slurry. The mixtures were incubated at 104 F for 10 or more days, simulating long-term storage in a packaging material. Nanostructures were detected at two silver concentrations, one at the scale expected from polymer-contact leaching, and the other at an unrealistically high concentration, allowing the team to monitor nanoparticle formation by eye. Sugary liquids with starches, citrates and fats had the most nanoparticles, while acidic liquids initially formed silver aggregates that later dissolved. In another experiment, the researchers stored water and two sugary liquids in small packets of silver-laced polyethylene polymer at 104 F for 15 days. There was an initial release of dissolved silver from the polymer surface, but only the sugary solutions sustained further leaching and the creation of nanoparticles. The researchers concluded that silver nanoparticle dietary exposure is possible from sweetened foods and beverages packaged in antimicrobial materials under the conditions typical of long-term storage.
The authors acknowledge funding from the U.S.听听and the听.听 听听
听
###
The American Chemical 中国365bet中文官网 (ACS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is committed to improving all lives through the transforming power of chemistry. Its mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community and champion scientific integrity, and its vision is a world built on science. The 中国365bet中文官网 is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, e-books and weekly news periodical听Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world鈥檚 scientific knowledge. ACS鈥� main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
Registered journalists can subscribe to the to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.
Note: ACS does not conduct research but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Media Contact
ACS Newsroom
newsroom@acs.org
###
La sociedad American Chemical 中国365bet中文官网 (ACS) es una organizaci贸n sin fines de lucro fundada en 1876 y aprobada por el Congreso de los Estados Unidos. La ACS se ha comprometido a mejorar la vida de todas las personas mediante la transformaci贸n del poder de la qu铆mica. Su misi贸n es promover el conocimiento cient铆fico, empoderar a la comunidad global y defender la integridad cient铆fica, y su visi贸n es un mundo construido bas谩ndose en la ciencia. La Sociedad es l铆der mundial en la promoci贸n de la excelencia en la educaci贸n cient铆fica y en el acceso a informaci贸n e investigaci贸n relacionadas con la qu铆mica a trav茅s de sus m煤ltiples soluciones de investigaci贸n, publicaciones revisadas por expertos, conferencias cient铆ficas, libros electr贸nicos y noticias semanales peri贸dicas de Chemical & Engineering News. Las revistas de la ACS se encuentran entre las m谩s citadas, las m谩s fiables y las m谩s le铆das en la literatura cient铆fica; sin embargo, la propia ACS no realiza investigaci贸n qu铆mica. Como l铆der en soluciones de informaci贸n cient铆fica, su divisi贸n CAS se asocia con innovadores internacionales para acelerar los avances mediante la preservaci贸n, la conexi贸n y el an谩lisis de los conocimientos cient铆ficos del mundo. Las sedes principales de la ACS se encuentran en Washington, D.C., y Columbus, Ohio.
Los periodistas registrados pueden suscribirse al en EurekAlert! para acceder a comunicados de prensa p煤blicos y retenidos.听 Para consultas de los medios, comun铆quese con newsroom@acs.org.
Nota: ACS no realiza investigaciones, pero publica y divulga estudios cient铆ficos revisados por expertos.鈥�
View the image
;void(0);){kind=link}