Some of you already know about this but for those of us who didn't, it
sounds like it may have great potential for application.
-Liz Brown
=======================
Copper-bottomed Guarantee For Safe Shellfish In Restaurants
ScienceDaily (Sep. 12, 2008) — Putting brass where your money is could
be a guarantee of safety according to researchers looking at the dangers
of eating raw fish and shellfish in seafood restaurants, scientists
heard at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn meeting being
held this week at Trinity College, Dublin.
The Asian diet traditionally includes lots of raw fish and shellfish,
and diners and restaurateurs are aware of the risks of food poisoning
posed by contaminating bacteria. In Korea between 2003 and 2006 around
12% of food poisoning cases were due to a type of bacteria called
Vibrio, whose family includes the microbe that causes cholera. Now
Korean scientists have come up with a simple and effective way of making
sure that shellfish is safe – put a brass plate at the bottom of the
fish tank.
"We showed that copper ions diffuse out from a brass plate into a fish
tank filled with seawater, and within 40 hours the copper killed 99.99%
of the Vibrio food poisoning bacteria contaminating the living fish and
shellfish," says Dr Jeong-Weon Huh from the Department of Health
Research, at Gyeonggi-do Institute of Health and Environment, Republic
of Korea.
The copper is absorbed by the bacteria, causing them to die and fall off
the gills and skin of the fish. Vibrio are even flushed from the
internal organs of the fresh fish, sinking to the bottom of the tank.
The remaining copper ions are absorbed from the seawater in the tank by
sand and polyester filters, leaving safe, clean fish ready to be eaten
by restaurant diners.
"By being able to remove the copper ions, we can prevent people from
consuming excess copper themselves, but let them safely enjoy any kind
of fish, either raw or cooked," says Dr Jeong-Weon Huh.
Koreans have claimed for a long time that food served in a traditional
bowl called a bangzza is safer to eat. Now the food researchers have
proved the science behind the myth. The 78% copper and 22% tin mixture
used to make the traditional bangzza kitchenware allows enough copper
ions to escape into the food that pathogenic microbes are rendered harmless.
In countries with many people suffering from poor sanitation and
hygiene, where cholera and other Vibrio bacteria are rife, it seems that
this traditional cookware may be a lifesaver.
"We highly recommend that brass is used in restaurant fish tanks for
consumer's safety. More people will be able to safely enjoy seafood, and
the marine dealers will have a stable income," says Dr Jeong-Weon Huh.
Adapted from materials provided by Society for General Microbiology, via
EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Citation:
APA
Society for General Microbiology (2008, September 12). Copper-bottomed
Guarantee For Safe Shellfish In Restaurants. ScienceDaily. Retrieved
September 12, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com\
/releases/2008/09/080909204548.htm
MLA
Society for General Microbiology. "Copper-bottomed Guarantee For Safe
Shellfish In Restaurants." ScienceDaily 12 September 2008. 12 September
2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com\ /releases/2008/09/080909204548.htm>.
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