bananas are climacteric fruits and controlling ripening is effective in reducing loss. this experiment studied the effect of packaging (plastic bag, edible wax and plastic bag, plastic bag and 2 or 4 g/kg potassium permanganate) over 5 weeks of cold storage on the quality and characteristics of cavendish cultivar bananas. the samples were removed from storage at 8, 16, 24, 32 and 40 days and fr...

The widespread use of plastic bags in routine blood bank procedures has been attended by concern about the accumulation of substances from the plastic containers in the blood products and the biologic effects of these substances (1-11). Most poly(vinyl chloride) plastic bags contain di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) to make them pliable enough to prevent breakage (2, 5). This material has been s...

The ideal container for discarded cultures and other contaminated materials which require autoclaving to render them safe should be reasonably cheap, resistant to corrosion, leak-proof, and capable of allowing the passage of steam to all parts of its contents. Perhaps because of the difficulty of meeting all these requirements with the metal containers which have traditionally been used some la...

This article describes the study of the eco-impact of plastic and paper bags using the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) technique under three different options: usage and disposal criteria with the existing usage behavior to reuse and governmental policies to recycle (option1), usage and disposal criteria as per consumers’ perceptions if systems are in place (option2) and usage and disposal ...

Growing concerns regarding the impact of the accumulation of plastic waste over several decades on the environmental have led to the development of biodegradable plastic. These plastics can be degraded by microorganisms and absorbed by the environment and are therefore gaining public support as a possible alternative to petroleum-derived plastics. Among the developed biodegradable plastics, oxo...

Suffolk County, NY, on March 29 passed a law banning the use of plastic grocery bags and other plastic food containers starting in July, 1989. The law forbids the use of polystyrene foam (PS foam) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for food packaging in restaurants, bars, delis, roadside stands, grocery stores, and other retail food establishments. PS foam is used in coffee cups, egg cartons and meat...