ModTech International Conference - New face of TMCR Modern Technologies, Quality and Innovation - New face of TMCR 20-22th May 2010 EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON THE ADVANTAGES OF USING SILVER IN THE FIELD OF FOOD PACKAGING Jeni Pralea 1 , Elena Soltuz 1 , Silviu Buraga 1 1 Art University “George Enescu” of Iasi-Romania, Department of Design Corresponding author: Elena Soltuz, soltuzelena@yahoo.com Abstract: Work based on septic properties of silver is to study the behavior of food when using parts of silver. Packages made for food have a very large variety of tridimensional forms, with a high consumption of energy, materials, and special treatments for food to be stored, transported, and consumed, in a certain period of time. Environmantal factors are influencing the quality of the daily consumed food products. Experimental research paves the development of project concepts for products, packaging, and treatment of ionization with silver ions, made to preserve food pure, organic without special thermochemical treatments. Key words: silver, experiment, food 1. INTRODUCTION The concern of this paper is using silver, due to its antiseptic properties, to create packaging for domestic environment / household. (Nimitan et al., 1998), (Pralea, 2002). Determining the benefits of using silver in short-term food preservation (dairiers, vegetables, meats, fruits) allows the development of ecological concepts and packaging for products meant to be kept in proper conditions (Pralea, 2004). Laboratory methods were used to determine the beneficial aspects of using silver in creating diferent types of packaging and easy useble packages. Meanwhile there was studied the behavior of certain foods using packages containing the same samples with and without silver. Specialised literature presents and analyzes situations with positive results on the use of silver for creating septic environments. (Ecodesign, Grant C.N.C.S.I.S., 2009), (Pralea, 2005) 2. GENERAL INFORMATION To determine the impact of silver on packaged foods was appealed to laboratory methods. In the determinations, were chosen two categories of foods:- natural, protein (chicken, pork, cheese) and vitamin with minerals (tomato, cucumber, apple, grape, banana, kiwi). Products without preservatives were chosen because it was found that experiments with products containing preservatives were not relevant. Products without preservatives were chosen because it was found that experiments with products containing preservatives were not relevant. Work equipment used consisted of a microscope septic Zeiss – Axio Imager A1m and stereo (lupa), Olympus SZ – CTV microscope, Analytical balance Adam PW 124, Biological niche Captair florw bg erlab, Epura Venticell, Microlimat monitoring system TFA, Olympus Comedia C5050 photocamera, witch exists in univerity’s laboratory. After selecting the types of materials that were being studied, they were weighed. Samples were weighed both the control samples and packed with small pieces of silver (aprox 1-2g), see fig. 1. Fig. 1. Control samples and experimental samples Experimental samples were viewed under a microscope weighed and then placed in the same type of packaging, with silver samples to detect the effect of conservation.