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Bay Area Chemists Win Technology Transfer
Honor By Marcia
Wood February 14, 2002
ALBANY, Calif., Feb. 14Edible films that
keep sliced fruits attractive and flavorful have won a national research honor
for a team of San Francisco Bay Area chemists. Dominic W.S. Wong of the
Agricultural Research Service's
Western Regional Research Center in
Albany, and retired ARS colleagues Attilla E. Pavlath and Wayne M. Camirand,
have received a technology transfer award from the agency's
Office of Technology Transfer. ARS is
the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief
scientific research branch.
The scientists, and other award winners, were acknowledged at a
ceremony yesterday in Beltsville, Md. Wong, of El Cerrito, Calif., is with the
Bioproduct Chemistry
and Engineering Research Unit. Retiree Pavlath lives in Walnut Creek.
Retiree Camirand is a resident of Albany.
"The calcium-based film that these California researchers
developed as a novel coating for fresh-cut produce is being used today for
sliced apples," said ARS Acting Administrator Edward B. Knipling. "The coating
is also ideal for preserving the taste, texture and color of cut pears and
other produce. This technology helps make it easy and convenient for consumers
to get more daily servings of these healthful fruits as a handy snack.
"In an entirely different application of edible films," Knipling
added," the scientists showed that similar films could help milking cows stay
healthy. This commercial product, applied to a cow's udder between milkings,
protects against the microbes that cause mastitis. An infection of the milk
duct, mastitis is a costly disease that has to be treated with antibiotics," he
said.
The scientists have patented and licensed both technologies.
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