Storage product and method

Abstract

A method for disinfecting or preventing microbial damage and/or moisture damage of goods and other items prone to damage caused by microbes and/or water, such as, for example, foodstuffs and other putrescible items, pharmaceuticals and other medical/veterinary products, paper and paper/fibre-board products, timber and wood products, electrical/electronic devices, clothes and fabrics, includes the use of a moisture-removing material and an antimicrobial vapour-generating material. The method is particularly suitable for use with such goods and other items when contained within storage spaces (e.g. a package, refrigerator, wardrobe or shipping container). The method includes disinfecting items such as food containers and food preparation implements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to prevent microbial and/or water damage of goods and other items contained within a storage space, wherein said method comprises:
 (1) providing a device comprising a container which houses
 (i) a moisture-removing material, and 
 (ii) an antimicrobial vapour-generating material, wherein the antimicrobial vapour-generated material is selected from the group consisting of sodium percarbonate, hydrated sodium perborate, organic or inorganic peroxy salts, and combinations thereof, 
   in an arrangement such that water added to the device or absorption and/or adsorption of water vapour by the moisture-removing material causes the antimicrobial vapour-generating material to generate an antimicrobial vapour of hydrogen peroxide and/or other reactive oxygen species; and   (2) introducing said device into the storage space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-removing material is selected from the group consisting of silica gel, calcium chloride and calcium sulphate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial vapour-generating material is sodium percarbonate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container further houses a solid substrate having specific surface area (SSA) of >100 m 2  g −1 . 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the substrate is precipitated silica. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the moisture-removing material, antimicrobial vapour-generating material and substrate is provided as a composition comprising, by percentage weight of the composition, 20-40 wt % of the moisture-removing material, 10-20 wt % of the antimicrobial vapour-generating material and 45-65 wt % of the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container is vapour permeable. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the device is in the form of a sealed sachet. 
     
     
         9 . A method of disinfecting an item, wherein said method comprises:
 (1) providing a device comprising
 (i) a moisture-removing material, and 
 (ii) an antimicrobial vapour-generating material, wherein the antimicrobial vapour-generated material is selected from the group consisting of sodium percarbonate, hydrated sodium perborate, organic or inorganic peroxy salts, and combinations thereof, 
   in an arrangement such that water added to the device or absorption and/or adsorption of water vapour by the moisture-removing material causes the antimicrobial vapour-generating material to generate an antimicrobial vapour of hydrogen peroxide and/or other reactive oxygen species (ROS); and   (2) introducing said device into a disinfection chamber with the said item.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , which further comprises:
 (3) heating the device within the disinfection chamber.