Singapore eats about 12 million durians a year, and inedible durian hulls are often discarded and burned, causing environmental pollution. In response, scientists have developed a new technology to use durian discarded fruit shells to create environmentally friendly, antibacterial hydrogel bandages.
Recently, a research team at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore successfully developed a technology that can extract high-quality cellulose from durian shells and then mix it with glycerol and other components to obtain a soft hydrogel with a texture similar to silicone, which can be cut into sheets, so as to make an antibacterial hydrogel bandage.
William Chan, Director of the Food Science and Technology Program at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said: "We have developed a cellulose extraction technology that extracts cellulose from durian shells and then converts it into an antibacterial hydrogel bandage for biomedical applications. "Compared to traditional bandages, this antibacterial hydrogel bandage keeps the wound area cool and prevents the wound from drying out, thereby speeding up healing."
According to reports, this technology can also convert other food waste such as soybeans and waste grains into hydrogels, promote environmental protection, and prevent food waste.