Technology transfer on radiation processing of natural polymer in Japan

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) crosslinked at paste-like condition forms hydrogel. The hydrogel was applied as a coolant to keep flesh of vegetables and fish at low temperature. Shochu (Japanese liquor of 25% alcohol content) residue produced by fermentation of rice and sweet potato was rapidly converted to animal feed by water absorption of CMC dry gel. Poly(lactic acid) crosslinked by irradiation in the presence of triallyl isocyanurate, TAIC was soaked in plasticizer to give softness. A maximum of 60 wt% plasticizer was incorporated in PLA resin and flexible PLA sheet was obtained. Growth of flowers was accelerated when sprayed with radiation degraded alginate shipment schedule of the flowers was advanced to one week. (author)