Antimicrobial characteristics of heated scallop shell powder and its application.

Scallop shells are used to make food additives and plastering and paving materials. However, most of the shell is considered commercial waste. In scallop-harvesting districts, large numbers of shells are heaped near the seaside, which creates problems such as offensive odors and soil pollution from heavy metals that leach out of the viscera. Therefore, new applications for scallop shells need to be developed. The main component of scallop shells is calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)), which is converted to calcium oxide (CaO) when heated. Heated scallop shell powder (HSSP) possesses broad antimicrobial action against the vegetative cells of bacteria, spores, and fungi. HSSP applied to fresh vegetables and processed foods reduces the number of viable bacterial cells. The use of HSSP in food processing provides a source of minerals and prolongs the shelf life of foodstuffs. Moreover, reducing the amount of scallop shell waste would reduce the related pollution problem. This report is a review of the antibacterial activity of HSSP and its application for the control of microbes.