A pocket-sized device used to sanitize chopsticks has been developed by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), it said.
The Pocket Chopstick Sanitizer uses deep-ultraviolet light emitting diodes to kill 99.99 percent of Escherichia coli and other bacteria, the institute said.
The device is portable, environmentally friendly and leaves no chemical residue, the institute said in a news release on Tuesday.
The cleanliness of chopsticks is often neglected when people dine out, it said.
“Chopsticks that are not completely cleaned and stored in a proper environment or that are used past their expiration date can easily become hotbeds of bacterial growth,” the institute said.
“Mold, E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus can be ingested when using contaminated chopsticks,” it said.
In an effort to address the problem, the institute said it has developed the world’s first deep-ultraviolet light emitting sterilization box, which can be easily carried.
The device employs a compact UV-C LED light disinfection module, patented by the institute, which can sanitize a pair of chopsticks in just 90 seconds, the institute said.
Smart sensors have also been integrated into the device to ensure safety, it added.
The Pocket Chopstick Sanitizer is to be unveiled on Tuesday at COMPUTEX Taipei.
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