Summary / End Results:
We put our bread box to a test. Not just once, but 3 times. We took 2 identical breadboxes, one modified and one unmodified. We used rolls from the same bag for each test (new bags of rolls for each test) and we picked up some extra bags at our local bakery. Each time we got the same results. The roll left in the bag in the unmodified bread box molded up in about 2 weeks. The roll in the UV box never molded up the same way and eventually dried out. Now this does not mean that the bread box will prevent the mold from growing. In fact molds can grow inside the roll quite happily. The molds surfaces are just for reproduction. But we found that it gave us a regular and predictable increase of self life of the foods we put in this of about 50%.
Other applications for this concept:
This is a great proof of concept idea. Ultraviolet lights are really good at sterilizing different environments. Possible in your fridge or in your dish washer for instance. Or even water proofing one and placing it in the door to your washing machine.
Update:
We have received some great feedback from our users on the breadbox project. One item that we feel needs some clarification on this project is some perhaps less than common sense safety practices when working with any UV source. Using any type of UV bulb designed for sanitization means UVC output and ozone output in small amounts. Usually less than that of an ionic breeze for example. Normal backlights ( filtered or LED) produce only UVA and UVB spectrum. These are the types of ultraviolet light that we ware sunscreen for. UVC how ever is really nasty stuff. You have 2 options to make the rig safer. Install a kill switch so when its opened even a crack it turns off the light. Or use a non medical UV source. Even UVA will kill molds and bacteria, but is less effective than its higher energy counterparts. The UVC bulb we used from a water clarifier has a protective black PVC coating on it to protect the hot bulb from direct content with the water. This filters out much of the UVC light making them safer in some instances to work with.
