Disclosed herein is one or more aqueous seed coating composition comprising (i) a binder comprising a modified starch, and (ii) an active ingredient, which composition works at least as well as or better than an aqueous seed coating composition containing a synthetic polymer, and, surprisingly, better than aqueous seed coating compositions containing unmodified starch. The binder comprising a modified starch is water soluble, compatible with the active ingredients, and more cost effective than using primarily synthetic polymers as the binder in an aqueous seed coating composition. Additionally, the one or more aqueous seed coating compositions described herein provide excellent seed coating characteristics, including demonstrating good flowability, decreased dust-off, and uniform coating application.

Antimicrobial animal bedding includes a base textile material and a halo active aromatic sulfonamide compound of Formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein the variables M.sub.2, X, and M are disclosed herein. The resulting animal bedding product maintains antimicrobial properties over extended time periods.

Antimicrobial animal bedding includes a base textile material and a halo active aromatic sulfonamide compound of Formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein the variables M.sub.2, X, and M are disclosed herein. The resulting animal bedding product maintains antimicrobial properties over extended time periods.

The invention is a coating for agricultural products, which includes at least 10% of renewably sourced and biodegradable sugar esters. The invention is also a method of making a coated agricultural product, including the steps of providing a coating composition comprising at least 10% of a renewably sourced and biodegradable sugar ester, heating the coating composition to a temperature to reduce its viscosity to below about 100 cP, adding the coating composition to an agricultural product to form a mixture, and cooling the mixture to produce a coated agricultural product. The invention is also a method of reducing dust released from an agricultural product that includes the step of providing a coating composition comprising at least 10% of a renewable sourced and biodegradable sugar ester. Enough of the coating composition is added to the agricultural product to reduce the amount of dust released from the agricultural product by at least half. Finally, the invention is also a method of reducing caking in a granular agricultural product.

The invention is a coating for agricultural products, which includes at least 10% of renewably sourced and biodegradable sugar esters. The invention is also a method of making a coated agricultural product, including the steps of providing a coating composition comprising at least 10% of a renewably sourced and biodegradable sugar ester, heating the coating composition to a temperature to reduce its viscosity to below about 100 cP, adding the coating composition to an agricultural product to form a mixture, and cooling the mixture to produce a coated agricultural product. The invention is also a method of reducing dust released from an agricultural product that includes the step of providing a coating composition comprising at least 10% of a renewable sourced and biodegradable sugar ester. Enough of the coating composition is added to the agricultural product to reduce the amount of dust released from the agricultural product by at least half. Finally, the invention is also a method of reducing caking in a granular agricultural product.

Antimicrobial coatings that are transparent and not easily stained are disclosed. Some variations provide a transparent antimicrobial structure comprising: a discrete solid structural phase comprising a solid structural polymer with a glass-transition temperature from 25° C. to 300° C.; a continuous transport phase interspersed within the discrete solid structural phase, wherein the continuous transport phase comprises a solid transport material; and an antimicrobial agent contained within the continuous transport phase, wherein the antimicrobial agent is dissolved in a fluid and/or in a solid solution with the continuous transport phase. The discrete solid structural phase and the continuous transport phase are separated by an average phase-separation length selected from 100 nanometers to 500 microns. This invention resolves the trade-off between antifouling and fluorinated material content. This invention also resolves the trade-off between transport of absorbed molecules and transparency. The result is an improved antimicrobial structure that is both antifouling and transparent.

Antimicrobial coatings that are transparent and not easily stained are disclosed. Some variations provide a transparent antimicrobial structure comprising: a discrete solid structural phase comprising a solid structural polymer with a glass-transition temperature from 25° C. to 300° C.; a continuous transport phase interspersed within the discrete solid structural phase, wherein the continuous transport phase comprises a solid transport material; and an antimicrobial agent contained within the continuous transport phase, wherein the antimicrobial agent is dissolved in a fluid and/or in a solid solution with the continuous transport phase. The discrete solid structural phase and the continuous transport phase are separated by an average phase-separation length selected from 100 nanometers to 500 microns. This invention resolves the trade-off between antifouling and fluorinated material content. This invention also resolves the trade-off between transport of absorbed molecules and transparency. The result is an improved antimicrobial structure that is both antifouling and transparent.

Antimicrobial coatings that are transparent and not easily stained are disclosed. Some variations provide a transparent antimicrobial structure comprising: a discrete solid structural phase comprising a solid structural polymer with a glass-transition temperature from 25° C. to 300° C.; a continuous transport phase interspersed within the discrete solid structural phase, wherein the continuous transport phase comprises a solid transport material; and an antimicrobial agent contained within the continuous transport phase, wherein the antimicrobial agent is dissolved in a fluid and/or in a solid solution with the continuous transport phase. The discrete solid structural phase and the continuous transport phase are separated by an average phase-separation length selected from 100 nanometers to 500 microns. This invention resolves the trade-off between antifouling and fluorinated material content. This invention also resolves the trade-off between transport of absorbed molecules and transparency. The result is an improved antimicrobial structure that is both antifouling and transparent.

This invention is, in general, related to the technological field of packaging of vegetable products, such as whole fresh fruits and vegetables that tend to have certain surface microbial load. Specifically, this invention relates to a new cardboard packaging which is characterised by having an antimicrobial active coating based on a polymeric compound in combination with essential oils forming inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins. Vapours of essential oils are emitted from the cardboard as sufficiently high relative humidities are reached in the vicinity of this coating which is next to the packed product, and these vapours have an antimicrobial action against fungi, yeasts and bacteria, which both spoil product quality and are pathogenic for consumers. This new packaging significantly achieves increasing food safety and the shelf life of foods packed therein.

This invention is, in general, related to the technological field of packaging of vegetable products, such as whole fresh fruits and vegetables that tend to have certain surface microbial load. Specifically, this invention relates to a new cardboard packaging which is characterised by having an antimicrobial active coating based on a polymeric compound in combination with essential oils forming inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins. Vapours of essential oils are emitted from the cardboard as sufficiently high relative humidities are reached in the vicinity of this coating which is next to the packed product, and these vapours have an antimicrobial action against fungi, yeasts and bacteria, which both spoil product quality and are pathogenic for consumers. This new packaging significantly achieves increasing food safety and the shelf life of foods packed therein.