Keep food fresh with...Basil?

Many of us feel guilty when we use plastic wrap to store food, or buy products that are heavily packaged in materials. Plastics take a long time to break down in landfills, and may harm wildlife. What we often don't think about is what that plastic wrap contains, and what it does to our food. Phthalates and other chemicals from the plastic break down over time and, especially when heated in a microwave, leach into food. Fortunately researchers are now testing natural materials to add to plastic wrap to make it safer for human use&natural materials will not break down into harmful by-products. So far, basil extract has shown the most positive results. The herb has another benefit&it contains two phytochemicals, methyl chavicol and alcohol linalool, which effectively kill off bacteria such as E. coli and Listeria. In fact, the basil-derived wrap fended off these bacteria for a week longer than traditional packaging when used on cheddar cheese. The basil wrap left no lingering flavour.