This article is from Ancient Egypt issue 142
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A team at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo has just published the results of their research showing that a traditional condiment for Japanese sushi can be used to conserve papyri. Wasabi, extracted from the rhizome of a radish, has fungicidal properties that mean it can kill any micro-organisms in the material. In addition, unlike other methods of treatment, wasabi does not damage the pigments and fibres of the papyrus, preserving the physical and chemical integrity of the material.
Text: Sarah Griffiths / Image: public domain via Wikicommons
