A BLOOD-clotting powder derived from potato starch could soon be helping to save lives. The powder forms an instant clot on contact with blood by soaking up water and concentrating clotting factors, says researcher Mark Ereth of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Unlike existing protein-based clotting agents, Ereth’s powder does not have to be kept refrigerated before use. And the simple chemical structure of starch means it breaks down in about 30 minutes. This would minimise the chance of an immune reaction to the powder, he told the American Society of Anesthesiologists in Orlando, Florida.
