Sun and sunlight play an important role in our daily life. Who does not feel joy when exposed to the first rays of sunshine after a long cold winter or when seeing a beautiful rainbow or sunset? Our sun yields a wide spectrum of electromagnetic energy due to continuous thermonuclear reactions and this radiates through space in all directions. The sunlight that reaches the earthÕs surface consists of the visible light spectrum (with the colours of the rainbow from violet to red) and the invisible light spectrum with ultraviolet (UV) radiation, infrared (IR) radiation and micro and radio waves.

Sunlight is enormously important for growth. In fact, there is no life possible without light. This same light that initially made growth possible also accelerates the process of molecular decay. As soon as plants, for example, are ready for harvesting, they must be used immediately or preserved efficiently. If they are exposed to sunlight after being gathered, then decomposition may take place and this drastically reduces the level of bio-energy in the plant. The ÒFraunhoferÓ Institute in Munich (Germany) believes this process of decomposition to be due to the radiation from the visible light.

In order to test this observation, chemical analysis by gaschromatography of rosewater, stored for two months in either violet and amber glass, was perfosrmed at this institute. It was clearly shown that within 2 months the amount of several important aromatic compounds decreased significantly following storage in amber glass. No change was observed in the sample stored in violet glass pointing, to quality protection against decomposition by visible light.

Since ancient times, mankind has tried to protect its most valuable products against the damaging effects of light. The early Egyptians, for instance, preserved their precious substances in gold or violet jars. Modern times have introduced many new forms of packaging. Glass, which has been known for ages, is still one of the most widely used materials. However, most of the traditional colours used in glass packaging (clear, amber, blue and green) allow visible light to pass through (figure 1, 2 and 3) and therefore dont offer enough protection against decomposition processes induced by visible light.

MIRON violet-glass does not allow light from the visible spectrum to penetrate (with the exception of violet radiation), but is transparent in the infrared spectrum (figure 3 and 5). Black glass doesnÕt allow any visible light to go through and is also transparent in the IR spectrum (figure 3 and 4). The most important difference between these two glass types is that black glass fully absorbs UVA and violet frequencies without allowing any transmission to occur, whilst MIRON violet-glass is permeable for these frequencies. These wavelengths partially enter MIRON violet-glass, giving it a unique quality: impermeable in the visible light spectrum from blue to red but open to penetration of UVA, violet and IR frequencies. Due to this special combination, sensitive materials stored in MIRON violet-glass are highly protected against the processes of decomposition caused by light influences from the visible spectrum and gives it the added benefit of the positive effects that result from UVA, violet and IR frequencies.

Biophotonic research, the study of light particles absorbed and emitted by living cells, has shown that these wavelengths are very important for communication between living cells. Recent results from this scientific field have also shown that the quality of nutrition not only depends on chemical composition, but also on the content of light energy and the potential information that is provided by UVA and IR frequencies. This fundamental bio-information plays a crucial role in the control of all vital processes. Biophotonic measurements show that food, for example ripe grain, plants and fruits, (freshly squeezed or dried) as well as any extracts from plants (e.g. olive and linseed oil) are perfect suppliers of light energy; a transfer which is closely connected to optical memorization within the biological sample.