BehindTheMedspeak: Zielonka SmellKiller Lollipop

It's here and it's for sale.

From Germany comes this nifty creation, a smooth piece of high–grade stainless steel that, when it comes into contact with molecules in saliva causing halitosis, serves as a catalyst to separate, then oxidize them into bland–smelling compounds.

Lisa Katayama (above, enjoying one) wrote about the new oral technology in the current (December) issue of Wired magazine.

"This faux confection is shaped like a regular old sucker, and you use it the same way," wrote Katayama.

In my due diligence and efforts to find a place you can buy this device (below),

I came across Michelle Cheung's October 4 story on OhGizmo about it.

All credit to her for bringing it to the world's attention and providing a source (see the end of this post).

Turns out this isn't the first Zielonka product to appear in bookofjoe: back on September 26 I brought your their very stylish room deodorizer (below),

also of high-grade catalytic stainless steel and made by their Frieling USA division.

And the need for transparency and full disclosure compels me to report that for many, many years I have had one of these

stainless–steel odor killers sitting on the ledge over my kitchen sink for use on my hands after dealing with ramps, onions, garlic and their ilk.

Guess what: unbelievable as it may seem it really works.

One of those things that doesn't make sense when you try to figure out how, no matter what the scientific explanation: how can rubbing a piece of metal make odors go away?

No matter — it does.

I can see you're still skeptical.

That's OK — you're not the only one.

For you, there's this discussion by a chemist of how stainless steel "odor eaters" work.

The SmellKiller lollipop, in your choice of blue (above) or red (below),

costs ¥2,310 ($19.37) at Amazon Japan.

The Stainless–Steel Egg–Shaped Odor–Eater (for your hands) is $12 here.