Fighting germs, Harry Potter-style

If you were excited about the previously-mentioned SteriPEN, if you're still avoiding tomatoes and hot peppers at the supermarket, or if you just have some money to spare, then chances are that the Nano-UV Wand is right up your alley.

Lately, it seems an activity as simple and natural as eating has become much more complicated. In the wake of the salmonella-inducing tomato (or jalapeno, or maybe serrano pepper) and E. coli spinach scares, consumers continue to be wary of food-borne illnesses, and are on the lookout for products that protect them from this nasty bacteria.

Healthy Connections, a company that focuses on providing customers with "the very best in wellness," has a UV scanner that is designed to kill microorganisms in 10 seconds. The Nano-UV wand and the cell-phone sized Nano-UV Disinfection Scanner both use a UV light to destroy not only E. coli and salmonella, but also common cold and flu viruses and the Avian flu. The wand and scanner kill the viruses without introducing any toxins, making it safe to use them on food.

The wand is just over a foot long when it is folded up, and unfolds to approximately 22 inches. It retails for $158.99. If the larger dimensions aren't going to cut it, the Disinfection Scanner folds to be the size of a cell phone and costs $79.99.

Obviously, the price tag puts these bacteria zappers out of a comfortable range for a lot of consumers (including this writer), but for those with a little extra spending cash to spare and an undying fear of food-borne microbes, this magic wand might be just what the doctor ordered.