RALEIGH — Germs can easily ride on the toys toddlers share, threatening to spread infection despite toy or hand washing. Now, the same technology that adds bacteria fighting agents to hand soap can be found in a new line of toys being introduced by Playskool.

The process that bonds germ-killing pellets to plastic or fiber is called Microban. Researcher Glenn Cueman says the substance is built in, so it can't come off.

Researchers have put Microban to the test against some of the most troublesome germs. Dr. Philip Tierno, a clinical microbiologist says the process works on some of the worst offenders.

This is not likely to be taken lightly by parents of young children. They will now have one less thing to worry about, especially when it comes to children's toys.

Eileen Porter is a mother who says she's happy to see the development of this technology.

Microban has been used successfully by the medical products industry for 10 years, and was developed near Winston-Salem.