Described is an initial liquid composition with at least antimicrobial, antibacterial, and/or anti-viral properties comprising chelated metal oxide particles suspended in a polyol, such that metal oxide particles are homogeneously dispersed in the primarily liquid based polyol carrier and such that the chelated metal oxide particles form a stable complex suspension that can eventually become an alkaline based aqueous silver oxide dispersion. The suspension can be optionally further complexed with a combination of chitosan where the resulting metal oxide complex is provided in a concentration of between 0.1 and 25 weight percent. The liquid composition (with or without chitosan) can be subsequently added to essentially any polymer or polymer compound/system where the polymer degrades or melts at a temperature lower than the polyol carrier degradation or boiling temperature. The metal oxide complex may also impart beneficial semi-conductive or conductive as well as permeability and flammability property changes to the polymer (host) system. This technique allows for providing chelated metal oxide complexes to essentially any polymeric host without substantially altering the necessary physio-chemical properties of the original polymeric system. Use of the polyol chelated metal oxide complex additive carrier infused into a polymeric, food and/or beverage host is also included.