Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – With biocide or biostat
Patent
1995-08-15
1996-10-15
McCarthy, Neil
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
With biocide or biostat
426425, 426431, 426481, 210764, 210759, A23L 334, C02F 150
Patent
active
055652310
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to disinfection and more particularly to the disinfection of aqueous solutions produced during food processing operations or like solutions containing a substantial concentration of nutrients for bacteria.
During the course of industrially processing foodstuffs, in a number of industries there are produced aqueous solutions of for example sugars or like materials capable of acting as nutrients for bacteria, including inter alia Lactobacilli and Thermophilic Bacilli. For example, during the production of sucrose from sugar beet, the sliced beet solids are contacted with an aqueous solution for a lengthy period at elevated temperatures in order to extract the sugars into solution. Bacteria are inevitably introduced into the process on the surface of the sugar beet. Thus, the contact period represents an excellent opportunity for the bacteria to multiply; at less elevated temperatures the Lactobacilli can thrive and at the more elevated temperatures the Thermophilic Bacilli can thrive, thereby forming in situ lactic acid and/or other unpleasant or even toxic contaminants. The sugar solutions are subsequently subjected to purification and crystallisation steps. The sugar industry is fully aware of these potential problems and currently introduce a range of biocides in order to counteract them. These biocides include dithiocarbamates and formaldehyde. Whilst their use has been regarded as effective, questions have been raised as to whether they should be permitted for use in food processing. A further problem with the use of formaldehyde is that it can impart a colouration to the sugar, thus reducing its value and/or increasing the washing amount of washing of the sugar required which increases processing times and can also result in increased loss of sugar. Accordingly, it is desirable to locate an alternative disinfectant system.
One of the areas in the process to produce sucrose from sugar beet into which it is particularly desirable to introduce a biocide is the diffusers, these being the part of the plant where the chopped and washed sugar beets are contacted with extracting liquors To extract the sucrose. The biocide added to this area is known hereinafter as "D solution". Another area into which it is desirable to introduce a biocide is the pressed pulp water recycle system, in which part of the liquor that is extracted from the beets is separated from the beet and recycled back to the diffusers. The biocide added to this area is known hereinafter as "PWC solution".
One class of compounds that have been proposed for use as a disinfectant comprises peroxycarboxylic acids, including peracetic acid. It has been used or proposed to be used as a disinfectant for the sugar processing industry in a paper by Rolf Nystrand in Zuckerind. 110 (1985) Nr 8 pp693-698 entitled "Disinfectants in Beet Sugar Extraction". However, the treatment regime suggested by Nystrand only comprises the use of a single peracetic acid solution having a high mole ratio of hydrogen peroxide to peracetic acid. It has been found in the course of studies leading to the present invention that The use of two different peracetic acid solutions dosed in separate locations gives good, cost effective control of bacterial populations.
According to the present invention there is provided a process for disinfecting aqueous solutions of sugars or like solutions obtained during food processing and containing a significant amount of nutrient for bacteria, characterised in that there is introduced into the pressed pulp water recycle an effective amount of a peracetic acid solution comprising a substantial molar excess of hydrogen peroxide relative to the peracetic acid, and that there is introduced into central fraction of the diffusers an effective amount of a peracetic acid solution that does not comprise a substantial molar excess of hydrogen peroxide relative to the peracetic acid.
The process of the present invention can be carried out most simply by introducing the compositions into the process liquors at the desired
REFERENCES:
Chemical Abstracts, vol. 83, No. 18, No. 149459c, Nov. 1975.
Holland, G. et al., "Experiences in the use of biocides for microbiological control in the raw sugar factory", paper presented at Sugartech 1990, Eastbourne, UK, 25-28 Jun. 1990.
Bowler Garry I.
Malone Joseph W. G.
Simms Robert A.
British Sugar PLC
McCarthy Neil
Solvay Interox Limited
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