Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Contacting food in liquid or solid state with exteriorly... – Applied material is biocidal or disinfecting
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-19
2001-07-24
Wong, Leslie (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Contacting food in liquid or solid state with exteriorly...
Applied material is biocidal or disinfecting
C426S312000, C426S654000, C099S467000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06265006
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the treatment of a material with a volatile substance entrained in a carrier gas. In a particular application of the invention, the method and apparatus is used to treat a food or pharmaceutical product or ingredient with a natural food acid such as carbonic acid for the purpose of achieving at least partial microbial decontamination and/or shelf-life extension.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hitherto, conventional gaseous processes aimed at extending the shelf-life of materials prone to microbial spoilage have relied on modified atmosphere (MAP) procedures. In such procedures, the oxygen gas atmosphere surrounding the material is replaced with a food grade carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen atmosphere, and high barrier colaminate packaging is used to maintain the exclusion of oxygen from the package. The slight acidity produced by the carbonic acid which results from the exposure of the material to carbon dioxide produces a fungicidal effect. However, MAP processes have disadvantages. That is, whilst it has been found that an extension of the shelf-life is achieved in respect of materials treated by the procedures, this extension is limited and considerable costs are involved including the cost associated with the specialised colaminate film packaging used.
In copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/771,400 (the entire disclosure of which is to be regarded as incorporated herein by reference), a method and apparatus is described for extending the shelf-life of materials prone to microbial spoilage by treating the materials with a volatile substance such as a natural food acid. The method described in this copending application involves prior evacuation of the vessel containing the material to be treated and, while this may lead to the more effective treatment of some materials, the inventors have now found that prior evacuation of the vessel containing the material is not necessary for the satisfactory extension of shelf-life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of treating a material, comprising the step of contacting the material with a volatile substance entrained in a carrier gas.
Preferably, the material is a food or pharmaceutical product or ingredient and the method achieves at least partial microbial decontamination and/or shelf-life extension of the food or pharmaceutical product or ingredient.
The volatile substance is preferably microbicidal (e.g. a natural food acid), and is preferably entrained in the carrier gas in saturating amounts. The material may be contacted with the volatile substance/carrier gas mixture provided at pressures greater than ambient.
The method may be performed using a suitable vessel to contain the material during contact with the volatile substance/carrier gas mixture. The method may or may not involve evacuation of the vessel containing the material prior to contacting the material with the volatile substance/carrier gas mixture.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for treating a material comprising:
a vessel for containing the material;
means for entraining a volatile substance in a carrier gas; and
means for contacting the material contained within the vessel with the volatile substance entrained in the carrier gas.
Preferably, the vessel is adapted to allow the volatile substance/carrier gas mixture to be present at pressures greater than ambient. Open vessels may, however, also be used.
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Inglis Andrew Stirling
Lark David James
McDermott & Will & Emery
Vaporex PTY LTD
Wong Leslie
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