Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Inhibiting chemical or physical change of food by contact... – Biocidal or disinfecting chemical agent
Patent
1997-08-14
1999-01-26
Pratt, Helen
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Inhibiting chemical or physical change of food by contact...
Biocidal or disinfecting chemical agent
426326, 426615, 99516, 99524, 99536, A23L 3358
Patent
active
058635840
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method for treating contaminants in process water and treating produce to remove debris, organic chemicals, and hard water deposits from the produce and inhibit the formation of mold on the produce, and more particularly, to a method of treating contaminants in process water and cleaning, sanitizing, and descaling produce by the use of an effective amount of a chlorine dioxide solution.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
After harvest, fresh produce is washed before being sorted and packed. Once clean produce has been sorted and packed, fungus adhering to the surface of the produce may cause mold to develop before the produce has reached market. The presence of fungus on even one piece of produce in a crate can cause decay of substantially all of the produce in the crate. For these reasons, it is desirable to reduce the occurrence of decay in packed produce so that the overall value of the harvested produce is increased.
If produce is treated by process water, the used process water contains contaminants and debris. Conventionally, process water for treating produce has been used for a short time before being dumped due to the buildup of contaminants in the process water.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method for treating process water and an object submerged in process water when the process water and the object include at least one contaminant from the group of debris, soil, fungus, and organic chemicals. The method comprises immersing the object in the process water. Then, a chlorine dioxide solution is generated. An effective amount of the chlorine dioxide solution is admixed with the process water. The chlorine dioxide solution is present in the process water in an amount sufficient to treat contaminants on the object and in the process water. The oxidation reduction potential of the process water is monitored. When the oxidation reduction potential of the process water falls below a predetermined level, the steps of generating, admixing, and monitoring are repeated until substantially all of the contaminants in the process water and on the objects have been treated.
In a preferred form of the invention, the method includes generating the chlorine dioxide solution by the reaction of a solution comprising sodium chlorite with a solution comprising phosphoric acid. In another form of the invention, the chlorine dioxide solution may be generated by the reaction of a solution comprising sodium chlorite and sodium chloride with a solution comprising phosphoric acid. Alternatively, the chlorine dioxide solution may be generated by the reaction of a solution comprising sodium chlorite with a solution comprising phosphoric acid and sodium 2-ethylhexyl sulfate. In yet another form of the invention, the chlorine dioxide solution may be generated by the reaction of a solution comprising sodium chlorite and sodium chloride with a solution comprising phosphoric acid and sodium 2-ethylhexyl sulfate. The method may further include monitoring the pH of the process water admixed with the chlorine dioxide solution. Additionally, the method may include maintaining of the pH of the process water admixed with the chlorine dioxide solution below about 11. In a more preferred form of the invention, the method includes maintaining the pH of the process water admixed with the chlorine dioxide solution between about 2 and about 10.5.
The present invention also provides a method for treating fresh produce to remove debris and inhibit the growth of fungus. The method comprises submerging the produce in process water. The process water comprises an effective amount of a chlorine dioxide solution. The chlorine dioxide solution is present in the process water in an amount sufficient to clean substantially all debris from the surface of the produce and to inhibit the growth of fungus on the produce. In a preferred form of the invention, the effective amount of chlorine dioxide solution in the process water is at least about 0.1 ppm. In an even more preferred form o
REFERENCES:
patent: 3814820 (1974-06-01), Busta et al.
patent: 4001443 (1977-01-01), Dave
patent: 4889654 (1989-12-01), Mason et al.
Keith Robert E.
Prindle Joyce
Thomas, Jr. Iverson
Barnard Delbert J.
CH20 Incorporated
Pratt Helen
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