Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food

Details Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food

1999-12-16

2004-10-26

Pratt, Helen (Department: 1761)

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Inhibiting chemical or physical change of food by contact...

Including step of packaging

C426S335000, C426S615000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06808729

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to methods for making food, especially produce, safe for human consumption, while maintaining the palatability of said food, especially where sufficient pure water for rinsing said food is not available, and to compositions, especially in concentrated, or the corresponding diluted liquid form, which are especially suitable for practicing said methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fruits and vegetables, and sometimes other food products such as meats, are desirably washed prior to ingestion in order to remove soils and other unwanted residues which may be undesirably clinging to the surfaces thereof. However, the usual washing process requires a rinse step to effect physical removal of the soil. In many situations, a ready source of pure water is not available for rinsing, even at a low level. It will be appreciated that the formulation of truly effective compositions, especially those which can be used safely by individual consumers, for making fruits and vegetables safe to eat and palatable, when an abundant source of safe water is not available for rinsing, presents a unique problem to the formulator, inasmuch as many art-disclosed cleaning ingredients would, presumably, not be desirable for use in direct contact with foods where they are not completely removed and/or would not provide sufficient antimicrobial action.
Moreover, it would be especially desirable to provide effective, toxicologically-acceptable compositions for food, including fruits and vegetables and/or meats that can be sold in concentrated form and used to create dilute low-sudsing liquid solutions which can be used to effect antimicrobial action and which provide palatable food without removal. Dilute liquid solutions are convenient for the user, since they can be applied directly to soiled fruits and vegetables by simple immersion, thus ensuring that all parts of the food are treated. Clarity of the dilute liquids connotes cleanliness to the user and is thus highly desirable. Low sudsing is an important attribute so that the elimination of any suds is achieved quickly and easily. It is also of advantage if such concentrates can be diluted by the consumer using water that is not safe for use, since that is sometimes the only water that is available.
Unfortunately, many toxicologically-acceptable “cleaning” ingredients cannot be used with unsafe, impure water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses methods for treating food, including produce, especially fruits and vegetables, (and compositions, as disclosed hereinafter, for practicing said methods) at a basic pH, especially without rinsing, while maintaining palatability. In its broadest aspect, it comprises a method for treating food to reduce the level of microorganisms, said treatment occurring just prior to consumption, comprising the step of contacting the surface of said food with an aqueous treatment composition comprising: optionally, detergent surfactant; and basic buffer to provide a pH of greater than about 10.5 for a period of time in excess of about one half of a minute, the composition being essentially free of any material that adversely affects palatability, wherein said food does not need to be rinsed before consumption.
The present invention comprises several more specific aspects including:
I. A method for making food, including produce and meat, safe to eat comprising contacting the surfaces of said food, shortly before ingestion so as to minimize the chances for recontamination, by direct application of a dilute aqueous treatment composition having a pH above about 10.5, typically comprising:
(a) highly preferably, sufficient to reduce the surface tension and to reduce the viscosity to less than about 50 cp., preferably to less than about 10 cp., and more preferably to less than about 5 cp., to help maximize surface wetting and/or drainage thus minimizing residue, but less than an amount that will affect palatability, preferably less than about 0.5%, more preferably less than about 0.2%, and even more preferably less than about 0.1%, of toxicologically-acceptable detergent surfactant, preferably base-stable anionic surfactant, and more preferably, sodium and/or potassium alkyl sulfate and/or C
8-14
soap;
(b) toxicologically-acceptable basic buffer, preferably water soluble potassium and/or sodium and/or calcium hydroxides, ortho-phosphates, carbonates, and/or bicarbonates, to provide a pH of from about 10.5 to about 13, preferably from about 10.9 to about 12.5, more preferably from about 11.3 to about 12.3, but preferably with low reserve alkalinity (“reserve alkalinity” as used herein is equal to the percent of HCI equivalent needed to lower the pH of the dilute treatment composition to 9.5), that is typically less than about 10, preferably less than about 7, and even more preferably less than about 4, so as to maximize safety, and the level of ortho-phosphate, when present, being from about 0.01% to about 3%, preferably from about 0.05% to about 1%, more preferably from about 0.1% to about 0.5% of ortho-phosphoric acid equivalent;
(c) optionally, from about 0.0005% to about 3%, preferably from about 0.001% to about 1%, and more preferably from about 0.003% to about 0.5%, by weight of calcium ion sequestrant, preferably polyphosphate detergent builder such as the sodium salt of tripolyphosphate (referred to hereinafter as “STPP”) or, a salt of an organic polycarboxylic acid, such as the sodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (referred to hereinafter as “EDTA”.) and/or a salt of citric acid to sequester calcium in hard water to control calcium precipitates;
(d) optionally, toxicologically-acceptable preservative;
(e) optionally, toxicologically-acceptable suds suppresser; and
(f) the balance comprising an aqueous carrier selected from water and, optionally, low levels of low molecular weight, toxicologically-acceptable organic solvent such as ethanol, glycerol, etc. and/or minor ingredients; all of the acidic materials above being, of course, neutralized under the alkaline conditions of the product, and said composition being essentially free of any material that is not toxicologically acceptable, said treatment being for a period of time of at least one half minute, preferably at least about 1 minute, and more preferably at least about 5 minutes, followed by draining and/or drying, especially without rinsing, said food being then ready for consumption and having desirable palatability.
The inventions disclosed herein preferably encompass concentrated compositions suitable for use in preparing such dilute compositions for treating food at a basic pH above about 10.5, by diluting with water using from about 0.1% to about 5%, preferably from about 0.5% to about 2%, of the concentrated composition, by weight of the dilute composition, said concentrated composition comprising:
(a) from about 0.1% to about 50% , preferably from about 0.5% to about 20%, and more preferably from about 1% to about 10%, by weight of toxicologically-acceptable detergent surfactant, preferably base-stable anionic surfactant, and more preferably, a C
6-16
alkyl sulfate and/or C
8-14
soap;
(b) toxicologically-acceptable basic buffer, preferably potassium and/or sodium and/or calcium hydroxide, orthophosphate, carbonate, and/or bicarbonate, to provide a pH of from about 10.5 to about 13, preferably from about 10.9 to about 12.5, more preferably from about 11.3 to about 12.3, in said dilute composition, but with low reserve alkalinity in said dilute composition, preferably less than about 10, more preferably less than about 7 and even more preferably less than about 4, to avoid damage to a human, the level of orthophosphate, when present, being from about 3% to about 60%, preferably from about 5% to about 60%, more preferably from about 10% to about 55%, by weight of ortho-phosphoric acid equivalent;
(c) optionally, from about 0.1 to about 35%, preferably from about 1 to about 25%, more preferably from about 2 to about 20%, of toxicologically-acceptable calcium ion sequestrant, preferably po

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3275723