Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food

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

2001-05-14

2004-08-10

Pratt, Helen (Department: 1761)

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

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

Biocidal or disinfecting chemical agent

C426S615000, C426S654000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06773737

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to methods for reduction in microorganisms, especially for the purpose of making food, more especially produce, safe for human consumption, 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, food preparation surfaces, 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 It is also desirable to reduce microorganisms, thus ensuring safety.
It is 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 desirably provide palatable food without removal. Dilute liquid solutions are convenient for the user, since they can be applied directly to soiled fruits and vegetables, or 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.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses compositions and methods for treating food, including produce, especially fruits and vegetables, (and compositions, as disclosed hereinafter, for practicing said methods) at a basic pH, even without rinsing, to effect microorganism reduction in a short time period, especially 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: anionic and/or nonionic detergent surfactant at a level of at least about 0.015%; basic buffer to provide a pH of greater than about 8.5; and an electrolyte concentration providing at least about 0.04 molarity of cations, for a period of time up to about one minute, the composition preferably being essentially free of any material that adversely affects palatability so that said food does not need to be rinsed before consumption.
The present invention comprises several more specific aspects including:
1. A method for making food, including produce and/or 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 8.5, typically comprising:
(a) at least about 0.015%, preferably less than about 5%, more preferably less than about 2%, and even more preferably less than about 1%, by weight of anionic and/or nonionic detergent surfactant, preferably C
6-18
alkyl sulfate, sulfonate, and/or soap, more preferably about C
12
alkyl, and preferably sufficient to reduce the surface tension and to maintain 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 preferably less than an amount that will affect palatability, of toxicologically-acceptable detergent surfactant;
(b) toxicologically-acceptable basic buffer, preferably water soluble borates, hydroxides, ortho-phosphates, carbonates, and/or bicarbonates, to provide a pH of from about 8.5 to about 13, preferably from about 10 to about 12.5, more preferably from about 10.5 to about 12.3, but preferably with low reserve alkalinity (“reserve alkalinity” as used herein is equal to the percent of HC
1
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) sufficient electrolyte to provide at least about 0.04 molarity of cations, preferably at least about 0.08, and more preferably at least about 0.12;
(d) 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;
(e) optionally, toxicologically-acceptable preservative;
(f) optionally, toxicologically-acceptable suds suppressor; and
(g) 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 able to effect at least a one log reduction of
E
-
coli
in less than about 1 minute, optionally followed by draining and/or drying, even without rinsing, said food being then ready for consumption and having desirable palatability. For the purposes of this invention any anionic surfactant and its counter ion are not included in the determination of the salt level.
The inventions disclosed herein encompass concentrated compositions suitable for use in preparing such dilute compositions for treating food at a basic pH above about 8.5, 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 anionic and/or nonionic detergent surfactant, preferably base-stable anionic surfactant, and more preferably, a C
6-18
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 8.5 to about 13, preferably from about 10 to about 12.5, more preferably from about 10.5 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) sufficient electrolyte to provide at least about 0.04 molarity of cations once diluted for use, preferably at least about 0.08, and more preferably at least about 0.12;
(d) 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 polyphosphate or organic polycarboxylate, more preferably STPP or EDTA, or combinations of the two, to control calcium ions;
(d) optionally, toxicologically-acceptab

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