System for maintaining fresh quality and safe food attributes of minimally processed produce

A system for maintaining the integrity of produce comprising the steps of:

• providing produce processing equipment configured to achieve a first overall treatment modality to maintain produce integrity;
• altering said produce processing equipment to achieve a second overall treatment modality to maintain produce integrity;
• making an input capability for at least one item of produce available to said produce processing equipment adapted to said second overall treatment modality to maintain product integrity;
• making a transport capability for said at least one item of produce available within said produce processing equipment adapted to said second overall treatment modality to maintain product integrity;
• establishing said second overall treatment modality to maintain product integrity as available within said produce processing equipment in response to said steps of making said input capability for said at least one item of produce available to said produce processing equipment adapted to said second overall treatment modality to maintain product integrity and making said transport capability for said at least one item of produce available within said produce processing equipment adapted to said second overall treatment modality to maintain product integrity;
• and
• making an output capability for said at least one item of produce available to said produce processing equipment adapted to said second overall treatment modality to maintain produce integrity.

A system for maintaining the integrity of produce comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one fungal item of produce;
• rapidly treating said at least one fungal item of produce by an overall treatment modality to maintain produce integrity;
• and
• accomplishing complete maintenance of produce integrity for said at least one fungal item through operation of said step of rapidly treating said at least one fungal item of produce by an overall treatment modality to maintain produce integrity.

A system for maintaining the integrity of produce comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one fungal item of produce;
• subjecting said at least one fungal item of produce to an first produce integrity maintenance process;
• subjecting said at least one fungal item of produce to a second produce integrity maintenance process;
• substantially simultaneously subjecting said at least one fungal item of produce to at least a portion of said first produce integrity maintenance process and at least a portion of said second produce integrity maintenance process;
• and
• maintaining integrity of said at least one fungal item of produce to at least some degree as a result of said step of simultaneously subjecting said at least one fungal item of produce to said first produce integrity maintenance process and said second produce integrity maintenance process.

A system for maintaining the integrity of produce comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one item of non-leafy produce;
• subjecting said at least one item of non-leafy produce with a first produce integrity maintenance process;
• affirmatively drying said at least one item of non-leafy produce after said first produce integrity maintenance process;
• and
• establishing said at least one item of non-leafy produce in a relatively dry state;
• and
• subjecting said at least one item of non-leafy produce with a second produce integrity maintenance process while said non-leafy produce is in said relatively dry state.

A system for maintaining the integrity of produce comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one item of non-leafy produce having a plurality of surfaces each having a different predominant directional orientation;
• selecting at least part of said plurality of surfaces of said at least one non-leafy produce for differential treatment;
• orienting said non-leafy produce in a substantially preferred manner;
• directionally subjecting said least part of said plurality of surfaces of said non-leafy produce to a directional produce integrity maintenance process;
• and
• maintaining integrity of said at least one non-leafy produce as a result of said directional produce integrity maintenance process.

A system to maintain produce integrity comprising:

• a non-damaging produce input that gently accepts the input of at least one item of produce;
• a produce conveyor positioned proximate to said non-damaging produce input;
• a produce antibrown agent applicator contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity and positioned to facilitate application of an antibrown agent to said at least one item of produce;
• an ultraviolet light system also contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity and configured to illuminate said at least one item of produce;
• and
• a non-damaging produce output and wherein said produce conveyor is positioned at least partly in a processing path between said non-damaging produce input and said non-damaging produce output.

A system to maintain produce integrity comprising:

• a non-damaging produce input that gently accepts the input of at least one item of non-leafy produce having a plurality of surfaces each having a different predominant directional orientation;
• a produce conveyor positioned proximate to said non-damaging produce input;
• a produce orientation element contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity and configured to gently orient said at least one item of non-leafy produce substantially in a preferred orientation;
• a directional produce treatment element having a primary treatment direction, contained as part of the system to maintain non-leafy produce integrity, and configured to treat said at least one item of non-leafy produce wherein said primary treatment direction is coordinated with said substantially a preferred orientation;
• and
• a non-damaging produce output and wherein said non-leafy produce conveyor is positioned at least partly in a processing path between said non-damaging produce input and said non-damaging produce output.

A system to maintain produce integrity comprising:

• a non-damaging produce input that gently accepts the input of at least one item of non-leafy produce;
• a produce conveyor positioned proximate to said non-damaging produce input;
• a first produce treatment element contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity, and configured to treat said at least one item of non-leafy produce;
• an affirmative produce dryer contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity and configured to act after operation of said first produce treatment element and to establish said at least one item of non-leafy produce in a relatively dry state;
• a second produce treatment element to treat said at least one item of non-leafy produce, contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity, and configured to act after operation of said affirmative produce dryer and while said at least one item of non-leafy produce is in a relatively dry state;
• and
• non-damaging produce output and wherein said non-leafy produce conveyor is positioned at least partly in a processing path between said non-damaging produce input and said non-damaging produce output.

A system to maintain produce integrity comprising:

• a non-damaging produce input that gently accepts the input of at least one fungal item of produce;
• a produce conveyor positioned proximate to said non-damaging produce input;
• a rapid fungal produce treatment element contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity, and configured to treat said at least one fungal item of produce;
• and
• a non-damaging produce output and wherein said produce conveyor is positioned at least partly in a processing path between said non-damaging produce input and said non-damaging produce output.

A system to maintain produce integrity comprising:

• a non-damaging produce input that gently accepts the input of at least one item of fungal produce;
• a produce conveyor positioned proximate to said non-damaging produce input;
• a first fungal produce treatment element contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity, and configured to treat said at least one item of produce;
• a second fungal produce treatment element contained as part of the system to maintain produce integrity, and also configured to treat said at least one item of produce;
• a simultaneous fungal produce treatment control system through which said first produce treatment element and said second produce treatment element are configured to cause substantially simultaneous operation of a first and a second affirmative produce treatment for said at least one item of produce;
• and
• a non-damaging produce output and wherein said produce conveyor is positioned at least partly in a processing path between said non-damaging produce input and said non-damaging produce output.