Enzyme-based monitoring device for thermal processing of objects
OwnerYann Guiavarch, Ann Loey +1inventors
InventorsYann Guiavarch, Ann Loey, Marc Hendrickx
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Abstract
This invention provides an enzyme-based monitoring device for monitoring the thermal impact of thermal processing on an object. The device comprises a sealed container enclosing a solid dehydrated mix comprising at least one enzyme and at least one first filler, sealing of the sealed container being obtained by means of at least one moisture vapor barrier. The invention is applicable to monitoring the thermal processing of an object within a temperature range from about 60° C. to 160° C., e.g. under pasteurization or sterilization conditions.
Claims26
An enzyme-based monitoring device for monitoring the thermal impact of thermal processing on an object, within a temperature range from 80° C. to 160° C., said device comprising a container containing at least one enzyme and at least one barrier, wherein:
- said container is a hermetically sealed container, and
- said container encloses a solid dehydrated mix comprising said at least one enzyme and at least one first filler, wherein the water content of said dehydrated mix is below 0.6 by weight, hermetic sealing of the hermetically sealed container being obtained by means of said at least one barrier in order to prevent entry of moisture into said container.
2-57. (canceled)
A method of monitoring the thermal impact of thermal processing on an object by means of an enzyme-based monitoring device, said device comprising a container containing at least one enzyme and at least one barrier, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing said enzyme-based monitoring device in contact with said object or in the neighbourhood of said object;
- (b) exposing said object and said enzyme-based monitoring device to thermal processing at a temperature within a range from 80° C. to 160° C. for sufficient time for degrading a substantial portion of said at least one enzyme without breaking said at least one barrier of said container;
- (c) removing said container from contact with said object or from the neighbourhood of said object after completion of step (b);
- characterised in that:
- said container is a hermetically sealed container,
- said container encloses a solid dehydrated mix comprising said at least one enzyme and at least one first filler, wherein the water content of said dehydrated mix is below 0.6% by weight, hermetic sealing of the hermetically sealed container being obtained by means of said at least one barrier in order to prevent entry of moisture into said container during thermal processing of said object, and
- said method further comprises the steps of:
- (d) opening said hermetically sealed container and obtaining a sample of the at least one enzyme from said hermetically sealed container;
- (e) measuring the residual activity of said at least one enzyme in the obtained sample, and
- (f) using the measured residual activity as a means to quantify the thermal impact of the thermal processing of step (b) on one or more given target attributes of said object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.