# US 2014/0154373 A1 · Method for post-harvest treating citrus fruit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154373 A1 - Document ID: US20140154373A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/118,295 - Filed: 2012-05-16 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-17 - Assignees: Waterdiam Sarl - Applicants: Waterdiam Sarl - Inventors: Jean Gobet; Ciro Zavanella; Nicolas Hermant; Christos Comninellis; Antonio Ippolito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154373A1 ## CPC - A23B 7/015: Preserving by irradiation or electric treatment without heating effect - A23B 2/605: {by electrolysis} - A23L 5/57: {Chemical peeling or cleaning of harvested fruits, vegetables or other foodstuffs (mechanical aspect A23N, A23P)} - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) ## Abstract A method for post-harvest treating citrus fruit includes a step of washing citrus fruit, the step of washing citrus fruit including: a) a step of bringing water into contact with citrus fruit; b) a step of electrolyzing the water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit; and c) a step of using the electrolyzed water as washing water of the citrus fruit. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 Method for post-harvest treating citrus fruit comprising a step of washing citrus fruit, wherein said step of washing citrus fruit comprises: a) a step of bringing water into contact with citrus fruit; b) a step of electrolyzing said water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit; and c) a step of using said electrolyzed water as washing water of the citrus fruit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein said water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit is washing water which has been used for washing the citrus fruit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) Method according to claim 15, wherein the washing water is contained in a washing tank. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein the washing tank and electrodes used in step b) are designed in such a way that the ratio of the total electrode surface over the tank volume is comprised between 0.01 m2/m3 and 1.5 m2/m3. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) Method according to claim 17, wherein the washing tank and electrodes used in step b) are designed in such a way that the ratio of the total electrode surface over the tank volume is comprised between 0.05 m2/m3 and 0.5 m2/m3. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein the washing water temperature is comprised between 10° C. and 65° C. for a contact time with the citrus fruits ranging from 10 seconds to 3 minutes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) Method according to claim 19, wherein the washing water temperature is comprised between 20° C. and 55° C. for a contact time with the citrus fruits ranging from 10 seconds to 3 minutes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein the washing tank water is continuously electrolyzed. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein the step of washing the citrus comprises no step of adding, in said water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit, an additional compound. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein the amount of oxidizing agents in the electrolyzed water and selected from the group consisting of reactive oxygen species and free chlorine is less than 5 mg/L. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) Method according to claim 23, wherein the amount of oxidizing agents in the electrolyzed water and selected from the group consisting of reactive oxygen species and free chlorine is less than 1 mg/L. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein the water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit contains an amount of chloride ions less than 500 mg/L. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) Method according to claim 25, wherein the water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit contains an amount of chloride ions less than 250 mg/L. ### Claim 27 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein the washing water is electrolyzed with electrodes comprising a material selected from the group consisting of doped diamond, platinum, platinized titanium, carbon, titanium covered by a coating containing at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of RuO2, IrO2, SnO2, PbO2, TiO2 and Ta2O5. ### Claim 28 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein in step b), the electrolysis is carried out by using a current density ranging from 2 mA/cm2 to 800 mA/cm2. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) Method according to claim 28, wherein in step b), the electrolysis is carried out by using a current density ranging from 10 mA/cm2 to 200 mA/cm2. ### Claim 30 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein the water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit contains a Chemical Oxygen Demand value higher than 10 mg/L. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) Method according to claim 30, wherein the water which has been brought into contact with citrus fruit contains a Chemical Oxygen Demand value higher than 100 mg/L. ### Claim 32 (depends on 14) Method according to claim 14, wherein the flow rate is comprised between 0.5 washing tank volume per hour and 20 washing tank volume per hour. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) Method according to claim 32, wherein the flow rate is comprised between 2 washing tank volume per hour and 10 washing tank volume per hour.