Process for the preservation of color and flavor in liquid containing comestibles

A method of treating liquid comestibles having oxygen dissolved or occluded therein to reduce the oxygen content thereof which comprises introducing the liquid containing comestible and an electrolyte solution separately through separate compartments of an electrolytic cell having a first compartment containing an anode and a second compartment containing a cathode, the compartments being separated by a cation permeable membrane, the comestible being introduced into the cathode compartment and the electrolyte solution being introduced into the anode compartment, the electrolyte being a highly dissociatable, non-oxidizable, inorganic acid, applying an electric current between the anode and cathode which flows at a density within the range of about 0.002 to about 10 amperes per square inch, maintaining the comestible in the cathode compartment for a time sufficient to deoxidize and effect removal of the oxygen therefrom but insufficient to effect any substantial chemical change in the comestible and then discharging the deoxidized comestible from the cathode compartment.