Deactivation of microorganisms by an oscillating magnetic field
AssigneeMaxwell Laboratories, Inc.
InventorGunter A. Hofmann
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Abstract
Material having relatively high electrical resistivity, such as food products and containers, is disposed within a magnetic coil and subjected to one or more pulses of an oscillating magnetic field having an intensity of between about 2 and about 100 Tesla and a frequency of between about 5 and about 500 kHz. A single pulse of the magnetic field generally decreases the microorganism population by at least about two orders of magnitude, and substantially complete sterility is more closely approached by subjecting the material to additional pulses.
Claims8
A method of deactivating microorganisms present in material having an electrical resistivity of at least about 10 ohms-cm which method comprises,
- subjecting said material to at least one pulse of a pulsed, decaying, oscillating magnetic field having an intensity of between about 2 and about 100 Tesla and a frequency of between about 5 and about 500 kHz.
A method of sterilizing a food product container having an electrical resistivity of at least about 25 ohms-cm comprising subjecting said container to at least about 5 pulses of a pulsed, decaying, oscillating magnetic field having an intensity of between 2 and 100 Telsa and a frequency of between about 5 and about 500 kHz.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.