Method and apparatus for applying volatile substances to materials
AssigneeVaporex PTY Ltd.
InventorsAndrew Stirling Inglis, David James Lark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying volatile substances, particularly microbicidal substances, to materials such as foods, pharmaceutical products and ingredients thereof for the purpose of achieving at least partial microbial decontamination and/or shelf-life extension. The volatile substance, which is preferably carbonic acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and mixtures thereof, are entrained in a carrier gas and preferably applied to the material at an over-pressure of up to 3 bar (2250 mm Hg) above atmospheric pressure.
Claims29
A method for reducing the viable microbial content of a solid material for human consumption, which is susceptible to microbial spoilage, said method comprising
- contacting exposed surfaces of the material with a gas mixture comprising a major portion of a carrier gas and a minor portion of a volatile substance selected from the group consisting of natural food acids, chemical biocides and mixtures thereof for a period of 2 minutes or less during which time the volatile substance partitions into solution upon said exposed surfaces;
- wherein said method does not involve a prior step of subjecting the material to a vacuum, and further wherein, at the time of contacting the exposed surfaces of the material with said gas mixture, the exposed surfaces of the material have a water activity (Aw) of greater than or equal to 0.85.
A method according to 1, wherein the volatile substance is entrained in the carrier gas in saturating amounts.
An apparatus for material reducing the viable microbial content of a solid material for human consumption which is susceptible to microbial spoilage, said apparatus comprising:
- a vessel for containing the material;
- a means for entraining a volatile substance in a carrier gas to form a gas mixture comprising a major portion of a carrier gas and a minor portion of a volatile substance selected from the group consisting of natural food acids, chemical biocides and mixtures thereof;
- means for adjusting the water activity (Aw) of exposed surfaces of the material to greater than or equal to 0.85;
- and
- means for contacting the material contained in the vessel with the gas mixture for a period of 2 minutes or less, during which time the volatile substance partitions into solution upon said exposed surfaces;
- and wherein the apparatus does not include a means for evacuating the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.