Microorganism reduction methods and compositions for food cleaning
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsToan Trinh, Brian Joseph Roselle, Alex Haejoon Chung, Philip Anthony Geis, Thomas Edward Ward, David Kent Rollins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Basic food cleaning compositions using food compatible ingredients for treating food such as produce, e.g., fruits and vegetables, and edible animal proteins are provided with specific non-substantive perfume. Liquid and solid powder formulations diluted with water also containing non-substantive perfume are applied to food products immediately before consumption and allowed to stay for at least about one half minute to significantly reduce microorganism contamination. With the preferred processes, the food can be consumed without rinsing.
Claims39
A composition for treating food, including produce and meat, and/or surfaces that contact food, to make the food safe to eat, optionally after dilution, comprising:
- (A) an effective amount of food compatible sanitizer to reduce the level of microorganisms, selected from the group consisting of:
- (1) basic buffer to provide a pH of from about 10.5 to about 13;
- (2) water soluble bleach;
- (3) water soluble antimicrobials;
- and (4) mixtures thereof;
- (B) an effective amount to provide a desirable odor effect of food compatible, non-substantive perfume;
- wherein at least about 50% of said non-substantive perfume comprises perfume components having a ClogP of less than about 3.5 and/or a boiling point of about 260° C. or lower and said non-substantive perfume has at least four different perfume components having a ClogP of less than about 3.5 and/or a boiling point of about 260° C. or lower;
- (C) optionally, sufficient food compatible detergent surfactant to reduce the surface tension and to reduce the viscosity to less than about 50 cp., to help maximize surface wetting and/or drainage thus minimizing residue, but less than an amount that will affect palatability;
- (D) optionally, an effective level of calcium ion sequestrant to sequester calcium in hard water to control calcium precipitates;
- (E) optionally, food compatible uncomplexed cyclodextrin;
- (F) optionally, food compatible preservative;
- (G) optionally, food compatible suds suppressor;
- and
- (H) the balance comprising diluents;
- an aqueous carrier selected from water and, optionally, low levels of low molecular weight, food compatible organic solvent;
- and/or minor ingredients;
- said composition being essentially free of any material that is not food compatible.
A method for treating food, including produce and meat, and/or surfaces that come in contact with food, to make the food safer to eat comprising contacting the surface of said food and/or the surfaces in contact with said food, shortly before ingestion of said food, so as to minimize the chances for recontamination, by direct application of a dilute aqueous treatment composition comprising:
- (A) an effective amount of food compatible sanitizer to reduce the level of microorganisms, selected from the group consisting of:
- (1) basic buffer, to provide a pH of from about 10.5 to about 13;
- (2) water soluble bleach;
- (3) water soluble antimicrobials;
- and (4) mixtures thereof;
- (B) an effective amount to provide odor effects of food compatible, nonsubstantive perfume;
- (C) optionally, sufficient food compatible detergent surfactant to reduce the surface tension and to reduce the viscosity to less than about 50 cp., to help maximize surface wetting and/or drainage thus minimizing residue, but less than an amount that will affect palatability;
- (D) optionally, from about 0.0005% to about 3% by weight of calcium ion sequestrant to sequester calcium in hard water to control calcium precipitates;
- (E) optionally, food compatible uncomplexed cyclodextrin;
- (F) optionally, food compatible preservative;
- (G) optionally, food compatible suds suppressor;
- and
- (H) the balance comprising diluents;
- an aqueous carrier selected from water and, optionally, low levels of low molecular weight, food compatible organic solvent such as ethanol, glycerol, etc. and/or minor ingredients;
- said composition being essentially free of any material that is not food compatible and essentially free of any material that adversely affects safety or palatability, so that said food does not need to be rinsed before consumption, said treatment being for a period of time of at least one half minute, followed by draining and/or drying, said food being then ready for consumption and having desirable palatability.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.