Method for inhibiting pathogenic and spoilage activity in products
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsManuel C. Lagunas-Solar, Nolan X. Zeng, Timothy K. Essert
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Abstract
A method and a system for the application of radio frequency energy to a host material in order to inhibit the presence of pathogenic or spoilage organisms, and the host material thereby treated. In general terms, a radio frequency field is introduced to a host material, where the radio frequency field is configured to resonantly introduce thermal energy to the host material at a frequency, where the thermal energy is sufficient to cause irreversible changes in infective organisms, and where the radio frequency field is configured at a power level such that the thermal energy causes only reversible changes in the host material.
Claims45
A method for treating a product wherein said product potentially comprises one or more infective organisms, said method comprising:
- introducing a radio frequency field to a product comprising a host material;
- wherein said radio frequency field is configured to resonantly introduce thermal energy to said host material at a frequency;
- wherein said product responds to said radio frequency field as a resonant cavity at said frequency;
- wherein said radio frequency field is configured at a power such that said thermal energy causes only reversible changes in said host material;
- and
- wherein said thermal energy is sufficient to cause irreversible changes in said infective organisms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.