Wetting agents for aseptic filling
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorsVictor Fuk-Pong Man, Janel Marie Kieffer, Michael Charles Denoma, Yvonne Marie Killeen, Joshua P. Magnuson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to wetting agent compositions and methods for making and using the wetting agent compositions. The compositions of the invention include a sheeting agent, a defoaming agent, and an association disruption agent. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention result in a faster draining/drying time on most substrates compared to conventional wetting agents. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention are especially suitable for use on plastic substrates.
Claims17
A method for aseptic packaging of food, beverages or pharmaceuticals comprising:
- (a) contacting a package with a composition consisting essentially of a wetting agent, and an antimicrobial agent, wherein the wetting agent consists essentially of:
- (i) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I:
- R—O—(CH2CH2O)n—H
- wherein R is a (C1-C12) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;
- (ii) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant;
- (iii) an association disruption agent of a C12-C14 fatty alcohol propylene oxide surfactant;
- and
- (iv) an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a carrier, a hydrotrope, a chelating/sequestering agent, and combinations thereof;
- (b) filling the package with a substance selected from the group consisting of food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and combinations thereof;
- and
- (c) sealing the package.
A method for aseptic packaging comprising:
- (a) forming an aseptic packaging use solution comprising diluting a composition to a use concentration of between about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt %, wherein the composition consists essentially of:
- (i) a wetting agent consisting essentially of:
- (a) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I:
- R—O—(CH2CH2O)n—H wherein R is a (C1-C12) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;
- (b) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant,
- (c) an association disruption agent of an alcohol alkoxylate ethylene oxide surfactant, alcohol alkoxylate butylene oxide surfactant, alcohol alkoxylate propylene oxide surfactant, C12-C14 fatty alcohol ethylene oxide surfactant or C12-C14 fatty alcohol propylene oxide surfactant;
- (ii) and an antimicrobial agent;
- (b) contacting a package with the aseptic packaging use solution;
- (c) filling the package with a substance selected from the group consisting of food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and combinations thereof;
- and
- (d) sealing the package.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.