Treatment of air and surfaces in a food processing plant

• US 20040175290A1
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Steril-Aire, LLC
• Original Assignee: Steril-Aire USA Incorporated (Steril-Aire)
• Inventors: Scheir, Robert, Culbert, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/383,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20040175290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/24
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/28 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

There are disclosed systems and methods to treat surfaces of food processing machinery and air in a food processing plant. A method of treating a food processing station may comprise positioning a light emitting treatment system so the output of a germicidal lamp included in the light emitting treatment system will fall on a desired surface of the food processing station. The germicidal lamp of the light emitting treatment system may be energized to emit substantially uniformly distributed ultraviolet radiation across a surface of the food processing station.

Claims

1. A method of treating a food processing plant comprising

selecting a food processing station in the food processing plant for treatment, the food processing station having a contaminated surface

providing a light emitting treatment system comprising a germicidal lamp to emit ultraviolet light, a support structure for the germicidal lamp and a direction control device, wherein the germicidal lamp has a direction of ultraviolet irradiation output controllable by the direction control device, the direction control device having a plurality of fixable positions

moving the germicidal lamp apparatus proximate to the food processing station and near to the contaminated surface

setting the direction control device of the light emitting treatment system apparatus to one of the fixable positions such that ultraviolet irradiation from the germicidal lamp will be directed onto the contaminated surface of the food processing station

connecting the germicidal lamp to a power source and energizing the germicidal lamp to emit ultraviolet light

irradiating the contaminated surface of the food processing station with the ultraviolet light to treat the contaminated surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein ambient air temperature is between 10°

and 110°

F.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the contaminated surface of the food processing station has a temperature of between 10°

and 110°

F.

4. The method of claim 1

wherein the contaminated surface has disposed thereon plural microorganisms

wherein the irradiating renders a minimum percentage of the microorganisms harmless.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the germicidal lamp emits at least 40 W of C-band ultraviolet irradiation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultraviolet radiation on the contaminated surface has an energy of at least 30 μ

Ws/cm².

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the light emitting treatment system is placed from two to six feet from the contaminated surface.

8. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1 wherein the light emitting treatment system further comprises a low friction floor interface.

9. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 8 wherein the low friction floor interface comprises wheels.

10. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 8 wherein the low friction floor interface comprises sliders.

11. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, wherein the direction control device comprises a height adjuster.

12. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, wherein the direction control device comprises an angle adjuster.

13. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, wherein the minimum percentage is 99%.

14. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, wherein the food processing station comprises a conveyor belt.

15. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, wherein the food processing station comprises a bottle filler.

16. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, the irradiating step comprising eviscerating at least some of the microorganisms.

17. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, the irradiating step comprising sterilizing at least some of the microorganisms.

18. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1, the irradiating step further comprising maintaining power to the lamp for a minimum period of time.

19. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1 wherein the ultraviolet light is substantially exclusively UVC.

20. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1 wherein the light emitting treatment system further comprises a power supply disposed electrically between the lamp and the power source.

21. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1 wherein the light emitting treatment system further comprises a battery, and the battery comprises the power source.

22. The method of treating a food processing plant of claim 1 wherein the light emitting treatment system further comprises a power cord, and the connecting step comprises connecting the power cord to an external power source.

23. A method of treating a food processing station, comprising the steps of:

positioning a light emitting treatment system such that the output of a germicidal lamp included therein will fall on a desired surface of the food processing station

energizing the germicidal lamp to emit substantially uniformly distributed ultraviolet radiation across the desired surface of the food processing station.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the positioning comprises

setting a direction control device of the light emitting treatment system to one of a plurality of fixable positions such that ultraviolet irradiation from the germicidal lamp will be directed onto the contaminated surface of the food processing station.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the energizing comprises

irradiating the desired surface of the food processing station with the ultraviolet light such that a minimum percentage of the microorganisms are rendered harmless.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the germicidal lamp emits at least 40 W of C-band ultraviolet irradiation and the ultraviolet irradiation on the contaminated surface has an energy of at least 30 μ

Ws/cm².

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the germicidal lamp emits ultraviolet radiation substantially at 253.7 nm and generates an insignificant quantity or less of ozone.