APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF EXTENDING USEFUL LIFE OF FOOD TREATING MEDIA BY INHIBITING DEGRADATION THEREOF

• US 20090252842A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Wang, DanLi ., Hoium, Travis B., Dyer, John J.
• Application Number:
  US12/412,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20090252842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/32 by treatment with electric currents without heating effect
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/1271 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/03 Edible oils or edible fats

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods of extending useful life of food treating media by inhibiting its degradation through application of electrons are disclosed. Application may be automatic and responsive to monitoring quality parameters of a medium. The apparatus, systems, and methods are retrofittable to existing food treating apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting degradation of a food treating medium, the method comprises:

providing a container for containing a food treating medium and having at least a conductive portion; and

, applying a source of electrons from a low voltage source including a semiconductor material associated with the conductive portion having a food treating medium in contact with the conductive portion.

2. A system of inhibiting degradation of a food treating medium, the system comprises:

a container for containing a food treating medium and having at least a conductive portion; and

, one or more sources of electrons associated with the conductive portion for applying electrons from a surface of the conductive portion to a food treating medium in contact with the conductive portion.

3. A method of inhibiting degradation of a food treating medium, the method comprises:

providing a container having one or more vats for containing a food treating medium and having at least a conductive portion to each of the one or more vats; and

, applying electrons by electrically coupling the conductive portion with one or more sources of electrons, independent of the container, for applying electrons from a surface of the conductive portion to a food treating medium in contact with the conductive portion of the one or more vats for inhibiting degradation of a food treating medium.

4. A method of inhibiting degradation of a food treating medium, the method comprises:

providing a container for containing a food treating medium and having at least a conductive portion; and

, applying electrons by electrically coupling the conductive portion with one or more sources of electrons for applying electrons from a surface of the conductive portion to a food treating medium in contact with the conductive portion, wherein the one or more sources are separate and apart from a food treating medium contained in the container.

5. A food treating method comprising:

monitoring at least a quality parameter of a food treating medium to obtain a predetermined value correlated to quality; and

applying electrons to the food treating medium in response to the predetermined value so as to inhibit degradation of the food treating medium.

6. A food treating system comprising:

a food treating apparatus configured for holding a food treating medium;

a monitoring assembly for monitoring at least a quality parameter of a food treating medium to obtain a predetermined value correlated to quality; and

a stabilizing assembly operable for applying electrons to a food treating medium in response to the predetermined value so as to inhibit degradation of the food treating medium.

7. A system that comprises:

a vessel that includes at least a wall having a portion for defining at least a first chamber and a second chamber divided by a common wall for holding cooking oil;

a probe supporting assembly mountable on the common wall for supporting a probe in each of the first and second chambers so that that the probes are within the cooking oil, wherein the probe supporting assembly supports the probes at a position below a container that is insertable into at least of one the first and second chambers.

8. A probe assembly for applying electrons to a cooking oil medium in a vat defined, in part, by a supporting wall including an electrically conductive portion, the probe assembly comprises:

a housing assembly;

a material within the housing assembly for supplying electrons in response to energization thereof, wherein the material is in electrically conductive relationship with at least a portion of the housing assembly for transferring electrons thereto; and

, a coupling assembly on the housing assembly for securing and supporting the housing assembly on a supporting wall, whereby the electron transferring portion is in conductive relationship with the conductive portion of the supporting wall.

9. A system adapted for mounting a plurality of probe assemblies relative to a fryer having a plurality of vats, the system comprises:

a plurality of probe assemblies, a supporting assembly for supporting each of the probe assemblies such that one or more the probe assemblies cooperates with at least a respective one of the vats, the supporting assembly is attachable to the fryer; and

, the probe assemblies are coupled to the supporting assembly.

10. A method of controlling a plurality of probe assemblies that are adapted to be associated with a fryer system containing a plurality of vats and into which different cooking oil media may be added, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of probe assemblies each of which is independently operated;

supporting each of the probe assemblies on the fryer system so that one or more of the probe assemblies is operatively associated with at least one of the vats; and

controlling operation of the probe assemblies.

11. A method of inhibiting degradation of a food treating medium, the method comprises:

providing a container for containing a food treating medium and having at least a conductive portion; and

, providing a semiconductor material integrated in the container and associated with the conductive portion and having a food treating medium in contact with the conductive portion.

12. A system of inhibiting degradation of a food treating medium, the system comprises:

a container for containing a food treating medium and having at least a conductive portion; and

, one or more sources of electrons integrated in the container and associated with the conductive portion for applying electrons from a surface of the conductive portion to a food treating medium in contact with the conductive portion.

13. An installation system for retrofitting a food treating system having one or more vats having sidewalls, the installation system comprising:

a supporting assembly including a generally horizontally disposable supporting member that is adapted to be supported by a vat, and at least one or more generally extending supporting members arranged for depending in a generally upstanding relationship to and along the length of the horizontally disposable supporting member in response to the horizontally disposable supporting member being supported on a vat, wherein each of the one or more extending supporting members is coupled to the horizontally disposable supporting member at one end thereof, and

at least one probe assembly coupled to another end of the one or more extending supporting members and oriented to be engageable with a vat sidewall.