METHOD OF SANITIZING EDIBLE SEEDS, PARTICULARLY MUCILAGE PRODUCING SEEDS

• US 20160066572A1
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agri-Neo Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agri-Neo Inc.
• Inventors: MATHIEU, Johannes, DILLON, Nicholas, DAGHER, Fadi, MICHAUD, Devin Thomas, WHITESIDES, Steven Kent
• Granted Patent: US 10,292,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of application , e.g. seed treatment or sequential application; Substances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/02 containing liquids as carriers, diluents or solvents
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 31/02 Acyclic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/02 Saturated carboxylic acids or thio analogues thereof; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/16 containing the group; Thio analogues thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing elements or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 9/08 Drying; Subsequent reconstitution
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 9/26 Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 9/30 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3481 Organic compounds containing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3508 containing carboxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/358 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs

Abstract

Edible seeds are sanitized with a composition comprising water, a biocidal agent and a solvent. The composition is applied to the seeds and the seeds are later dried without first rinsing the seeds. The application rate may be 15% by weight of the seeds or less. The solvent may be a water-miscible alcohol such as ethanol or propylene glycol. When sanitizing mucilaginous seeds, the composition comprises one or more alcohols in an amount effective to inhibit the release of mucilage. The composition is initially applied as a mist to mucilaginous seeds. The biocidal agent may be an oxidizer such as peracetic acid. A treatment system includes an atomizing sprayer and a dryer, for example a fixed bed forced-air dryer.

Claims

1. A method for sanitizing mucilaginous seeds comprising the steps of,

providing a sanitizing composition comprising water, at least one biocidal agent and at least one alcohol in an amount effective to suppress the release of mucilage from mucilaginous seeds;

applying a mist of the sanitizing composition to the mucilaginous seeds; and

,

drying the seeds.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sanitizing composition is kept in contact with the mucilaginous seeds for at least 5 minutes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sanitizing composition is kept in contact with the mucilaginous seeds for at most 24 hours before drying the seeds.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sanitizing composition comprises at least 13% by volume of propylene glycol, or at least 15% by volume of ethanol, or a mixture of ethanol and propylene glycol comprising at a minimum concentration obtained by linear interpolation of the values for ethanol and propylene glycol.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sanitizing composition comprises between 15% and 20% ethanol by volume.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sanitizing composition comprises peracetic acid.

7. A method for sanitizing raw edible seeds comprising the steps of,

providing an aqueous sanitizing composition comprising at least one biocidal agent and at least one water miscible volatile or food grade solvent;

applying the sanitizing composition to the seeds; and

,

drying the seeds.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the sanitizing composition comprises at least 15% by volume of one or more alcohols.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the sanitizing composition comprises at least 15% ethanol by volume.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the applying step comprises spraying the sanitizing composition on the seeds followed by mixing the seeds.

11. The method of claim 7 comprising contacting the sanitizing composition with the seeds for at least 5 minutes, but not more than 24 hours, before drying the seeds.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the sanitizing composition is applied at not more than 15% by weight of the seeds.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the drying step comprises passing air through a bed of the seeds.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein in the drying step the seeds are dried to a water content of 10% or less relative to the weight of the seeds, or to a water content no more than 1% by weight of the seeds more than the water content of the seeds before applying the sanitizing composition to the seeds.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein the wherein the sanitizing composition comprises peracetic acid.

16. A sanitizing composition comprising,

water;

one or more biocidal agents; and

,

one or more alcohols in an amount effective to suppress the release of mucilage from mucilaginous seeds.

17. The sanitizing composition of claim 16 comprising at least 15% by volume of the one or more alcohols.

18. The sanitizing composition of claim 16 comprising between 15% and 20% by volume of ethanol.

19. The sanitizing composition of claim 16 comprising peracetic acid.

20. The sanitizing composition of claim 16 comprising ethanol, propylene glycol, or both.