IRRADIATION OF FOOD PRODUCTS
First Claim
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1. A method for inhibiting the sprouting of a plant product, comprising:
- introducing the plant product onto a conveyor system;
conveying the plant product into shielding;
conveying the plant product over a nonlinear path through the shielding, including conveying the plant product past ionizing radiation within the shielding to expose the plant product to the ionizing radiation within the shielding;
while conveying the plant product past the ionizing radiation, causing the plant product to tumble or roll; and
conveying the plant product out of the shielding, directly into packaging or storage.
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Abstract
A crop treatment apparatus is capable of irradiating plant products harvested from beneath the surface of the ground to prevent sprouting, regrowth, and/or decay of the plant products and/or contamination of the plant products by one or more microorganisms. The crop treatment apparatus may include shielding and a conveyor system. The conveyor system may direct the plant products past an irradiation element and then directly into storage or packaging. Embodiments of crop treatment apparatuses that are capable of treating plant products as they are harvested or prior to harvesting the plant products from the ground are also disclosed.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for inhibiting the sprouting of a plant product, comprising:
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introducing the plant product onto a conveyor system; conveying the plant product into shielding; conveying the plant product over a nonlinear path through the shielding, including conveying the plant product past ionizing radiation within the shielding to expose the plant product to the ionizing radiation within the shielding; while conveying the plant product past the ionizing radiation, causing the plant product to tumble or roll; and conveying the plant product out of the shielding, directly into packaging or storage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A crop treatment apparatus, comprising:
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shielding including a first side with an entry, a second side with an outlet, an a non-linear path between the entry and the outlet; a conveyor system including an entry portion, an entry bend, a widening portion, a treatment portion, a narrowing portion, an outlet bend, and an outlet portion positioned along the non-linear path; and at least one irradiation element capable of generating radiation and directing the radiation over a field of exposure coincident with at least a portion of the treatment portion of the conveyor system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A mobile irradiating apparatus, comprising:
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a transport component capable of enabling transportation of the mobile irradiating apparatus over a surface of the ground; and a source of ionizing radiation carried by the transport component and capable of directing ionizing radiation into the ground beneath the transport component during transportation of the mobile irradiating apparatus over the surface of the ground in a manner capable of preventing growth and/or replication of meristematic cells of plant products beneath the surface of the ground without substantially preventing growth and/or replication of non-meristematic cells of the plant products beneath the surface of the ground. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification