Inactivation of iron dependent bacterium using visible and near infrared light
First Claim
1. A process for pasteurizing an interior of a food product using nonionizing radiation, the process comprising the steps of:
- radiating a surface of a food product with near infrared light having a wavelength capable of penetrating the surface in order to create an optical window into the food product, said optical window having a depth of at least about one centimeter from said surface; and
radiating the food product with nonionizing visible/near infrared radiation in order to inactivate pathogens within the optical window of the food product.
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Abstract
An apparatus and process are provided for cold pasteurizing a food product such as a ground beef food product, using visible and near infrared light. The invention includes radiating the food product with pulsed near infrared light having a wavelength capable of penetrating the food product to at least about one centimeter in depth and further, radiating nonionizing radiation into the food product to inactivate bacterium, particularly iron dependent bacterium, therein. The nonionizing radiation preferably includes visible and near infrared wavelengths, with ultraviolet wavelengths filtered therefrom. The invention may further include using a pulsed heat exchanger to supercool the food product during the pulsed radiation treatment.
54 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A process for pasteurizing an interior of a food product using nonionizing radiation, the process comprising the steps of:
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radiating a surface of a food product with near infrared light having a wavelength capable of penetrating the surface in order to create an optical window into the food product, said optical window having a depth of at least about one centimeter from said surface; and radiating the food product with nonionizing visible/near infrared radiation in order to inactivate pathogens within the optical window of the food product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for pasteurizing an interior of a food product using nonionizing radiation, the process comprising the steps of:
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penetrating a food product with visible/near infrared light to a depth of at least about one centimeter from a surface of the food product; and inactivating pathogens in the food product by exposing the penetrated food product to nonionizing visible/near infrared radiation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Cold pasteurization apparatus comprising:
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means for radiating a surface of a food product with near infrared light having a wavelength capable of penetrating the surface in order to create an optical window into the food product, said optical window having a depth of at least about one centimeter from said surface; and means for radiating the food product with nonionizing visible/near infrared radiation in order to inactivate pathogens within the optical window of the food product.
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18. Cold pasteurization apparatus for inactivating iron dependent bacterium in a ground beef food product, said apparatus comprising:
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ultrahigh intensity pulsed xenon lamp means for radiating a surface of a ground beef food product, said lamp means capable of generating a pulsed discharge having wavelengths for penetrating the surface to a depth of at least about one centimeter from a the surface and for causing inactivation of iron dependent bacterium therein; means, including an AC capacitively coupled power supply connected to the lamp means, for powering the lamp means; and means, including a pulsed heat exchanger, for supercooling the food product on a falling edge of each said pulsed discharge. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification