Method for releasing sprout suppressant into quantities of potatoes

• US 6,541,054 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 1,4Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Darol Forsythe, John M. Forsythe
• Inventors: Forsythe, John M., Forsythe, Darol
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/853,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 426/324, 426/316, 426/312, 426/419, 426/124, 426/323, 426/311, 994/67, 994/73, 994/82, 206/0.5, 206/0.6, 206/0.7, 504/143, 504/144, 504/304, 504/324, 504/138, 239/60, 239/34, 118/300, 118/301, 118/303
• US Class Current: 426/324
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/144 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/152 in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O ; Elimination of such other gases
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/28 Applications of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants

Abstract

A release device for slowly releasing vapors of a sprout inhibitor into a small package of potatoes is disclosed. The release device includes a container for holding particulate porous media which has absorbed a liquid sprout inhibitor. The container is at least partially porous with respect to sprout inhibitor vapors such that the release device may be utilized to inhibit sprouting of potatoes in small packages during shipments. The release device may further be structured to be coated to control the release rate and may further include being printed upon a porous substrate.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting sprouts on potatoes comprising:

directing a jet of liquid substituted naphthalene against a porous substrate, said porous substrate being located within a release device;

introducing said porous substrate into a container containing potatoes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid substituted naphthalene is dimethyinaphthalene.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said dimethylnaphthalene is 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a coloring agent is present with said liquid substituted naphthalene.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said jet is directed to form a graphic display on said porous substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid substituted naphthalene is diisopropylnaphthalene.

7. A method of inhibiting sprouts on potatoes comprising:

providing a release device for releasing vapor of a sprout inhibitor into a package of potatoes during shipment or storage, said release device having a quantity of porous media containing a potato sprout inhibitor; and

introducing said release device into said package of potatoes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said release device further includes a containment means for said porous media, a removable or breachable seal means structured to seal at least a porous portion of said containment means to prevent loss of sprout inhibitor vapor while said seal means is in a sealing position, wherein said containment means is at least partially porous to the vapor of said sprout inhibitor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said seal means is structured to be hand-removable or hand-breachable.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said porous media is a fine, particulate inorganic material.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said potato sprout inhibitor is a substituted naphthalene.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said substituted naphthalene is dimethylnaphthalene.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said dimethylnaphthalene is 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein said porous media comprises a paper-like media containing said potato sprout inhibitor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a portion of said paper-like media contains said potato sprout inhibitor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said potato sprout inhibitor is a substituted naphthalene.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said substituted naphthalene is dimethylnaphthalene.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said dimethylnaphthalene is 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene.