Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying volatile substances, particularly microbicidal substances, to materials such as foods, pharmaceutical products and ingredients thereof for the purpose of achieving at least partial microbial decontamination and/or shelf-life extension. The volatile substance, which is preferably carbonic acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and mixtures thereof, are entrained in a carrier gas and preferably applied to the material at an over-pressure of up to 3 bar (2250 mm Hg) above atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating a perishable material particularly foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and the like to extend the shelf life thereof including placing a material to be treated in a vessel capable of evacuation, evacuating the vessel and contacting the material with a volatile substance entrained in a carrier gas, the substance being capable of physical and/or chemical alteration of said material. Preferably the volatile substance is an antimocrobial volatile substance, e.g. a natural food acid such as acetic or carbonic acid, and the carrier gas is nitrogen or carbon dioxide.