Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to sterilize a marine animal with use of sea water and atmospheric air, to the extent that the marine animal can be eaten as an unheated food product. A sterilization method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is a method for sterilizing a marine animal as an unheated food product, the method comprising the steps of: producing oxygen-enriched water by mixing electrolyzed atmospheric air into sea water; producing sterilizing water by electrolyzing the oxygen-enriched water; and bringing the marine animal into contact with the sterilizing water, the sterilizing water containing HOCl, OH? and O?.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a yeast extract including at least 10 wt % of nucleic acids, preferably at least 15 wt %, and more preferably 30 to 95 wt %, relative to the total weight of said extract, said nucleic acids being formed from fragments of ribonucleic acid (RNA), for clarifying musts and liquids, in particular wines and teas.

Abstract: Disclosed are packaging systems and methods useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The packaging systems and methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The packaging systems preferably use a fuel cell to maintain a reduced oxygen level in the environment surrounding the foodstuff.

Abstract: A cold plasma device for killing or reducing a microbiological pathogen, or denaturing a protein in food, in a food processing system using a cold plasma device. The cold plasma device directs a cold plasma at food or a food surface over an effective area for an effective amount of time. The cold plasma device can be a DBD electrode device, or an army of DBD electrode devices. A grounding rod assembly is also described.

Abstract: A CO-containing modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) gas is generated from a processing gas including CO2 and an optional inert gas by applying an electric field under conditions sufficient to generate non-thermal plasma. The fresh appearance of meat or seafood is maintained for a longer time by storing them in a container with the MAP gas.

Abstract: Disclosed are packaging systems and methods useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The packaging systems and methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The packaging systems preferably use a fuel cell to maintain a reduced oxygen level in the environment surrounding the foodstuff.

Abstract: The invention related to a method and a device for thawing food products that comprises using at least one microwave radiation applicator in a chamber through which said products are passing, characterized in that before the insertion into the chamber or a first inlet area of the chamber, all the surfaces of the product are covered with a homogenous film of carbon dioxide snow in the form of electrostatically charged microparticles.

Abstract: A method for sanitation and preservation of foodstuffs includes the following steps. A container containing a foodstuff is provided. A non-thermal plasma is introduced to an interior of the container. The container is sealed.

Abstract: Disclosed are packaging systems and methods useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The packaging systems and methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The packaging systems preferably use a fuel cell to maintain a reduced oxygen level in the environment surrounding the foodstuff.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to non-thermally treat goods for human consumption with carbon dioxide. Apparatus and methods rely on multiple pressure changes of carbon dioxide to affect one of three processes. A first process rapidly freezes and thaws water on the surface of the goods in rapid succession multiple times to detrimentally affect pathogens. A second process raises the pressure and temperature of carbon dioxide to supercritical conditions to detrimentally affect the lipids in the membranes of pathogens. A third process adjusts the pressure to form a dense carbon dioxide liquid with a low pH that may also detrimentally affect pathogens. All processes may be repeated or performed in succession, or in any order. Optionally, thereafter, the goods may be stored at low temperature in substantially 100% carbon dioxide for further pathogen reduction.

Abstract: A method for sanitation and preservation of foodstuffs includes the following steps. A container containing a foodstuff is provided. A non-thermal plasma is introduced to an interior of the container. The container is sealed.

Abstract: The system, method and apparatus involves the control of microbiological contamination of food processing equipment such as a commercial freeze dryer using oxidation gases. An oxidative gas generator such as a REME system produces low levels of ozone, vaporized hydrogen peroxide and other oxidative gases. These compounds act as anti-microbial agents and systematically inactivate bacteria, viruses, yeast and mold in the air and on surfaces around and inside the food processing equipment.

Abstract: The system, method and apparatus involves the control of microbiological contamination of commercial freeze dryers using advanced oxidation gases produced by Photohydroionization (PHI) Cell technology. The PHI Cell system produces hydro peroxides, super oxide ions, ozonide ions, hydroxides and other oxidative gases. These compounds act as anti-microbial agents and systematically inactivate bacteria, viruses, yeast and mold in the air and on surfaces inside commercial freeze dryers.

Abstract: An oven has a first conveyor, a first burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from above the first conveyor, and a second burner directs heat toward the first conveyor from below the first conveyor. A method includes providing foodstuff on a conveyor, exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from above the conveyor, and exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from below the conveyor. Another oven has a first conveyor and first conveyor insulators that surround the first conveyor and define a first zone. Another method includes introducing foodstuff to a first conveyor belt within a first insulated zone, introducing heat into the first insulated zone, and retaining a portion of the heat within the first insulated zone. Another oven has an insulated cooking zone that closely envelopes a cooking path and an insulated oven zone that substantially envelopes the cooking zone.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for treating goods, such as, for example, fumigating and re-cooling perishable goods, such as fruit, using a tarp and floor seal. The apparatus encloses goods on a surface and includes a canopy that is substantially impermeable to flowable materials, such as gas, liquid, or a combination thereof; an upper perimeter for supporting an upper portion of the canopy; a lower perimeter for supporting a lower portion of the canopy, the lower perimeter to be placed in proximity to the surface; a support structure for supporting the upper perimeter and lower perimeters; and a gasket in communication with the lower perimeter, wherein the gasket is deformable to substantially seal the chamber by compressing the gasket against the surface. The apparatus may also include an intermediate support structure for providing support to the canopy and a conduit in communication with the chamber to supply cool air to the chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed are packaging systems and methods useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The packaging systems and methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The packaging systems preferably use a fuel cell to maintain a reduced oxygen level in the environment surrounding the foodstuff.

Abstract: A merchandiser and method for displaying and warming previously baked dough products, such as cookies, under controlled drying conditions, including an enclosure having one or more wall members that define an interior space, with at least a portion of one of the wall members being transparent, an aperture for access into the interior space, at least one support surface for supporting one or more previously baked dough products that contain a predetermined average moisture level therein, and at least one mounting structure associated with the enclosure for mounting and positioning each support surface at a user accessible location in the interior space of the enclosure, and a heat source for providing heated air in the enclosure wherein the support surface contacts at least a portion of the previously baked products so that those portions are shielded from direct contact with the heated air such that the drying of moisture in the baked products is controlled to maintain the organoleptic and/or texture properti

Abstract: The treatment of a food product is carried out using ozonized water in at least two containers, each container possibly being associated with a set value of the dissolved-ozone content that it is desirable to maintain therein, by ozonizing a stream of water so as to obtain a dissolved-ozone content of the stream of ozonized water greater than or equal to the highest of the set values of the dissolved-ozone content which are associated with each of said containers, and the dissolved-ozone content in each of the solution containers is analyzed in order to compare the result of each of the analyses with the associated set value and to carry out a feedback operation, where appropriate, depending on the result of each comparison, on the control of the flow of ozonized water injected into the container in question, so as to reestablish the dissolved-ozone content of this solution container at its associated set value.

Abstract: The proposal is for a device with at least one surface layer (1) made from a semiconductor material (4) having an inner side (15), which rests on a support (3), and a disinfectable and/or oxidizing outer side (2), and with a UV radiation source (6), in which device the support (3) conducts light, UV radiation (13) from the UV radiation source (6) is input directly on to the inner side (15) of the semiconductor material (4) via the light-conducting support (3). The light-conducting support (3) and the surface layer (1) of the semiconductor material (4) lying thereon can be applied to the surface of a piece of equipment which is to be disinfected or may even form this piece of equipment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of disinfecting a foodstuff using a gaseous mixture containing ozone in an amount and for a time sufficient to effect disinfection.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for applying a powder blend to a whole meat muscle product and the product so produced. A cooked, whole meat muscle product is placed on an electrically grounded support in a coating chamber to expose a surface of the whole meat muscle product to be coated. A powder blend containing a food grade powder, that is at least partially cold water soluble, and a powdered moisture absorbent agent is then introduced into the coating chamber and an electrostatic charge applied to the powder blend to cause the powder blend to be attracted to and form a coating on the exposed surface to the whole meat muscle product.

Abstract: The resistivity properties of an edible base liquid, e.g., a vegetable oil or fluid fat, can be modified by the addition of certain flavoring, coloring, or stabilizing agents such as antioxidants, and if necessary or desirable also an organic diluent, so as to provide an edible liquid flavoring, coloring, or stabilizing composition which is suitable for electrostatic charging and deposition upon an edible food substrate in a uniform and controlled manner.

Abstract: A microbe propagation preventing apparatus and a microbe propagation preventing method are provided to prevent anion from decreasing at a time of decomposing ozone generated by gaseous discharge or ionization so as to sufficiently generate air ion, and to sufficiently prevent propagation of microbes adhering to an object by using the air ion without secondary pollution. Further, in the apparatus and the method, a gas containing the ion is supplied into water so as to prevent the microbe propagation in the water. In the apparatus, an ozone decomposing chamber is mounted to be electrically insulated from an air duct. An electrode to remove a positive ion is mounted to obtain only a negative ion, and extend a lifetime of the obtained ion. An ion supplying portion is mounted to supply an ionized gas into a space housing the object in which microbes can be propagated, and return the ionized gas to an ionization chamber.

Abstract: A microbe propagation preventing apparatus and a microbe propagation preventing method are provided to prevent an ion from decreasing at a time of decomposing ozone generated by gaseous discharge or ionization so as to sufficiently generate air ion, and to sufficiently prevent propagation of microbes adhering to an object by using the air ion without secondary pollution. Further, in the apparatus and the method, a gas containing the ion is supplied into water so as to prevent the microbe propagation in the water. In the apparatus, an ozone decomposing chamber is mounted to be electrically insulated from an air duct. An electrode to remove a positive ion is mounted to obtain only a negative ion, and extend a lifetime of the obtained ion. An ion supplying portion is mounted to supply an ionized gas into a space housing the object in which microbes can be propagated, and return the ionized gas to an ionization chamber.

Abstract: The room-temperature stabilization process particularly for grape must, includes the steps of conveying a flow of grape must to be stabilized, which has preliminarily been subjected to a depectizing treatment with enzymes, toward a flotation tank, of pressurizing all or part of the must in a pressurization tank with dissolution of an oxidizing gas at a pressure comprised between 2 and 6 bar, of depressurizing the part through a laminar flow valve, of mixing the flow of crude must and the depressurized must, of adding coagulating substances in the flow, of feeding the flow into a tank with a very low head in which the supersaturated gas is released in the form of microscopic bubbles which cling to the particles suspended in the must, making them float toward the surface, of removing the floated solids from the surface of the tank and the settled solids from the bottom, and finally of extracting the stabilized must from the tank after a permanence time of no more than 20 minutes.

Abstract: A gas mixture for preserving fish and sea-food products, comprising carbon dioxide, oxygen and argon with partial pressures in the following range:______________________________________ CO.sub.2 50%-68% O.sub.2 5%-20% Ar 27%-45% ______________________________________This mixture slows down enzymatic reactions and microbiological development at the surface and inside the fish or sea-food product.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the quality of wheat flour, wherein the novelty resides in bringing the wheat flour into contact with a non-equilibrium plasma. The dough prepared from the wheat flour processed by this method exhibits an improved viscoelasticity, and the starch in this wheat flour shows a greater water holding capacity. Appearance and texture of the secondary products from this wheat are also improved remarkably.

Abstract: An oven is disclosed adapted to heat a food item of the type having a crust portion and a filler portion lying on the crust portion, characterized in that a first electrical heating member, adapted for substantially constant heating operation at a predetermined temperature, is stationed in the oven adjacent the crust portion, and a second heating member, having a greater thermal intensity than the first heating means and adapted for substantially brief heating operation at a temperature higher than the predetermined temperature, is stationed in the oven adjacent the filler portion.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cooking food wherein the food to be treated is located in a chamber where it is subjected to heat, there also being present in the chamber steam that is either separately introduced or is generated by the food as it is being heated. This steam is forced into a layer surrounding the exposed surface of the food being treated by establishing in the chamber an electrostatic field of substantially constant polarity while the food is supported on a grounded hearth. This electrostatic field is created by applying a high voltage direct current potential to a grid located above the food being treated and preferably also disposing a ground above the grid and between the grid and the roof of the chamber in which the food is being treated.