Patent Application
20050274640
This invention relates generally to devices for safe handling of food and, more specifically, to devices for safe handling of food comprising a dispenser assembly having an animal-shaped configuration, which are adapted to be located in a food handling area and methods which both facilitate and permit hygienic handling of an animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the dispenser assembly.
It is common practice for food shoppers to both select and to handle animal food products such as chicken, beef and fish directly from a display case in a supermarket. Often the packages of these animal food products are not tightly sealed, so that blood and other animal fluids may coat the outside of the packages. Both blood and these animal fluids are often a source of bacteria that create unhygienic conditions for food shoppers. During the shopping experience the food shoppers' hands often touch other food products which are also contaminated by these and other bacteria.
According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, harmful bacteria are the most common causes of food borne illnesses. Harmful bacteria include Campylobacter jejuni (from raw and undercooked meat and poultry), L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, C. jejuni (from raw (unpasteurized) milk and dairy products, such as soft cheeses), Salmonella enteriditis (from raw or undercooked eggs), Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus (from raw or undercooked shellfish) and C. botulinum (from improperly canned goods, and smoked or salted fish). Contamination can occur during growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping, distribution or final preparation of food products, such as in a person's kitchen.
It is well-known that the conditions necessary for prevention of rapid bacterial growth are maintaining food outside the “safe temperature zones”, i.e. greater than 140° F. and less than 40° F., as well as keeping the environment surrounding food free of moisture, which are both conditions necessary for bacterial growth and replication. When food is cooked and left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature, bacteria can multiply quickly. Most bacteria grow undetected because they do not produce an “off” odor or change the color or texture of the food. Freezing food slows or stops bacterial growth but does not destroy the bacteria. The microbes can become reactivated when the food is thawed. Refrigeration may slow the growth of some bacteria, but thorough cooking is needed to destroy the bacteria.
In most cases of food borne illness, symptoms resemble intestinal flu and may last a few hours or even several days. Symptoms can range from mild to serious and include abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and dehydration.
A number of patents (one example being Bloch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,593) disclose the use of sanitary tissue dispensers, but none of these patents are directed to use of sanitary tissue dispensers in a food handling area, such as a supermarket display. Most consumers do not recognize that contamination occurs during handling of animal food product packages (meat and/or fish) such as found in the display cases of most supermarkets. The inventor of this application discloses improved devices and methods for safe handling of food products which encourage a consumer to practice good hygiene.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved devices for safe handling of food.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved devices for safe handling of food which include a dispenser assembly provided with a plurality of antimicrobial wipes.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide improved devices for safe handling of food which are impregnated with antimicrobials so that consumers may wipe their hands on the improved devices.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved devices for safe handling of food comprising a housing having an animal-shaped configuration including a dispenser, which are adapted to be located in a food handling area so that a consumer is encouraged to practice good hygiene when handling an animal food product.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide methods for using devices for safe handling of food comprising a housing having an animal-shaped configuration which are adapted to be located in a food handling area and which both facilitate and permit hygienic handling of an animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the housing.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide methods for using devices for safe handling of food comprising a housing having an animal-shaped configuration including a dispenser, which are adapted to be located in a food handling area and which both facilitate and permit hygienic handling of an animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the housing.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a device for safe handling of food is disclosed. The device comprises in combination a dispenser assembly having an animal-shaped configuration provided with a plurality of antimicrobial wipes and at least a portion of the dispenser assembly having the animal-shaped configuration adapted to be located in a food handling area. The plurality of antimicrobial wipes of the dispenser assembly both facilitate and permit hygienic handling of an animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the dispenser assembly by using at least one of the plurality of wipes that is retrieved from the dispenser assembly. The animal-shaped configuration of the dispenser assembly is at least one of a chicken, a turkey, a pig, a cow, a lamb and a fish. A safety message is coupled to a portion of the dispenser assembly, thereby inviting a person to practice hygiene after handling the animal food product.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a device for safe handling of food comprises in combination a dispenser assembly including a housing having an animal-shaped configuration and a dispenser provided with a plurality of antimicrobial wipes. At least a portion of the housing having the animal-shaped configuration is adapted to be located in a food handling area. The plurality of antimicrobial wipes of the dispenser both facilitate and permit hygienic handling of an animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the housing by using at least one of the plurality of wipes that is retrieved from the dispenser. At least a portion of the housing is impregnated with an antimicrobial, thereby improving hygienic handling of the animal food product when the portion of the housing is touched by a person retrieving at least one of the plurality of wipes from the dispenser.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, a method of practicing hygiene while using a device for safe handling of food is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a dispenser assembly having an animal-shaped configuration having a plurality of antimicrobial wipes, providing at least a portion of the dispenser assembly having the animal-shaped configuration is adapted to be located in a food handling area, and retrieving at least one of the plurality of wipes from the dispenser assembly, the plurality of antimicrobial wipes of the dispenser assembly both facilitating and permitting hygienic handling of an animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the dispenser assembly. Further steps of the method include providing a safety message coupled to a portion of the dispenser assembly, thereby inviting a person to practice hygiene after handling the animal food product, adapting a portion of the dispenser assembly for access to an interior portion of the dispenser assembly to permit restocking of the plurality of antimicrobial wipes, adapting a portion of the dispenser assembly for access to an interior portion of the dispenser assembly to permit retrieving of at least one of the plurality of antimicrobial wipes, opening an upper portion of the dispenser assembly, and retrieving at least one of the plurality of wipes from the dispenser assembly after handling the animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the dispenser assembly.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
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A portion of the dispenser assembly 14 may further comprise a removable container for receiving each one of the plurality of wipes 12 which are disposed after use by a person.
A method of practicing hygiene while using any one of the embodiments of the device 100, 200, 300, 400 for safe handling of food comprises the steps of adapting a portion of the dispenser assembly 10 (or the housing 30) for access to an interior portion of the dispenser assembly 10 (or the housing 30) to permit restocking of the plurality of antimicrobial wipes 12 and adapting a portion of the dispenser assembly 10 (or the housing 30) for access to an interior portion of the dispenser assembly 10 (or the housing 30) to permit retrieving of at least one of the plurality of antimicrobial wipes 12. Furthermore, the method comprises the steps of opening an upper portion 20 of the dispenser assembly 10 (or the housing 30) having the animal-shaped configuration and retrieving at least one of the plurality of wipes 12 from the dispenser assembly 10 (or the housing 30) after handling the animal food product of the type represented by the animal-shaped configuration of the dispenser assembly 10 (or the housing 30).
While the disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, the dispenser assembly having the animal-shaped configuration may be substantially solid with a dispenser forming an integral part of the dispenser assembly or alternatively, as described above the dispenser assembly may comprise a substantially hollow housing having the animal-shaped configuration including the dispenser supported in an interior portion of the housing. The dispenser may also be located on an exterior portion of the housing having the animal-shaped configuration.
