Claims
- 1. Method for treating a product, which contains cellular material of eukaryotic or prokaryotic origin, which comprises:bringing the product in a treatment device comprising two electrodes connected to an electronic circuit; creating an electrical field pulse in said product; wherein a rise time or leading edge of each imposed voltage pulse is shorter than an associated electronic relaxation time of the product under treatment; said electronic relaxation time being defined by the ratio of electrical conductivity and permittivity of the product.
- 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein cellular structures present in the product are pathogenic or spoilage organisms, or spores, and treatment is applied as a mild preservation method to prevent the outgrowth of such organisms in the product after production during distribution or storage.
- 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the cellular structures have membranes, and the product contains target compounds selected from the group consisting of minerals, enzymes and molecular compounds which are exchanged at a higher rate through the membranes of the cellular structures when applying the treatment.
- 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each electrical field pulse has a duration shorter than the relaxation time of the product.
- 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dependent on the type of product and target organisms contained in the product, the maximum field strength during a cycle, the repetition frequency and the number of cycles during a treatment are selected such that the target organisms are functionally affected or inactivated leading to a microbiologically safe product having a stable shelf life.
- 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein dependent on the type of product and target cells contained in the product, the maximum field strength reached in a cycle, the repetition frequency and the number of cycles during a treatment are selected such that the target cells are functionally affected, not necessarily inactivated, leading to an enhanced exchange of intracellular compounds with the product.
- 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum field strength in the product during each pulse, the repetition frequency, the number of cycles and the total residence time of the treatment are selected such that the temperature of the product does not exceed a predetermined value during treatment.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
1011660 |
Mar 1999 |
NL |
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is the 35 USC 371 national stage of International Application PCT/NL00/00200 filed on March 24, 2000, which designated the United States of America.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/NL00/00200 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO00/56179 |
9/28/2000 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
WO 9325097 |
Dec 1993 |
WO |
WO 9638045 |
Dec 1996 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Lubiki et al., XP-000546877, “Inactivation of Yersinia Enterocolitica Gram-Negative Bacteria Using High Voltage Pulse Technique”, vol. 2, pps. 1338-1344, 10/95. |
Qin et al., XP-000766888, “Inactivating Microorganisms Using a Pulsed Electric Field Continuous Treatment System”, vol. 34, pps. 43-49, 02-98. |