Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

John M Arnold

Hiren H Thakar

A method and apparatus for applying a material to food products in a high speed packaging line at a controlled rate in compliance with applicable food-handling equipment standards, preferably in a liquid spray, without immersion, wherein the rate of application is sufficient for efficacy of the material without resulting in transfer of unacceptable quantities of the material or carrier to adjacent line components. The invention is particularly useful for spray application of a liquid antimycotic agent to cheese chunks, at a regulated rate that provides a sufficient surface concentration to inhibit mold growth on the surfaces of the cheese chunks after extended periods of exposure to ambient air, without unacceptable transfer of residue to adjacent components in the packaging line. The invention is preferably employed in application of natamycin to cheese chunks wherein a disk spray system applies a suspension of natamycin in an aqueous saline solution. It has been found that mold growth on cheese chunks can be substantially inhibited by application of natamycin in accordance with the invention at levels as low as about 0.5 &mgr;g/cm . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the process applies an average surface concentration of about 1.0 or 1.1 &mgr;g/cm to ensure that an adequate concentration is applied over substantially the entire exterior surface.

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Springfield, IL, United States of America

John M Arnold