The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 08, 1994
Andrew H Bushnell, San Diego, CA (US);
Reginald W Clark, Del Mar, CA (US);
Joseph E Dunn, Vista, CA (US);
Samuel W Lloyd, La Mesa, CA (US);
PurePulse Technologies, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
Microorganisms are deactivated in a food product using an electrode placed into electrical contact with the food product. A current signal is applied to the electrode during a specified time period, causing a deactivating charge to build up on the first electrode. An electrical field results from the deactivating charge having an electric field strength of at least 5,000 volts/cm. Substantially all of a residual charge is removed from the first electrode during a discharge period, such that an approximately zero net charge is delivered to the first electrode following the discharge period, thereby reducing electrophoretic side-effects. The current signal causes an electrical double layer at the electrode to charge to a prescribed voltage. One embodiment, the prescribed voltage does not exceed a reaction voltage of a prescribed reacting material species for more than a prescribed threshold period, thereby reducing electrochemical reactions within the food product.