Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L2/00—Non-alcoholic beverages; Dry compositions or concentrates therefor; Their preparation
  • A23L2/42—Preservation of non-alcoholic beverages
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/015—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation
  • A23L3/0155—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation using sub- or super-atmospheric pressures, or pressure variations transmitted by a liquid or gas

Definitions

• the present invention is generally directed to the preparation of juices having an extended shelf-life without the need for thermal pasteurization. More particularly, the present invention is directed to methods for inactivating microorganisms in juices through the application of ultra high pressures, as well as to juice products manufactured by these methods.
• pasteurization runs contrary to the traditional preference of many consumers for unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices.
• pasteurization is perceived by many consumers as destroying or diminishing many preferred fresh juice characteristics like taste, nutrition, texture, and color.
• the present invention provides methods for inactivating microorganisms associated with a juice.
• the method includes the following steps: introducing the juice into an internal isolator chamber of a processing system, wherein the processing system includes an ultra high pressure pump for pressurizing the isolator chamber, the processing system being capable of controllably maintaining an ultra high pressure within the isolator chamber for a selected period of time; pressurizing the isolator chamber to a pressure of at least 50,000 psi; maintaining the juice within the isolator chamber for a period of time ranging from 10 to 480 seconds to substantially inactivate the microorganisms; depressurizing the isolator chamber to substantially atmospheric pressure; and, discharging the juice from the isolator chamber into an associated filling station.
• the method includes placing the juice within a food processor capable of controllably maintaining an ultra high pressure for a selected period of time; and, subjecting the juice to a pressure of at least 50,000 psi for a period of time ranging from 10 to 480 seconds to substantially inactivate microorganisms contained within the juice.
• the present invention is also directed to juice products having inactivated microorganisms, wherein the juice is manufactured by the steps of placing the juice within a food processor capable of controllably maintaining an ultra high pressure for a selected period of time; and, subjecting the juice to a pressure of at least 50,000 psi for a period of time ranging from 10 to 480 seconds.
• the present invention is also directed to an ultra high pressure beverage processing system for inactivating microorganism associated with a juice.
• the ultra high pressure beverage processing includes a first storage tank for holding the juice before ultra high pressure beverage processing; a second storage tank for holding the juice after ultra high pressure beverage processing; at least one isolator adapted to hold the juice at an ultra high pressure for a selected period of time; a first piping system interconnecting the first storage tank to at least one of the isolator and to the second storage tank, wherein the first piping system includes at least one first valve adapted to regulate the juice flow into at least one of the isolator; at least one ultra high pressure pump adapted to pressurize the juice to an ultra high pressure; and, a second piping system interconnecting at least one of the ultra high pressure pump to at least one of the isolator, wherein the second piping system includes at least one second valve adapted to regulate a pressurizing fluid flow into at least one of the isolator.
• Figure 1 is a process flow diagram depicting a representative process for continuous operation of an embodiment of the present invention.
• the present invention provides methods for inactivating microorganisms associated with a juice.
• the methods of this invention employ ultra high pressure (UHP) to substantially inactivate microorganisms associated with an unpasteurized juice.
• UHP ultra high pressure
• this invention discloses methods for producing a juice product that has a prolonged shelf-life by subjecting the juice to an ultra high pressure for a period of time sufficient to inactivate microorganisms that may be contained within the juice.
• the resulting juice product typically retains many of the preferred fresh juice characteristics such as taste, nutrition, texture, and color, characteristics that may be destroyed or diminished by pasteurization.
• an unpasteurized or raw juice is initially introduced into an internal isolator chamber of an ultra high pressure food processing system.
• One such food processing system is commercially available from Flow International Corporation (Kent, Washington); however, any pressure chamber capable of maintaining an ultra high pressure for a selected period of time may be adapted to work with the methods of the present invention.
• the food processing system available from Flow International includes an ultra high pressure (UHP) pump designed to controllably pressurize the internal isolator chamber.
• the UHP pump is capable of pressurizing the juice within the isolator chamber to pressures ranging from 50,000 to over 100,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
• Juice includes fresh squeezed juices, juice blends, juice concentrates, fortified juices, and ciders, as well as any other fluid extract derived from any variety of plant, such as fruits or vegetables, or any combination thereof.
• Juices typically have pH's ranging from 3 to 4.5.
• Apple juice and orange juice are two preferred juices that may be used in accordance with the methods disclosed herein.
• the juice Before being introduced into the isolator chamber, the juice may, however, be hermetically sealed within a flexible container, such as a heavy-duty plastic bag.
• the flexible container facilitates processing during batch operation of the food processing system.
• the juice may be pumped directly into the isolator chamber during continuous or semi-continuous operation of the food processing system.
• the UHP pump is activated in order to pressurize the isolator chamber to an ultra high pressure of at least 50,000 psi. The ultra high pressure is then maintained for a selected period of time.
• ultra high pressure refers to any pressure above 40,000 psi.
• the pressure within the isolator chamber is maintained at about 80,000 psi for approximately 60 seconds.
• the isolator chamber is then depressurized to substantially atmospheric pressure, and the juice is discharged into an associated filling station such as a stainless steel vat. The process may be repeated for as many times as necessary to meet production demands.
• continuous production of the food processing system 10 may be achieved by using multiple isolators 12 interconnected by a common first piping system 14.
• each isolator 12 may alternate between filling, pressurizing, holding, depressurizing, and emptying.
• continuous production of the food processing system 10 initially involves introducing an untreated or raw juice into a first storage tank 16. The raw juice is then sequentially pumped by pump 18 into each of the multiple isolators 12.
• a series of valves and regulators (not shown) in the first piping system 14 may control the timing, volume, and flow rate of juice into each isolator 12.
• a separate piping system 22 interconnects the ultra high pressure pump 20 to the multiple isolators 12, and a series of valves and regulators (not shown) may control the timing, volume, and flow rate of pressurizing fluid (e.g., water) into each isolator 12.
• the ultra high pressure is then held for a selected period of time; preferably, the pressure is maintained at about 80,000 psi for approximately 60 seconds.
• the juice is then depressurized to substantially atmospheric pressure and pumped by pump 24 into an associated second storage or surge tank 26.
• the juice is then transferred into an associated filling machine 28.
• the filling machine 28 is used to fill appropriate containers, such plastic and/or glass bottles, with the finished inactivated juice product.
• first and second storage tanks 16, 18, filling machine 30, as well as the associated ancillary equipment are all standard pieces of equipment in the food and beverage processing industry and are therefore readily available to those skilled in the art.
• microorganism refers to any living organism of microscopic or ultramicroscopic size and includes germs, viruses, microbes, molds, yeast, bacteria, as well as all known pathogens.
• inactivate means to destroy or to substantially impede the proliferation of microorganisms.
• a method for inactivating microorganisms associated with a juice refers to a method that results in a commercially sterile juice product, wherein "commercially sterile” has its standard meaning in the art and as understood by the FDA.
• a method shown to achieve a greater than 5-log reduction in Escherichia coli O157:H7 is considered to result in a commercially sterile juice product. Accordingly, a 5-log reduction in Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a juice product is considered to inactivate this pathogen.
• the methods of the present invention may preferably be performed at room temperature (RT) or approximately 68°F, and with batch or continuous operation of the food processing system. The methods of the present invention may, however, be performed at higher temperatures, and it is believed that temperatures above 100°F will reduce the amount of time and/or pressure needed to inactivate the microorganisms.
• Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes were obtained (see Table 1) and inoculated into sterile apple and/or orange juice in a manner that is appreciated and well understood by those skilled in the art. Specifically, all strains of microorganisms tested in the study, except the FDA 6 strain from the Pacific Northwest (United States) juice outbreak, were inoculated at least twice into sterile apple and/or orange juice and recovered on MacConkey Sorbitol agar. The recovered strains were biochemically confirmed and stored on Trypticase Soy Agar slants. Inoculation levels were determined on 3M Coliform Petri Film for E. coli and Modified Oxford Agar for L. monocytogenes.
• E. coli 0157:H7 Eight strains of E. coli 0157:H7 (see Table 1) were used as the inoculum. Each strain was grown separately overnight (ca. 18 hrs) in brain heart infusion broth (BHI, DIFCO). Fifteen milliliters of each were combined and used as the inoculum for the apple juice and orange juice samples. The FDA 6 strain was tested independently. The inoculated level with the eight strain mixture was 2.8 x 10 6 CFU/ml of juice. The FDA 6 strain was inoculated at a level of 1.4 x 10 7 CFU/ml. c. Listeria monocytogenes:
• L. monocytogenes Two strains of L. monocytogenes (see Table 1) were grown independently in BHI overnight. 50 milliliters of each were combined and inoculated into apple juice and orange juice at a level of 2.3 x 10 6 CFU/ml.
• Enumeration was done by two methods: The 3-tube Most Probable Number (MPN) in EC medium containing 1% sodium pyruvate and with 3M coliform Petrifilm. Tubes and Petrifilms were checked at 48 hours and allowed to incubate for five days at 37°C.
• MPN 3-tube Most Probable Number
• E. coli were significantly different from the effects of 60,000 psi UHP (see Table 2). At 80,000 psi for 30 seconds of treatment there was a 4-log reduction from 2.8 x 10 6
• the response of the eight strain mix of E. coli in orange juice was similar to that in apple juice (see Table 2).
• the decrease in viable cells for the four treatment times at 60,000 psi was approximately the same as in apple juice.
• no cells were detected for 60, 120 and 180 seconds of treatment.
• Listeria monocytogenes appears to be more sensitive to UHP than E. coli O157:H7 (see Table 3). There was a 4-log decrease in apple juice at 30 seconds of treatment at 60,000 psi. No survival of L. monocytogenes was detected for any of the other treatments at both 60,000 and 80,000 psi.
• E coli Neg/25 ml, Listeria Neg/2 5 ml
• CFU Cold Formin Units
• APC Anabic Plate Count
• Inoculum Listeria monocytogenes (2 strains mix) @ 2 3 x 10 6 /CFU/ml
• the methods disclosed herein have repeatedly shown a greater than 5-log reduction in Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes associated with a juice, when the juice is subjected to a pressure of at least 80,000 psi for at least 60 seconds. Accordingly, the present invention demonstrates a novel way for inactivating microorganisms associated with a juice without pasteurization. While the methods of the present invention have been described in the context of the embodiments and the experimental data illustrated and described herein, the invention may be embodied in other specific ways or in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the described embodiments and experimental data are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages (AREA)

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• 1999
  • 1999-01-29 BR BR9908344-2A patent/BR9908344A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-01-29 EP EP99904474A patent/EP1051087A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-01-29 AU AU24867/99A patent/AU2486799A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-01-29 WO PCT/US1999/002026 patent/WO1999038394A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-01-29 MX MXPA00007428A patent/MXPA00007428A/es unknown
  • 1999-01-29 JP JP2000529141A patent/JP2002501734A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-01-29 CA CA002318087A patent/CA2318087A1/en not_active Abandoned

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