JP2022077956A - Electric field processing device for fresh products and electric field processing method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a new technology related to electric field processing of fresh products for solving the problems.SOLUTION: The electric field processing device for fresh products and the method for the same include a portable panel-like electric conduction part 1 capable of being installed in a container 2 for storing fresh products 3; the electric conduction part 1 can apply an AC electric field to the fresh products 3 to maintain vital functions of cell membranes constituting the fresh products by applying the AC electric field to the fresh products 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an electric field processing device for fresh foods and a method thereof.

Attempts have been made to perform electric field treatment by applying an AC electric field corresponding to an electrostatic wave to fresh food to maintain the freshness of the fresh food or promote aging.

According to Patent Document 1, when foods such as livestock meat, fish meat, chicken, vegetables, and fruits are installed in an electric field atmosphere to maintain freshness or aged, the sine wave of the power source that forms an electric field in the food is rectified. Then, positive (+) wave rectification consisting of positive (+) wave components and negative (-) wave rectification consisting of negative (-) wave components are performed, and in the case of maintaining freshness, negative wave rectification is applied to food. In the case of aging treatment, an invention of an electric field application method in which positive wave rectification is applied to food is disclosed.

The invention described in Patent Document 1 accelerates the ripening of meat, fish, and vegetables (kimchi, etc.) when half-wave rectification or full-wave rectification, in which a sine wave is rectified and a positive (+) wave component is rectified, is applied to food. On the contrary, if half-wave rectification or full-wave rectification that rectifies negative (-) wave components is applied to foods, it is possible to promote the maintenance of freshness of meat, fish, vegetables, etc. Selective control is possible.

According to Patent Document 2, a predetermined voltage or current having a DC component and / or an AC component with respect to at least one electrode that generates at least one of an electric field, a magnetic field, an electromagnetic field, an electromagnetic wave, a sound wave, and an ultrasonic wave. Disclosed is a moisture control device characterized by being able to bring water existing inside a substance arranged facing the electrode into a bonded state and improve the properties of the substance. Has been done.

It is already known that the effect of maintaining freshness or promoting aging of perishables can be obtained by applying an AC electric field to perishables, but it is understood that there is room for development in order to maximize the effect. can do.

Japanese Patent No. 5964989 International Publication No. 2019/132046

The present invention has a problem to be solved to provide a novel technique for electric field treatment of fresh foods.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an electric field processing device for perishables, which comprises a portable panel-shaped energizing portion that can be installed in a container for storing perishables, and the energizing portion is the perishables. An AC electric field can be applied to the perishable product, and by applying the AC electric field to the perishable product, the biological function of the cell membrane constituting the perishable product is maintained.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the energized portion comprises an electrode having voids or vacancies.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrode is comb-shaped.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energizing portion includes a shelf board provided with the electrodes and on which the container can be placed, and a support column for supporting the shelf board, and the support columns and the electrodes are conductive.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the frequency of the AC electric field is 25 to 150 kHz.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an electric field treatment method for fresh food, in which an AC electric field is applied to the fresh food to a portable panel-shaped energizing portion that can be installed in a container for storing the fresh food. The step includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the perishable product to the energized portion to maintain the biological function of the cell membrane constituting the perishable product.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energizing unit includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the perishables stored in the container which is stored in a freezer or a refrigerator and is frozen or refrigerated.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the fresh meat in the energized portion.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the fresh vegetables in the energized portion.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the perishable flowers in the energized portion.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energized portion includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the fish and shellfish which is a perishable product.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energized portion includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the live fish, which is a fresh product immediately after rigor mortis.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energized portion includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the live fish, which is a fresh product immediately before rigor mortis.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energizing portion includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the live fish which is the fresh food immediately after being tightened.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energizing portion includes a step of applying the AC electric field to the live fish immediately after nerve tightening.

Further, the present invention is a method for treating an electric field of a fresh product, in which an AC electric field is applied to the fresh product via a panel-shaped electric field portion that locally forms a strong electric field when two electrodes are brought close to each other. It includes a step of applying the application and a step of maintaining the biological function of the cell membrane constituting the fresh product by applying the AC electric field to the fresh product.
By such a method, a strong electric field is stably formed locally in the vicinity of the panel-shaped energized portion, and the fresh product can be subjected to electric field treatment with a uniform and strong electric field in the electric field region.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with respect to a step of arranging a plurality of containers containing fresh products in a vertical direction and / or a horizontal direction within a predetermined distance and a direction in which the fresh products are arranged via the current-carrying portion. The step of applying an AC electric field is included.
By such a method, the perishables or containers serving as conductors can continuously form an electric field as a conductor, and the range in which the electric field strength is maintained can be extended.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the perishables and / or containers containing the perishables, which are conductors, are arranged in close proximity to the energized portion.
By such a method, a locally strong electric field formed in the vicinity of the energized portion can be applied to the fresh food and / or the container which is a conductor.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energized portion is arranged with the normal direction of the panel-shaped surface perpendicular to the normal direction, and the perishables and / or the container, which are a plurality of conductors, are placed so as to be stacked on the energized portion. Will be done.
By such a method, a plurality of perishables and / or containers placed on the panel-shaped energizing portion serve as conductors, respectively, and a strong electric field strength can be maintained, and the range can be extended in the vertical direction. ..

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energized portion is arranged so that the normal direction of the panel-shaped surface is horizontal, and the fresh product and / or the container, which are a plurality of conductors, are arranged in order from a position close to the energized portion. The conductors are placed so as to be within a predetermined distance from each other.
By using such a method, a plurality of perishables and / or containers arranged in close proximity to the panel-shaped energizing portion serve as conductors, maintain strong electric field strength, and extend the range in the horizontal direction. Can be done.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the container is formed of a conductor whose surface is insulated and coated.
By adopting such a method, when the container is used as a conductor, a continuous arrangement by independent conductors can be realized.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the current-carrying portion includes a shelf board provided with the electrode and on which the container can be placed, and a support column for supporting the shelf board, and the electrode is housed in the container. The process of installing the fresh food at a predetermined distance from the inner wall surface, floor surface, and ceiling surface of the freezer or refrigerator for freezing or refrigerating the fresh food, and the fresh food stored in the container by conducting the columns and the electrodes. It includes a step of applying the AC electric field to an object.
By using such a method, it is possible to prevent the refrigerator or the refrigerator from becoming a conductor and reducing the electric field strength.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the current-carrying portion has a plurality of the shelf boards in the vertical direction, and the electrodes of the shelf boards in the upper and lower stages are vertically arranged between the upper stage and the lower stage. The step of applying the AC electric field to the fresh food stored in the container is included.
By adopting such a method, it is possible to perform electric field treatment from both sides on the perishables located between the electrodes in the upper and lower stages.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one electrode has a flat surface on which fresh produce and / or a container can be placed.
With such a configuration, the mechanical strength of the electrodes is increased, and fresh foods and the like can be suitably placed on the electrodes.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the electrodes has a plurality of slits in the longitudinal direction and is formed into a sheet shape that can be folded or rolled up in the longitudinal direction.
With such a configuration, it is possible to improve the air permeability and the freezing / refrigerating property by the slit, which contributes to the maintenance of suitable freshness and the promotion of aging. In addition, it becomes easy to fold or wind in the direction in which the slit is formed, and portability is improved.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electric field strength of the AC electric field is 600 V / m or more and 7400 V / m or less.
Under such conditions, a high effect on maintaining the freshness of fresh food can be obtained.

According to the present invention, it can be understood that by applying an AC electric field to a perishable product, it is possible to contribute to maximizing the effect of maintaining the freshness of the perishable product or promoting aging.

It is a schematic diagram of the electric field processing apparatus of fresh foods which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a schematic diagram of the energized part which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a schematic diagram of the energized part which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a schematic diagram of the energized part which concerns on Embodiment 2. It is a schematic diagram of the energized part which concerns on Embodiment 2. It is a schematic diagram of the energized part which concerns on Embodiment 2. The measurement result of the elapsed time and its rigidity index is shown. It is a schematic diagram of the electric field formed by a charged body and a conductor. It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement example of a current-carrying part and a container. The measurement result of the distance from the energized part and the electric field is shown. An example is a perspective view and a top view of the energized portion according to the embodiment. An example is a perspective view and a top view of the energized portion according to the embodiment.

<< Embodiment 1 >>
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. One embodiment can be appropriately modified based on the configuration of a known technique or the like. Some symbols are not shown.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the electric field processing device for perishables 3 includes a portable panel-shaped energizing unit 1 that can be installed in a container 2 for accommodating perishables 3.

The container 2 may be stored in a freezer or a refrigerator, and may be a freezer or a refrigerator. At this time, the fresh food 3 is frozen or refrigerated.

The container 2 may contain styrofoam, may contain plastic, may contain a liquid such as seawater, and may contain ice or dry ice. The shape and dimensions of the container 2 are not limited and may be open.

The energizing unit 1 can apply an AC electric field to the perishable product 3, and by applying an AC electric field to the perishable product 3, the biological function of the cell membrane constituting the perishable product 3 can be maintained. Further, when the energizing unit 1 is installed in a refrigerated or frozen container, it is desirable to have a structure having a void so as not to interfere with the circulation of cold air in order to maintain a uniform low temperature environment in the container. Further, it is desirable to have a structure capable of locally forming a strong electric field so that the fresh food 3 is effectively and uniformly exposed to the electric field environment when the fresh food 3 is installed on or near the energizing portion 1.

Here, the energizing unit 1 continuously applies an AC electric field to the fresh product 3 immediately before the death after death for a predetermined time, so that the membrane charge and membrane stress due to radio wave absorption in the cell membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum constituting the fresh product 3 When applied, the cell membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum is heated by Joule heat to form pores, the ion channel function of Ca ²⁺ in the cell membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum is maintained, and the consumption of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the fresh product 3 is delayed. As a result, the freshness of the fresh product 3 can be maintained.

Here, as a result of the activation of the ATPase with the decrease in the uptake of Ca ²⁺ in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, the freshness of the fresh food 3 immediately before rigor mortis decreases, and it is preferable to maintain the freshness of the fresh food 3 immediately before rigor mortis. It can be understood that it will not be realized.

With such a configuration, the present invention can prolong the time immediately before rigor mortis by performing the electric field treatment of the perishables 3 immediately before rigor mortis.

Further, here, the energizing unit 1 continuously applies an AC electric field to the ATP-depleted fresh product 3 immediately after death for a predetermined time, thereby absorbing radio waves in the cell membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum constituting the fresh product 3. Causes membrane charging and membrane stress, heats the cell membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum with Joule heat to form pores, maintains the ion channel function of Ca ²⁺ in the cell membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, maintains the enzymatic reaction, and tastes good from ATP. It is possible to preferentially promote the metabolism to IMP (inosic acid) corresponding to the main component of the product, and as a result, promote the aging of the fresh product 3.

Here, a reaction to generate Hx (hypoxanthine) from IMP occurs with the transition to the rigor mortis phase due to the passage of time, and further, activation of bacteria that reduce TMAO (trimethylamine oxide) in fresh food 3 to TMA, etc. As a result, it can be understood that the rotting of the fresh food 3 immediately after rigor mortis progresses, and the promotion of aging of the fresh food 3 immediately after rigor mortis is not suitably realized.

With such a configuration, the present invention performs aging such that the umami component is condensed in the perishable product 3 while suppressing the spoilage of the perishable product 3 by performing the electric field treatment of the perishable product 3 immediately after rigor mortis. It can be realized.

The energizing unit 1 includes one or a plurality of electrodes 11 and is connected to the controller. Further, the energizing unit 1 includes a housing 12 having a plurality of holes on the front surface and the back surface thereof and including the electrode 11. The housing 12 is preferably panel-shaped.

The energizing unit 1 is preferably portable. In the description of the present specification, the "portable item" is a device that is miniaturized to the extent that it can be held by a human, and is miniaturized to the extent that a plurality of items can be carried or loaded in a vehicle.

The controller applies voltage, frequency, and the like from the power supply to the energized unit 1. Further, the controller may be a computer device including an arithmetic unit such as a processor, and may be capable of communicating with another computer device via a network.

There is no limitation on the voltage applied to the AC electric field applied to the fresh food 3, and for example, it has an advantageous effect in the range of 100 to 600 V. The electric field strength applied to the fresh food 3 has an advantageous effect in the range of 100 to 10000 V / m, a more advantageous effect in the range of 600 V / m to 7400 V / m, and 2000 V / m to 2000 V / m. It has a more advantageous effect in the range of 6000 V / m. Further, the electric field strength applied to the fresh food 3 has a particularly remarkable effect at 4000 V / m.

There is no limitation on the current applied to the AC electric field applied to the fresh food 3, and for example, it has an advantageous effect in the range of 0.5 mA to 10 mA.

There is no limitation on the frequency of the AC electric field applied to the fresh food 3, and as an example, it has an advantageous effect in the range of 25 kHz to 150 kHz, has an advantageous effect at 50 kHz, and has a further advantageous effect at 80 kHz.

There is no limitation on the electric field strength of the AC electric field applied to the fresh food 3, and for example, it has an advantageous effect in the range of 10 to 20,000 V / m.

The one or more electrodes 11 included in the energizing unit 1 have voids or holes. Here, there are no restrictions on the shape and dimensions of the voids or vacancies. The electrode 11 may have one pole or two poles.

At least one side surface of the housing 12 included in the energizing unit 1 may be covered with a protective cover.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the electrode 11 is comb-shaped. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the energizing unit 1 may be brought close to each other so that the comb-shaped electrodes 11 (electrodes 11a and 11b) of 2 are separated by a predetermined distance to form a gap. At this time, the electrodes 11 of 2 act as electrodes 11 having different polarities, and of course, act as bipolar electrodes 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the voids in the comb-shaped electrode 11 may exhibit an oblique direction. Here, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the energizing unit 1 may be brought close to each other so that the comb-shaped electrodes 11 (electrodes 11c and 11d) of 2 are separated by a predetermined distance to form a gap. There is no limitation on the direction in which the voids or holes in the electrode 11 are exhibited.

There are no restrictions on the electrode material and coating material of the electrode 11.

<< Embodiment 2 >>
The present specification describes Embodiment 2 according to the present invention. It should be noted that each configuration according to the first embodiment can be appropriately adopted in the second embodiment as well.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the energizing unit 1 may be configured to include a shelf board 4 provided with an electrode 11 and on which a container 2 can be placed, and a support column 5 for supporting the shelf board 4. .. At this time, the energizing unit 1 is installed outside the container 2 and can be mounted on the container 2.

Here, the columns 5 and the electrodes 11 provided on the shelf board 4 may be electrically connected and conductive. Here, there is no limitation on the type of the support mechanism of the shelf board 4. It should be noted that any of the columns 5 may have a configuration that does not conduct with any of the electrodes 11.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the energizing unit 1 may have a configuration including an energizing unit 1a and an energizing unit 1b. Here, the energized portion 1a and the energized portion 1b are electrically insulated. Further, here, any of the columns 5 may be provided in the energizing section 1a, and the other columns 5 may be provided in the energizing section 1b. With such a configuration, an AC electric field can be applied to the fresh food 3 placed on the shelf board 4 from the vertical direction (corresponding to the z direction).

There is no limit to the number of containers 2 placed on the shelf board 4. Then, the containers 2 may have a mechanism / shape such that they can be stacked on each other. The material of the container 2 is preferably a material having conductivity and electrical conductivity.

Perishables 3 can be appropriately selected from the group comprising meats, vegetables, flowers and shellfish, for example. Further, the fresh food 3 is, for example, a live fish immediately after rigor mortis, a live fish immediately before rigor mortis, a live fish immediately after ikejime, a live fish immediately after ikejime, and a live fish immediately after ikejime. , It is a live fish immediately after rigor mortis.

<< Example 1 >>
In Example 1, the electric field treatment (maintaining freshness) of the fresh food 3 was performed. The fresh product 3 in Example 1 is a live fish immediately before rigor mortis (for example, raw bluefin tuna, red sea bream, amberjack, mackerel, horse mackerel, etc.).

The conditions according to the first embodiment are as follows.
<Condition A>: Field tightening <Condition B>: Ikejime <Condition C>: Nerve tightening <Condition D>: Nerve tightening + AC electric field application The voltage, current, frequency and application time of condition D exposure to the AC electric field are , 100 V, 0.6 mA, 50 kHz and 1 hour, respectively. Further, the AC electric field under the condition D is performed immediately after the nerve tightening. In addition, under the conditions A to D, the fresh food 3 was evaluated by using red sea bream and amberjack under the refrigerating temperature.

The time to complete rigor mortis for perishables 3 under the above conditions A to D is 6 hours (condition A), 8 hours (condition B), 24 hours (condition C) and 72 hours (condition D, respectively). )Met. That is, in Example 1, the time to complete rigor mortis under condition D was the longest. Further, under conditions A to D, it was confirmed that by applying an AC electric field to the above-exemplified live fish other than red sea bream and amberjack as fresh food 3, the time until rigor mortis is completed is similarly extended. Therefore, it can be understood that the freshness of the fresh food 3 is maintained by applying the AC electric field to the fresh food 3.

<< Example 2 >>
In Example 2, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the elapsed time from the ikejime of red sea bream to complete rigidity and the rigidity index in the elapsed time depending on the presence or absence of application of an electric field. The conditions of the evaluation experiment are as follows.

<< No electric field applied >>
Fresh food: Red sea bream Weight: 1848g
Storage temperature: 8.5 ° C from 0 to 4 hours, 4 ° C from 4 to 30 hours
<< With electric field applied >>
Fresh food: Red sea bream Mass: 1759g
Storage temperature: 8.5 ° C from 0 to 4 hours, 4 ° C from 4 to 30 hours
Electric field strength: 2000V / m
Frequency: 80kHz

The rigidity index is expressed by the following equation (1) as the length L ₀ from the center of the back muscle of the red sea bream at the time of ikejime to the base of the tail fin and the length L at the elapsed time. The rigor mortis index indicates that the higher the rigor mortis, the more rigor mortis and the lower the freshness.

FIG. 7 shows the evaluation experiment results of the elapsed time and the rigidity index. In FIG. 7, the dotted line graph shows the measurement result without electric field application, and the solid line graph shows the measurement result with electric field application.

The evaluation result with the electric field applied has a lower rigidity index than the evaluation result without the electric field applied. This result suggests that the decrease in ATP was suppressed by maintaining the cell membrane functions such as Ca ion channels by the absorption of radio waves into the cell membrane by the electric field. In addition, according to an estimation that linearly approximates the change in the rigidity index, the evaluation result with the application of an electric field showed that the freshness maintenance time was extended by about 184% with respect to the time to reach complete rigidity (rigidity index 100). ..

<< Example 3 >>
In Example 3, the electric field treatment (promotion of aging) of the fresh food 3 controlled under the temperature condition of -1 ° C. was performed in the refrigerator. The fresh food 3 in Example 3 is a fish fillet. Here, the fresh food 3 is placed on a container 2 which is a bat, and an AC electric field is applied by an energizing unit 1 directly under the container 2.

The fresh product 3 according to Example 3 is a fillet of raw bluefin tuna (medium toro) and a fillet of frozen bluefin tuna (large toro). Each condition is described below.
<Condition E>: Raw bluefin tuna fillet <Condition F>: Raw bluefin tuna fillet + AC electric field application <Condition G>: Frozen bluefin tuna fillet <Condition H>: Frozen bluefin tuna fillet + AC electric field application Here The raw bluefin tuna corresponds to unfrozen bluefin tuna, and includes those with advanced post-mortem rigidity and those that have been further dehardened immediately after post-mortem rigidity. Further, the conditions of the AC electric field according to the third embodiment are the same as the conditions of the alternating current electric field according to the first embodiment except for the application time. The application time is 2 days.

The effects of the aging of the fillet of raw bluefin tuna, which is the fresh product 3 according to Example 3, will be described by comparing the results of the above conditions E and F.

The fillet of raw bluefin tuna under condition E did not discolor at all after 2 days. Similarly, the fillet of raw bluefin tuna under Condition F was not discolored at all after continuous application of an AC electric field (for 2 days).

The effects of the aging of the fillet of the frozen bluefin tuna, which is the fresh product 3 according to Example 3, will be described by comparing the results of the above conditions G and H.

The fillet of the frozen bluefin tuna under Condition G was discolored after 10 hours. On the other hand, the fillet of the frozen bluefin tuna under the condition H did not discolor at all after continuous application of an AC electric field (for 2 days). From this, it can be understood that the application of the AC electric field to the perishables 3 was able to promote the aging while suppressing the spoilage of the perishables 3.

It can be understood that, under the condition E, the fillet provided by scraping off the surface can be improved so as to eliminate the need to scrape off the surface of the condition F.

<< Example 4 >>
In Example 4, electric field treatment (maintenance of freshness, promotion of aging) of fresh food 3 was performed. The fresh food 3 according to Example 4 is a fillet of bluefin tuna. Each condition is described below.
<Condition I>: Frequency 50Hz
<Condition J>: Frequency 20 kHz
<Condition K>: Frequency 50 kHz
<Condition L>: Frequency 80 kHz
<Condition M>: Frequency 200 kHz
<Condition N>: Frequency 1 MHz
The voltage, current and application time applied to the AC electric field under the conditions I to N are 100 V, 0.6 mA and one week, respectively.

The effects of the aging of the fillet of the bluefin tuna, which is the perishable product 3 according to Example 4, will be described by comparing the results of the above conditions I to M in the table below. The results are graded by three evaluators who comprehensively judge the evaluation items of odor, color, body and drip amount.

In condition I and condition N, the result is "x" (it is judged that there is a problem in any of the evaluation items for all three persons). In condition J and condition M, the result is "Δ" (it is judged that there is a problem in any of the evaluation items of one or more persons). Under condition K, the result is "○" (it is judged that there is no problem in any of the evaluation items for all three persons). Under condition L, the result is "◎" (all three are judged to be good in any of the evaluation items). Therefore, it is understood that the freshness of the fresh food 3 can be suitably maintained and the aging can be promoted under the condition of 50 kHz, and the freshness of the fresh food 3 can be more preferably maintained and the aging can be promoted under the condition of 80 kHz. be able to.

<< Example 5 >>
In Example 5, the electric field treatment (maintaining freshness, promoting aging) of the fresh food 3 was performed. The perishable product 3 according to Example 5 is a red sea bream fillet. Each condition is described below.
<Condition O>: Electric field strength 100 V / m
<Condition P>: Electric field strength 500 V / m
<Condition Q>: Electric field strength 2000V / m
<Condition R>: Electric field strength 4000 V / m
<Condition S>: Electric field strength 10000 V / m
The frequency under the conditions O to S was 80 kHz.

The following table shows the results of the above conditions O to S regarding the freshness of the fillet of red sea bream, which is the fresh product 3 according to the fifth embodiment. The results are graded by three evaluators who comprehensively judge the evaluation items of odor, color, body and drip amount.

In condition O and condition S, the result was "x" (all three were judged to have a problem in any of the evaluation items). Under condition P, the result was "Δ" (it was judged that there was a problem in any of the evaluation items of two or more people). In condition Q, the result was "○" (it was judged that there was a problem with one or more evaluation items). Under condition R, the result was "◎" (all three were judged to have no problem in any of the evaluation items). Therefore, the freshness of the fresh food 3 can be suitably maintained and the aging can be promoted under the condition Q of the electric field strength of 2000 V / m, and the freshness of the fresh food 3 can be more preferably maintained and matured under the condition R of the electric field strength of 4000 V / m. It can be understood that promotion can be performed. Further, it is understood that a high effect on maintaining the freshness of the fresh food 3 can be obtained in the range where the electric field strength is 600 V / m or more and 7400 V / m or less.

According to the present invention, it can be understood that by applying an AC electric field to the fresh food 3, it is possible to contribute to maximizing the effect of maintaining the freshness or promoting the aging of the fresh food 3.

<< Electric field strength in space >>
The electric field strength of the AC electric field applied to the fresh food 3 is attenuated in the air as the distance from the energizing unit 1 increases. There is a problem that the electric field strength applied to the fresh food 3 becomes non-uniform depending on the distance between the fresh food 3 and the energizing unit 1, and the degree of freshness maintenance is different.

Further, when a plurality of fresh foods 3 are targeted, the electric field processing range becomes a wide region, and it becomes necessary to increase the output of the AC electric field in the energizing unit 1 in order to maintain the overall freshness to a certain level or more, which is consumed. There were problems in terms of high power cost and safety.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the containers 2 containing the fresh products 3 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction and / or the horizontal direction so as to be applied to the fresh products 3 located away from the energized portion 1. The electric field strength of the AC electric field can be maintained at the same level as the electric field strength of the AC electric field applied to the fresh product 3 located in the vicinity of the current-carrying portion 1.

FIG. 8A shows a schematic diagram of an electric field formed by a charged body E charged with a positive charge. In FIG. 8A, the arrow indicates the direction of the electric field. The electric field strength decays exponentially as the distance from the charged body E increases. Here, the charged body E may be the energizing unit 1.

FIG. 8B shows a schematic diagram of an electric field formed when a conductive conductor C is arranged in the vicinity of the charged body E in FIG. 8A. As shown in FIG. 8B, the range in which the electric field is formed is extended in an arbitrary direction by arranging the conductor C. Although only one conductor C is shown in the illustrated example, the range in which the electric field is formed is further extended by arranging the conductor C continuously in the electric field direction.

The conductor C may be a fresh product 3. The container 2 may be a non-conductor having no conductivity, and the perishable product 3 serves as a conductor C and contributes to the formation of an electric field.

The conductor C may be the container 2. The container 2 contributes to the formation of an electric field as the conductor C. Further, by using both the container 2 and the fresh food 3 as the conductor C, the distance between the conductors C can be further shortened and the attenuation of the electric field strength can be reduced.

Since the electric field strength in the range of the stretched electric field depends on the electric charge in the charged body E, it is desirable that the energizing unit 1 has a structure capable of locally forming a strong electric field. The energizing portion 1 may be brought close to each other so that the electrodes 11 of 2 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance to form a gap. Since the locally strong electric field strength in the vicinity of the electrode 11 of 2 is suppressed from being attenuated in the stretching direction by the continuously arranged conductor C, a constant electric field strength is maintained even at the tip in the stretching direction.

The charged body E (energized portion 1) and the conductor C (container 2 and / or fresh food 3) are arranged close to each other within a predetermined distance. The surface of the energizing portion 1 may be coated with an insulating coating, and the insulating coating and the conductor C may be arranged so as to be in contact with each other. When the container 2 is a conductor C, the surface of the container 2 may also be coated with an insulating coating, and may be arranged so that the insulating coating of the energizing portion 1 and the insulating coating of the container 2 come into contact with each other. Here, the distance between the charged body E and the conductor C is preferably 10 cm or less, more preferably 1 cm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or less. The distance between the charged body E and the conductor C is 0.1 μm or more. The thickness of the insulating film is 0.1 μm or more and 1 mm or less.

The conductor C and the adjacent conductor C are arranged close to each other within a predetermined distance. When the container 2 is formed of non-conductors such as foamed styrol, plastic, and pottery, the fresh food 3 contained in the container 2 and the fresh food 3 stored in the adjacent container 2 are close to each other within a predetermined distance. It is preferable to limit the dimensions of the container 2 in the vertical direction and / or the horizontal direction.

When the container 2 is formed of a conductor of a metal material such as aluminum, the surface of the container 2 is coated with an insulating film. The containers 2 have a mechanism and shape such that they can be stacked on each other or arranged side by side in the horizontal direction without gaps, and are preferably arranged in contact with each other via an insulating coating. The thickness of the insulating coating of the container 2 is 0.1 μm or more and 1 mm or less.

FIG. 9 shows an arrangement of containers 2 containing perishables 3 and an example of arrangement of the energizing unit 1. The arrows in FIG. 9 indicate the stretching direction of the electric field due to the arrangement of the perishables 3 and / or the container 2 which are conductors. As illustrated in FIG. 9A, the containers 2 are placed on the panel-shaped energizing unit 1 and arranged vertically so as to be stacked on each other. The energizing unit 1 may be arranged on the upper part of the container 2. As illustrated in FIG. 9B, the containers 2 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, and the energizing unit 1 is arranged close to at least one of the left and right sides of the container 2. The containers 2 are arranged so as to be close to each other so as to be within a predetermined distance. The energizing portion 1 is formed by the electrodes of 2, and may be installed on at least one of the top, bottom, left, right, and front and back of the container 2, and may be installed on a plurality of surfaces.

The arrangement and shape of the container 2 are not limited to the example of FIG. 9, and may be any arrangement as long as the container 2 and / or the fresh food 3 is used as a conductor and the continuity of the conductor from the energized portion 1 is maintained. For example, the perishables 3 may be housed in a bag or vacuum pack and stacked vertically or arranged horizontally side by side.

In the second embodiment, the energizing unit 1 has a plurality of shelves 4 in the vertical direction, and both energizing units are provided to the fresh products 3 housed in the container 2 arranged vertically between the upper and lower stages. An AC electric field may be applied from 1.

Further, when the energizing unit 1 is installed in a freezer or a refrigerator, the electrodes 11 are installed so as to be separated from the inner wall surface, the floor surface, and the ceiling surface of the freezer or the refrigerator by a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is preferably 1 cm or more. As a result, the electrode 11 and the inner wall surface or the like are close to each other, and the inner wall surface or the like becomes a conductor, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in the electric field strength.

As described above, the conductors arranged in the vertical direction and / or the horizontal direction uniformly maintain the electric field strength even at a position away from the energized portion 1. Before and after the conductor was installed, how much the electric field strength was maintained at a position away from the energized portion 1 was measured and evaluated.

The measurement conditions are as follows. The structure of the electrode 11 has a shape as shown in FIG. The electric field strength in the vicinity of the electrode 11 (0 cm) was 3000 V / m. The container 2 is made of an aluminum material as a conductor. The height of one container 2 was set to 3 cm, five containers 2 were placed on the energizing unit 1, and the maximum height of the container 2 was set to 15 cm.

FIG. 10 shows the measurement results of the distance (cm) from the energized portion 1 and the electric field (V / m) at that distance when there is no conductor / with a conductor. In FIG. 10, the alternate long and short dash line graph shows the measurement results without a conductor, and the solid line graph shows the measurement results with a conductor.

The electric field strength without the conductor was attenuated to 2026 V / m at a distance of 1 cm from the energized portion 1 and to 224 V / m at a distance of 15 cm. The electric field strength with the conductor was maintained at 2936 V / m from the energized portion 1 to a distance of 15 cm, and was attenuated at a distance of 16 cm or more when the conductor disappeared.

As the measurement result shows, by arranging the containers 2 which are the conductors C, it can be grasped that the electric field strength is kept constant in the range where the containers 2 are arranged. Therefore, an AC electric field having an electric field strength similar to that of the electric field strength in the vicinity of the energized portion 1 is applied to all the fresh products 3 housed in the vertically stacked containers 2, depending on the distance from the energized portion 1. It can be understood that there is no difference in the degree of freshness maintenance, and effective freshness maintenance can be realized. Further, by setting the output so as to have a desired electric field strength in the vicinity of the energizing unit 1, the electric field strength with respect to the whole fresh food 3 can be easily controlled, and the electric power cost can be suppressed.

Hereinafter, a configuration example of a suitable current-carrying unit 1 in the present invention will be described.

FIG. 11A exemplifies a perspective view of the energizing unit 1, and FIG. 11B exemplifies a top view of the energizing unit 1. According to FIG. 4, the energizing portion 1 is arranged so that the comb-shaped electrode 11e and the electrode 11f of 2 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance and form a gap. The electrodes 11 of 2 may have different shapes and sizes. Further, the electrode 11 of 2 may have the same shape and size. At least one of the electrodes 11 of 2 includes a comb portion 111 and a flat surface portion 112. The flat surface portion 112 is not limited to the shape and size of the illustrated example as long as the container 2 is placed on the flat surface portion 112 and has sufficient mechanical strength. The surface of the electrode 11 may be covered with a housing 12 (not shown). Each end of each of the electrodes 11 of 2 is electrically connected to the controller 13.

FIG. 12A exemplifies a perspective view of the energizing unit 1, and FIG. 12B exemplifies a top view of the energizing unit 1. According to FIG. 12, the energizing portion 1 is arranged so that the comb-shaped electrode 11g and the electrode 11h of 2 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance and form a gap. At least one of the electrodes 11 of 2 (the electrode 11h in FIG. 12) includes a comb portion 111 and a flat surface portion 112, and the flat surface portion 112 has a slit S. The slit S may be formed in a rectangular or elliptical shape in the lateral direction of the electrode 11h, and a plurality of the slit S may be arranged in the longitudinal direction. The number and shape of the slits S are not limited, and for example, a plurality of slits S may be arranged in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction, each having a hole in the shape. Further, the slits S are formed in a rectangular or elliptical shape in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of slits S may be arranged in the lateral direction. The surface of the electrode 11 may be covered with a housing 12 (not shown). Each end of each of the electrodes 11 of 2 is electrically connected to the controller 13.

The electrode 11 may be formed in a sheet shape so as to be foldable or rollable. The electrode 11 is formed of a conductive material containing a metal such as copper or aluminum, and the thickness is preferably 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. The electrode 11 may be formed of a conductive material having a shape memory effect. Since a plurality of slits S as shown in FIG. 12 are formed in the electrode 11, the electrode 11 can be easily deformed by folding or winding, and the portability can be improved by reducing the weight.

The pores or voids due to the electrodes 11 of 2 are arranged close to each other in order to have a strong electric field strength locally, and the distance between the electrodes is preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

The housing 12 is made of a material that is insulating, water resistant, and foldable or retractable elasto-plastic. The housing 12 is transparent to an electromagnetic field.

The controller 13 may be equipped with a battery, and the energizing unit 1 is preferably portable. Further, the controller 13 may be equipped with various sensors such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an odor sensor, which are advantageous for grasping the freshness and management state of the perishable product 3. Further, the controller 13 may be equipped with a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) device including a GPS (Global Positioning System). The controller 13 is further equipped with a communication device having a wireless communication function, and is configured to be capable of transmitting sensor values and position information detected by the various sensors described above to a predetermined computer device, thereby passing through the computer device. It is possible to manage the freshness of the fresh product 3 and control the output for electric field processing.

As shown above, according to the present invention, by applying an electric field to the fresh food 3, the effect of maintaining the freshness of the fresh food 3 can be realized. In addition, the local strong electric field strength formed by the energizing portion 1 can be uniformly extended, and the freshness of the fresh food 3 can be maintained efficiently and power-saving.

1: Current-carrying part 2: Container 3: Fresh food 11: Electrode

Claims (15)

It is an electric field treatment method for fresh food.
A step of applying an AC electric field to the perishable product via a panel-shaped electric field portion that locally forms a strong electric field when at least two electrodes are brought close to each other.
A method for treating an electric field of a perishable product, which comprises a step of maintaining the biological function of the cell membrane constituting the perishable product by applying the alternating current electric field to the perishable product. A process of arranging a plurality of containers containing perishables vertically and / or horizontally within a predetermined distance, and
The electric field treatment method for fresh foods according to claim 1, further comprising a step of applying an AC electric field in a direction in which the fresh foods are arranged via the current-carrying portion. The electric field treatment method for perishables according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the perishables and / or the container containing the perishables, which are conductors, are arranged in close proximity to the energized portion. The energized portion is arranged so that the normal direction of the panel-shaped surface is vertical.
The electric field treatment method for fresh food according to claim 3, wherein the fresh food and / or the container, which are a plurality of conductors, are placed so as to be stacked on the current-carrying portion. The energized portion is arranged so that the normal direction of the panel-shaped surface is horizontal.
The electric field treatment of the fresh food according to claim 3, wherein the fresh food and / or the container, which are a plurality of conductors, are placed so that the conductors are placed within a predetermined distance from each other in order from a position close to the current-carrying portion. Method. The electric field treatment method for fresh food according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the container containing the fresh food is formed of a conductor whose surface is insulated and coated. The energizing portion includes a shelf board provided with the electrodes and on which a container for accommodating the fresh food can be placed, and a support column for supporting the shelf board.
A step of installing the electrodes by separating them from the inner wall surface, floor surface, and ceiling surface of a freezer or refrigerator that freezes or refrigerates the fresh food contained in the container by a predetermined distance.
The electric field treatment of the fresh food according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a step of conducting the support and the electrode to apply the AC electric field to the fresh food stored in the container. Method. The energized portion has a plurality of the shelf boards in the vertical direction.
The seventh aspect of claim 7, wherein the shelves in the upper and lower stages include a step of applying an AC electric field to the perishables housed in the container vertically arranged between the upper and lower stages. Electric field treatment method for fresh food. The method for treating an electric field of a fresh product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the energized portion includes at least one electrode having voids or vacancies that locally form a strong electric field. The electric field treatment method for fresh food according to claim 9, wherein the at least one electrode has a flat surface portion on which the fresh food and / or a container can be placed. The method for treating an electric field for fresh food according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the at least one electrode is comb-shaped. The fresh product according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein at least one of the electrodes has a plurality of slits in the longitudinal direction and is formed into a sheet shape that can be folded or rolled up in the longitudinal direction. Electric field processing method. The method for treating an electric field for fresh food according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the frequency of the AC electric field is 25 to 150 kHz. The method for treating an electric field of a fresh product according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the electric field strength of the AC electric field is 600 V / m or more and 7400 V / m or less. It is an electric field processing device for fresh food.
It is provided with a panel-shaped energizing part that locally forms a strong electric field when at least two electrodes are brought close to each other.
The energizing unit can apply an AC electric field to the fresh product, and applies the AC electric field to the direction in which the fresh products contained in the containers arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction and / or the horizontal direction are arranged. An electric field processing device for a fresh product, which is applied and the AC electric field is applied to the fresh product to maintain the biological function of the cell membrane constituting the fresh product.

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