BACKGROUND

Technical Field

Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a novel synergistic sanitation strategy for fresh produce processing using a short-term wash treatment applied by a short-term wash device followed by a wash device in a produce line.

Description of the Related Art

Most Ready-To-Eat (RTE) produce is processed with two stage washing. Repeating the same wash a third time generally yields no further benefits if the first two stages have been properly managed. For example, the primary wash system may remove dirt and debris. The primary wash system may also handle the bulk of the soluble organic load from any cutting or chopping operation. The secondary wash, whose water chemistry is generally easier to manage, is intended to complete the sanitation of the product. In recent years, the improved control of the water chemistry of both the primary and secondary wash systems has led to improvements in the sanitation of washed products and the control of cross contamination; however, more improvement is still needed to better mitigate microbial risk to consumers.

Much research has been done exploring the various compatible sanitizing agents for use in these two stage wash systems including chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and other active oxygen species. Other sanitizing agents have been considered such as fatty acids, organic acids, and silver ions but are not in use. None of these chemicals has provided a 4 log lethality to achieve a chemical pasteurization of the RTE product in a commercial setting. In fact, most processes fail to yield a consistent 2 log reduction. Some have asserted greater lethality in bench scale tests, but these greater lethality values do not carry over to commercial processing and often involve artificial conditions where a large number of organisms are applied and removed without time to become established on the product under test. Thus, currently no one is reporting a commercial pasteurization of an RTE produce product.

Engineering efforts have produced various flumes and tanks to provide agitation and mechanical action to enhance the sanitation process. For example, air jets and turbulence are designed into these systems. None of these designs has been so overwhelmingly successful that all pervious equipment designs were superseded. In some cases, different designs are preferred for certain product types for product quality reasons. For these and other reasons, the RTE industry includes a wide variety of equipment.

Researchers have attempted to incorporate other sanitation strategies into process lines. The considered mechanisms of lethality include ultra-violet light, sonic energy, electric fields and electrical current and other exotic mechanisms. Here too, none of these approaches have entered into commercial practice. The search for additional lethality continues.

In spite of all this effort, pathogens remain at low levels on RTE produce as delivered to consumers. The hazard is generally small but is not zero as there continue to be outbreaks and recalls. Some of these problems probably reflect poor application of existing art. Nevertheless, the RTE produce industry seeks more robust processes to assure consumer safety. Such processes will require the industry to do something different.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments overcome the above disadvantages and other disadvantages not described above. Also, an exemplary embodiment is not required to overcome the disadvantages described above, and an exemplary embodiment may not overcome any of the problems described above.

According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a produce wash system including a process stream including a short-term wash device followed by a wash device, a short-term wash treatment that is applied by the short-term wash device to a product, wherein the short-term wash treatment remains on the product for a pretreatment time that lasts until the product reaches the wash device, and a wash treatment that is applied by the wash device to the product, wherein the wash treatment rinses the short-term wash treatment from the product defining the end of the pretreatment time. The pretreatment time is set at or below a damage threshold time beyond which the short-term wash treatment damages the product beyond a damage threshold.

The short-term wash treatment may provide at least one or more from a group consisting of antimicrobial properties, potentiating properties for the antimicrobial action of the subsequent wash device and wash treatment, and controlling properties for controlling lachrymator release from the produce.

The product may be fresh produce that is at least one selected from a group consisting of whole, sliced, cut, and chopped leafy greens including but not limited to lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and kale, and vegetables including but not limited to broccoli, onions, bell peppers, and squash.

The product may be a meat product that is at least one selected from a group consisting of beef, pork, lamb, veal, game, and poultry that includes but is not limited to whole, parted, and boned poultry.

The short-term wash device includes a spray device that is configured to spray the short-term wash treatment on the product.

The short-term wash device may further include at least one from a group consisting of a rotating drum short-term wash device, an air column short-term wash device, a slicer/dicer device, a spray curtain, a shaker, and a timing belt, wherein the spray device may be integrated with the at least one from the group to spray the short-term wash treatment on the product.

The short-term wash device may include a product submersing device that is configured to receive and submerse the product into the short-term wash treatment followed by the product being sifted out of the short-term wash treatment.

The product submersing device may be at least one selected from of a group consisting of a rotating drum short-term wash device, a submersing pool pretreatment device, an agitating pool pretreatment device, and a spray curtain with brushes.

The short-term wash treatment may include an acidulant and a polyol. The acidulant may be one selected from a group consisting of a phosphoric acid and lactic acid, and the acidulant is from 0.1% to 10% of the short-term wash treatment, and the polyol maybe one selected from a group consisting of a glycerin and a propylene glycol, and the polyol is from 0.1% to 10% of the short-term wash treatment.

The pretreatment time the short-term wash treatment remains on the product may be between 3 seconds and 1.5 minutes at a temperature between 30° F. and 50° F.

The wash treatment may include free active chlorine from 2 to 40 ppm of the wash treatment, a compatible acidulant selected from a group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid, and lactic acid, and wherein the compatible acidulant is from 10 to 1000 ppm of the wash treatment, and a polyol selected from a group consisting of a glycerin and a propylene glycol, and wherein the polyol is from 2 to 500 ppm of the wash treatment.

The short-term wash treatment may include a coordinating acid and silver ions, wherein the coordinating acid is one selected from a group consisting of a citric acid and a lactic acid and is from 3% to 5% of the short-term wash treatment, and wherein the silver ions are from 10 to 50 ppm of the short-term wash treatment.

The pretreatment time the short-term wash treatment remains on the product may be between 3 seconds and 1.5 minutes at a temperature between 30° F. and 50° F.

The wash treatment may include a compatible acidulant selected from a group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid, and lactic acid, wherein the compatible acidulant is from 10 to 1000 ppm of the wash treatment, a polyol selected from a group consisting of glycerin and propylene glycol, wherein the polyol is from 1 to 500 ppm of the wash treatment, free active chlorine from 2 to 40 ppm of the wash treatment, and chloride from 1 to 100 ppm of the wash treatment.

The produce wash system may further include a transfer belt between the short-term wash device and the wash device, the transfer belt configured to serve as a drain scroll to recycle the short-term wash treatment, and a timing belt that is configured to help complete the pretreatment time.

The short-term wash treatment and short-term wash device may be configured to account for at least one of product overload, inadequate chlorine in a wash tank, and incomplete pH control.

The short-term wash treatment may provide a supplemental wash lethality of greater than 1 log against microbes found on the product as compared to the lethality of the wash treatment in the wash system alone.

According to another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a pre-rinse prior to the short-term wash treatment. This pre-rinse is positioned so as to prevent soil and debris from interfering with the short-term wash treatment or from being carried over into the wash system. It can be advantages to make this pre-rinse the last use of wash water prior to disposal.

According to an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of produce washing using a short-term wash device. The method includes processing a product through the short-term wash device followed by a wash device, applying a short-term wash treatment using the short-term wash device to the product such that the short-term wash treatment remains on the product for a pretreatment time that lasts until the product reaches the wash device, and applying a wash treatment using the wash device to the product such that the wash treatment rinses the short-term wash treatment from the product defining the end of the pretreatment time, wherein the pretreatment time is set at or below a damage threshold time beyond which the short-term wash treatment damages the product beyond a damage threshold.

According to an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a short-term wash treatment that includes an acidulant selected from a group consisting of a phosphoric acid and lactic acid, wherein the acidulant is from 0.1% to 10% of the short-term wash treatment, and a polyol selected from a group consisting of a glycerin and a propylene glycol, wherein the polyol is from 0.1% to 10% of the short-term wash treatment, wherein a pretreatment time the short-term wash treatment remains on the product is between 3 seconds and 1.5 minutes at a temperature between 30° F. and 50° F.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

