Patent ID: 9693579
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: A23B,A23C,A23L

Claim:
1. A method for eliminating bacterial pathogens from produce or food, the method comprising the steps of: exposing produce or food to an electrically conductive medium, said medium having at least two electrically conductive terminals and applying an electric current across the electrically conductive medium at a pre-selected minimum voltage; inserting one of the terminals of the electrically conductive medium into a water flume; connecting the other one of the terminals of the electrically conductive medium to a conveyor belt to convey the produce or food through the water flume for increasing the negative electrostatic charge on the surface of the pathogen cells selected to cause cell lysis; and attaching at least two misters to the roof of a water chamber to disperse the water in the water chamber, the misters being coupled to a negative and a positive DC voltage respectively, whereby a mist of water dispersed therefrom is electrically charged by the electrically conductive medium for causing the cell lysis as the produce or food is conveyed on the conveyor belt through the water chamber.