Patent ID: 8101220
Filing Date: 2012-01-24
Classification: A23B,A23L

Abstract:
1. A method for inactivating microorganisms on food goods, comprising: (a) introducing food goods and carbon dioxide within an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a chamber with a piston disposed in a sealing manner within the chamber, wherein the piston reciprocates from a proximal position to a distal position to pressurize a chamber space and reciprocates from the distal position to the proximal position to depressurize the chamber space, and wherein the goods and carbon dioxide are located within the chamber space; (b) providing water at the surfaces of the food goods in the apparatus; (c) agitating the food goods within the chamber space; (d) raising a pressure within the chamber space to at or above a critical pressure of carbon dioxide by moving the piston from the proximal position to the distal position, which raises a temperature of the carbon dioxide to at or above a critical temperature of carbon dioxide; (e) reducing the pressure within the chamber space by moving the piston from the distal position to the proximal position which lowers the temperature of the carbon dioxide in contact with the water at the surfaces of the goods; and (f) subjecting the goods to steps (b), (c), (d), and (e) more than once to inactivate microorganisms.