Patent ID: 8282974

Claim:
A method for de-soiling and disinfecting produce, the method comprising: treating the produce with a catholyte solution for at least 15 seconds to yield a catholyte treated produce, wherein treatment with the catholyte solution for at least 15 seconds yields at least a 19% increase in de-soiling of the produce as compared to treating the produce with a liquid detergent solution having the same surface tension as the catholyte solution, and wherein the catholyte solution has a pH that ranges from approximately 12.3 to approximately 13.0; sonicating the catholyte-treated produce for at least 20 seconds to yield a sonicated produce, wherein sonication for at least 20 seconds yields at least a 1.5-fold increase in de-soiling of the catholyte-treated produce as compared to treating the produce with the catholyte solution without sonication, and wherein sonication occurs at an ultrasonication frequency that ranges from approximately 20 kHz to approximately 60 kHz; and treating the sonicated produce with an anolyte solution for at least 20 seconds, wherein treatment with the anolyte solution for at least 20 seconds yields at least a 1 log unit reduction in microbial load as compared to the microbial load of produce not treated with the anolyte solution, wherein the anolyte solution has a concentration at least 80 ppm Free Available Chlorine (FAC), and wherein the anolyte solution has a pH that ranges from approximately 6.2 to approximately 7.4, wherein the catholyte and anolyte solutions were generated by an electrolytic cell that produces laminar flow.