Patent ID: 8496759

Claim:
A dishwasher having a rinsing liquid circulating means for circulating a rinsing liquid into contact with items to be washed, the dishwasher comprising: a receptacle for items to be washed; and a water preparation system including: a water preparation container for receiving at least a part of a to-be-re-circulated rinsing liquid that has already been circulated into contact with items to be washed in the receptacle and that will be circulated again into contact with items to be washed, the to-be-recirculated rinsing liquid having organic contents and the water preparation container having a device for biologically degrading the organic contents of the to-be-re-circulated rinsing liquid, the device for biologically degrading the organic contents of the to-be-re-circulated rinsing liquid being configured for retaining micro-organisms suitable for biologically degrading the organic contents of the to-be-re-circulated rinsing liquid, at least one growth body that is a separate body from the water preparation container and located in the water preparation container, the growth body having a biologically active surface for promoting at least one of the growth of micro-organisms suitable for biologically degrading the organic contents of the to-be-re-circulated rinsing liquid and the adhesion of such micro-organisms to the biologically active surface, and a biofilm of the micro-organisms on the growth body.