Presented are compositions that can be used as protective coatings for agricultural (e.g., food) substrates. The compositions can comprise a compound of Formula I: ##STR00001##
and an additive, wherein the variables m, n, q, r, R.sup.a, R.sup.b, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11, R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 are defined herein. The protective coatings formed from the compositions can be used to prevent food spoilage due to, for instance, moisture loss, oxidation, or infection by a foreign pathogen.

Presented are compositions that can be used as protective coatings for agricultural (e.g., food) substrates. The compositions can comprise a compound of Formula I: ##STR00001##
and an additive, wherein the variables m, n, q, r, R.sup.a, R.sup.b, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11, R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 are defined herein. The protective coatings formed from the compositions can be used to prevent food spoilage due to, for instance, moisture loss, oxidation, or infection by a foreign pathogen.

The present disclosure provides methods for controlling the rate of ripening for agricultural produce. The present disclosure further provides coating compositions that can be applied to produce to control (e.g., lessen) the rate of ripening of the produce.

A method of forming a material structure from structural units contained within a liquid solution in a spray head is described. The liquid solution includes a solvent and a solute, the solute comprising a plurality of the structural units, the structural units including monomer units, oligomer units, or combinations thereof. The method comprises forming droplets of the liquid solution including the structural units, and spraying the droplets on a substrate, thereby substantially increasing the reactivity of the structural units within the droplets relative to the structural units within the liquid solution in the spray head. The increase in reactivity can result from the droplets containing an excess of a particular ion, the ion excess resulting from a voltage applied to conductive walls of the device which dispenses the droplets. The material structure is then formed on the substrate from the more highly reactive structural units within the droplets.

A method of forming a material structure from structural units contained within a liquid solution in a spray head is described. The liquid solution includes a solvent and a solute, the solute comprising a plurality of the structural units, the structural units including monomer units, oligomer units, or combinations thereof. The method comprises forming droplets of the liquid solution including the structural units, and spraying the droplets on a substrate, thereby substantially increasing the reactivity of the structural units within the droplets relative to the structural units within the liquid solution in the spray head. The increase in reactivity can result from the droplets containing an excess of a particular ion, the ion excess resulting from a voltage applied to conductive walls of the device which dispenses the droplets. The material structure is then formed on the substrate from the more highly reactive structural units within the droplets.

A seed treatment system having a central computerized data store, a user interface, and network connections from the data store to a plurality of retail facilities and a plurality of agricultural produce suppliers. Each retail facility having a seed treatment system configured to uniformly treat batches of seeds with any of a variety of precisely measured chemical formulations. The seed treatment apparatus having a treatment applicator coupled to a plurality of dispensing stations. Each dispensing stations having a pump in fluid communication with a container disposed on a scale. The pump and scale of each dispensing station coupled to a system controller. The system controller is coupled to the data store, configured to provide on-demand agricultural seed treatments to the applicator and chemical usage data from each station to the data store. The data store configured to provide centralized remote monitoring inventory control, supply chain monitoring, and container recycling compliance.

The present invention relates to a device for coating and mixing granular products, in particular food products, more in particular peanuts, the device comprising a compartment defined by a rotary bottom part and a stationary circumferential side wall, the device further comprising: a product supply for supplying the products into the compartment, a substance supply for supplying a substance into the compartment, a drive for rotating the rotary bottom part about its substantially vertical axis, wherein the rotary bottom part and the stationary circumferential side wall comprise non-stick parts which define a substantial part of an inner surface of the compartment and which are manufactured from a non-stick material, wherein said non-stick parts are mechanically connected to the device via detachable connectors, allowing fast replacement of worn-out non-stick parts by new, same non-stick parts.

The present invention relates to a device for coating and mixing granular products, in particular food products, more in particular peanuts, the device comprising a compartment defined by a rotary bottom part and a stationary circumferential side wall, the device further comprising: a product supply for supplying the products into the compartment, a substance supply for supplying a substance into the compartment, a drive for rotating the rotary bottom part about its substantially vertical axis, wherein the rotary bottom part and the stationary circumferential side wall comprise non-stick parts which define a substantial part of an inner surface of the compartment and which are manufactured from a non-stick material, wherein said non-stick parts are mechanically connected to the device via detachable connectors, allowing fast replacement of worn-out non-stick parts by new, same non-stick parts.

The present invention relates to a device for coating and mixing granular products, in particular food products, more in particular peanuts, the device comprising a compartment defined by a rotary bottom part and a stationary circumferential side wall, the device further comprising: a product supply for supplying the products into the compartment, a substance supply for supplying a substance into the compartment, a drive for rotating the rotary bottom part about its substantially vertical axis, wherein the rotary bottom part and the stationary circumferential side wall comprise non-stick parts which define a substantial part of an inner surface of the compartment and which are manufactured from a non-stick material, wherein said non-stick parts are mechanically connected to the device via detachable connectors, allowing fast replacement of worn-out non-stick parts by new, same non-stick parts.

A seed treatment system having a central computerized data store, a user interface, and network connections from the data store to a plurality of retail facilities and a plurality of agricultural produce suppliers. Each retail facility having a seed treatment system configured to uniformly treat batches of seeds with any of a variety of precisely measured chemical formulations. The seed treatment apparatus having a treatment applicator coupled to a plurality of dispensing stations. Each dispensing stations having a pump in fluid communication with a container disposed on a scale. The pump and scale of each dispensing station coupled to a system controller. The system controller is coupled to the data store, configured to provide on-demand agricultural seed treatments to the applicator and chemical usage data from each station to the data store. The data store configured to provide centralized remote monitoring inventory control, supply chain monitoring, and container recycling compliance.