A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.

A beverage mixing system/method allowing faster mixing/blending of frozen beverages is disclosed. The system/method in various embodiments utilizes inductive coupling to introduce heat into the frozen beverage during the mixing/blending process via a rotating driveshaft and attached mechanical agitator to speed the mixing/blending process. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to magnetically induce heat into the driveshaft and/or mechanical agitator mixing blade to affect this mixing/blending performance improvement. This heating effect may be augmented via the use of high power LED arrays aimed into the frozen slurry to provide additional heat input. The system/method may be applied with particular advantage to the mixing of ice cream type beverages and other viscous beverage products.

In at least one illustrative embodiment, an electromagnetic filter may include a transfer pipe and multiple electromagnetic filter elements positioned in an interior volume of the pipe. Each electromagnetic filter element includes a support comb, a solenoid coupled to the support comb, and multiple magnetic members arranged in a planar array positioned within an opening of the support comb. Each magnetic member may rotate about an end that is coupled to the support comb. The magnetic members may be magnetostrictive sensors and may include a biorecognition element to bind with a target microorganism. A method for fluid filtration includes coupling the electromagnetic filter between a fluid source and a fluid destination, energizing the solenoids of each electromagnetic filter elements, and flowing a fluid media through the transfer pipe of the electromagnetic filter. The fluid media may be liquid food such as fruit juice. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Electrochemical processes and systems for preserving perishable food are described. The process and system allow for the preservation of perishable food in the presence of water moisture, melanin, or a precursor, derivative, analog, or variant of melanin, and electromagnetic energy, such as visible or invisible light energy. There exists a need in the art for improved methods and processes for preserving perishable foods that overcome certain disadvantages associated with known methods for preserving perishable food, such as addition of preservatives, refrigeration/freezing, drying/dehydration of food, and storage under vacuum. The invention satisfies this need by providing a process and system for preserving perishable food in the presence of water moisture, electromagnetic energy, and melanin, melanin precursors, melanin derivatives, melanin analogs, or melanin variants.

A method of preserving freshness of a harvested crop includes irradiating the harvested crop with red light.

In at least one illustrative embodiment, an electromagnetic filter may include a transfer pipe and multiple electromagnetic filter elements positioned in an interior volume of the pipe. Each electromagnetic filter element includes a support comb, a solenoid coupled to the support comb, and multiple magnetic members arranged in a planar array positioned within an opening of the support comb. Each magnetic member may rotate about an end that is coupled to the support comb. The magnetic members may be magnetostrictive sensors and may include a biorecognition element to bind with a target microorganism. A method for fluid filtration includes coupling the electromagnetic filter between a fluid source and a fluid destination, energizing the solenoids of each electromagnetic filter elements, and flowing a fluid media through the transfer pipe of the electromagnetic filter. The fluid media may be liquid food such as fruit juice. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

The present invention relates to an apparatus (100) for the inspection and selection of food products contaminated by aflatoxins, in particular dried fruit, comprising a conveyor line (90), a first inspection station (20) with at least one ultraviolet light source (23a, 23b) and an RGB video camera (24) mounted in a housing (21), a first control unit, configured to analyse the images of the video camera to identify products with photoemissions compatible with that of aflatoxins, and a first selection unit (30), placed downstream of the first inspection unit (20), where said selection unit (30) is controlled by the first control unit and is configured to separate the uncontaminated food products from those potentially contaminated and to eject the former toward a collection point.

The present disclosure provides a storage method capable of suppressing damage to at least one of a vegetable, a fruit, a flower, or an ornamental plant stored in a storage, a storage vessel, or a storage bag. The storage method includes a gas supply step of supplying ethylene gas into the storage, the storage vessel, or the storage bag; and an irradiation step of irradiating a photocatalyst in the storage, the storage vessel, or the storage bag storing at least one of a vegetable, a fruit, a flower or an ornamental plant with light, thereby decomposing the ethylene gas.

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.