The present invention discloses a method to eliminate gram negative bacterial pathogens from food or produce. This method includes the steps of exposing produce or food to an electrically conductive medium having an anode and a cathode; inserting the anode of the electrically conductive medium into a water flume; connecting the cathode of the electrically conductive medium to a conveyor belt to convey the produce or food through the water flume for increasing the negative electrostatic charge on the surface of the pathogen cells selected to cause cell lysis; and attaching one or more misters to the roof of a water chamber to disperse the water in the water chamber. When DC current is applied to any pathogen cell that is gram negative, it overrides the internal governing electrostatic charge controlling the pathogen cell causing cell lysis. This is the Achilles heel of gram negative bacteria pathogen cells.

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 system for treating food, the system including: a direct barrier discharge system including a pair of electrodes separated by a gap of at least 0.5 cm, wherein the direct barrier discharge system is configured to provide a feed gas between the electrodes, wherein the feed gas includes nitrogen and water, wherein a content of nitrogen in the feed gas is at least 75 vol % based on a total volume of the feed gas, and a relative humidity of the feed gas is at least 50% RH, wherein a content of oxygen in the feed gas is less than 1.5 vol % based on a total volume of the feed gas, and wherein the direct barrier discharge system is configured to provide an electric potential between the electrodes to generate a working gas having an ozone content of less than 20 ppm, based on a total volume of the working gas.