METHOD FOR PRESERVING FRESH PRODUCE, SOLID COMPOSITION FOR APPLICATION IN A METHOD FOR PRESERVING FRESH PRODUCE AND PRESERVED FRESH PRODUCE

Abstract

A solid composition for the preservation of food includes a source of potassium cations selected from at least one of potassium carbonate and potassium hydrogen carbonate; and at least one of a source of ascorbate ions and a source of isoascorbate ions, wherein the source of ascorbate ions is selected from at least one of ascorbic acid, a salt of ascorbic acid and acerola or from any other suitable ascorbic acid rich source, wherein the source of isoascorbate is selected from at least one of isoascorbic acid and a salt of isoascorbic acid, and wherein a molar ratio of potassium cations to ascorbate anions and/or potassium cations to isoascorbate anions in the solid composition is within the range from 1.00:0.95 to 1.00:0.50, preferably 1.00: ≤0.78 to 1.00:0.50.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A solid composition for the preparation of an aqueous solution for application to fresh produce, said solid composition comprising: a source of potassium cations comprising potassium carbonate; and at least one of a source of ascorbate ions and a source of isoascorbate ions, wherein said source of ascorbate ions is at least one selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, a salt of ascorbic acid, and acerola, and said source of isoascorbate is selected from at least one of isoascorbic acid and a salt of isoascorbic acid, wherein a molar ratio of potassium cations to ascorbate anions and/or a molar ratio of potassium cations to isoascorbate anions in the solid composition is within the range from 1.00:0.95 to 1.00:0.50.

19. The solid composition of claim 18, wherein a molar ratio of potassium cations to ascorbate anions and/or a molar ratio of potassium cations to isoascorbate anions in the solid composition is within the range of from 1.00:0.78 to 1.00:0.50.

20. The solid composition of claim 18, wherein a content of chloride-anion containing salts in the solid composition is ≤20 weight-%.

21. The solid composition of claim 18, excluding potassium chloride and all chloride anion-containing salts.

22. The solid composition of claim 18, further comprising one or more excipients suitable for use in food.

23. A method of preserving food comprising contacting the solid composition of claim 18 with said food.

24. An aqueous solution, comprising a solvent and the composition of claim 18.

25. A method for preserving fresh produce, comprising contacting the aqueous solution of claim 24 with said produce, wherein potassium cations not provided by said solid composition are not considered in the determination of the ratio of potassium ions to ascorbate and/or potassium ions to ascorbate to isoascorbate ions.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising preparing the solution by dissolving the solid composition in at least one solvent.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one solvent is water.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein a content of chloride-anion containing salts in the solution of the solid composition is <3.5 weight-%.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the solution of the solid composition excludes potassium chloride and any chloride-anion-containing salts, solvent impurities excepted.

30. The solution of claim 24, wherein the solution of the solid composition contains 90.0 to 98.0 weight-% of water.

31. The solution of claim 24, wherein the solution of the solid composition contains 92.0 to 96.0 weight-% of water.

32. The solution of claim 24, wherein the solution of the solid composition comprises 0.01 to 5.0 weight-% of potassium ions and 0.01-10.0 weight-% of ascorbate or isoascorbate ions.

33. The solution of claim 24 having a pH value within the range from 5 to 9.

34. The solution of claim 24 having a pH value within the range from 5.5 to 8.5.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the solution of the solid composition is applied to the fresh produce by spraying, sprinkling, dousing, dipping or immersion.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the solution of the solid composition is applied to at least one of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, selected from the group consisting of apples, pears, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, avocados, leeks, rhubarb, onions, basil, melons, pineapple, eggplant, rutabaga, kale, cherries, strawberries, mushrooms, nectarines, peaches, kiwi, garlic, peppers, tomatoes fennel, lemons, oranges, apricot, asparagus, beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, celery, chard, corn, endive, herbs, okra, dragon fruit, parsley, chili, beetroot, turnip, ginger, radish, squashes, courgette, pumpkin, artichoke, sweet potato, zucchini and watercress.

37. A fresh produce, preserved by the method of claim 36.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0063] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

[0064] FIG. 1: shows a bar graph displaying browning percentage of Example 2 and Comparative Examples 1, 2 and 3 after 21 days.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0065] Throughout all the FIGURES, same or corresponding elements may generally be indicated by same reference numerals. These depicted embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way. It should also be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.

[0066] The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples, without being limited thereto.

Example 1: Solid Composition (C)

[0067] 63 g of potassium carbonate (Food Grade, granular from Altair Chimica S.p.A.) and 117 g of ascorbic acid (Ph. Eur. Grade, DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.) were thoroughly mixed to provide the solid composition (C).

Example 2: Solution of Solid Composition (C)

[0068] The dry mixture according to Example 1 was dissolved in 3 liter of drinking water to provide a solution of the solid composition according to Example 1.

Example 3: Solution of Solid Composition (C)

[0069] 63 g of potassium carbonate and 117 g of ascorbic acid were mixed with 2820 g of water to prepare a 6% solution (w/w).

Example 4: Solution of Solid Composition (C)

[0070] 63 g of potassium carbonate and 117 g of ascorbic acid were topped off with water until the solution level reached 3000 ml to make a 6% solution (w/v).

Comparative Example 1

[0071] 15.9 g of potassium carbonate (Food Grade, granular from Altair Chimica S.p.A.) and 40 g of ascorbic acid (Ph. Eur. Grade, DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.) were thoroughly mixed to provide a comparative solid composition.

[0072] 167,7 g of the comparative solid composition as described above were dissolved in 2832,30 g water. Thus, a preservative solution of the comparative solid composition containing 4.0 weight-% (w/w) of ascorbic acid and 1.59 weight-% (w/w) of K.sub.2CO.sub.3 was obtained.

Comparative Example 2

[0073] 35 g of potassium chloride (Ph. Eur. Grade, Dr. Lohmann Diaclean GmbH) and 65 g of ascorbic acid (Ph. Eur. Grade, DSM Nutritional Products Ltd. were thoroughly mixed to provide a comparative solid composition.

[0074] 300 g of the comparative solid composition obtained as described above were dissolved in 2700 g water. Thus, a preservative solution of the comparative solid composition containing 6.5 weight-% of ascorbic acid and 3.5 weight-% of KCl was obtained.

Comparative Example 3

[0075] 11 g of potassium hydrogen carbonate (Ph. Eur. Grade, crystalline, Caesar & Loretz GmbH) and 40 g of ascorbic acid (Ph. Eur. Grade, DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.) were thoroughly mixed.

[0076] 153 g of the comparative solid composition obtained as described above were dissolved in 2847 g water. Thus, a preservative solution of the comparative solid composition containing 4.0 weight-% of ascorbic acid and 1.1 weight-% of KHCO.sub.3 was obtained.

Application Test on Cut Jonagold Apples (Wedges)

[0077] Tested compositions:
Solution according to Example 2 and Comparative Examples 1, 2 and 3.

[0078] In each treatment, Jonagold apples were rinsed with water and cut into wedges using 19 mm NEMCO corer (55550-8C). Within 30 seconds the thus obtained wedges were dipped into a preservative solution for 2 minutes in a vessel in which dipping is performed, then the wedges were removed from the solution and stored in standard clam shell packages (Inline Plastics Corp, Safe-T-Fresh®) at a storage temperature of 4-6° C. (in a stainless steel refrigerator).

[0079] 21 days after production, the browning percentage (browning %) of the samples of each treatment was evaluated. Therein, the browning percentage indicates the proportion of apple slices without browning. This means that a higher browning percentage constitutes a better anti-browning performance.

[0080] The browning percentage is determined by the equation (I):

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}100-\left(\frac{\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{number}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{apple}\mathrm{pieces}\\ \mathrm{affected}\mathrm{by}\mathrm{browning}\end{array}}{\mathrm{total}\mathrm{number}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{apple}\mathrm{pieces}}\right)\times 100=\mathrm{browning}\mathrm{percentage}\left[\%\right]& \left(I\right)\end{array}$

[0081] The results of the browning percentages are shown in the following Table 1 and in FIG. 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Com- Com- Com- parative parative parative Experiment Example 2 Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Com- Ascorbic 3.9 weight- 4.0 weight- 6.5 weight- 4.0 weight- ponents acid % % % % K.sub.2CO.sub.3 2.1 weight- 1.59 weight- — — % % KCl — — 3.5 weight- — % KHCO.sub.3 — — — 1.1 weight- % Solvent water water water water After 21 95% 59% 66% 66% days

[0082] What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims and includes equivalents of the elements recited therein: