Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a method to prevent deterioration of food.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Yeasts make up a significant fraction in the microbial deterioration of the food. Food safety and prevention of food spoilage is an ever-present interest worldwide, particularly of acidic foods such as beverages, dairy products, ready-to-eat food preparations, soups or sauces, which are responsible for an important part of the industry food. Deterioration due to mould attack occurs extensively particularly in so-called half-dry food articles and feeds such as bread, cheeses, smoked fish, dry sausages, air dried fruits, and air dried fish, especially when they are stored in packaged condition. Industrial food processing plants incur, through mould attack, losses which are difficult to assess, both in the form of returned, deteriorated products and of impaired sales owing to the products' inferior quality. The consumers, too, are caused direct losses by such deterioration, but in addition they also run health risks because of the toxins formed by moulds, which may already be produced before the growth of mould is visually observable.
[0003] There is also a growing demand for healthy and completely natural foods, which combine good taste with high quality. Food manufacturers need to protect the health and safety of the public while satisfying consumer demands by delivering products that are safe for consumption and have a guaranteed shelf life, whether at refrigerated storage temperature. When a food is frozen for a long-time preservation, the quality after the thawing process seriously deteriorates in comparison with the quality before the freezing process, resulting in degradation of the taste. The reason for this is because the oxygen dissolved in the moisture inside each cell of the food (dissolved oxygen) oxidizes the food during the freezing preservation process.
[0004] As a result of the many shortfalls of the prior art, there is a need of a composition that will prevent deterioration of food, and which overcomes the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY
[0005] Embodiments of the present disclosure present technological improvements as solutions to one or more of the above-mentioned technical problems.
[0006] Before the present subject matter relating to a method to prevent deterioration of food, it is to be understood that this application is not limited to the particular system described, as there can be multiple possible embodiments which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the implementations or versions or embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present subject matter.
[0007] This summary is provided to introduce aspects related to a method to prevent deterioration of food. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the present subject matter.
[0008] In an embodiment, a method to prevent deterioration of food is disclosed, the method includes the step of adding ethanol preparations to the food. The method includes the step of incorporating a combination of tea extract green and a polymer of a basic amino acid into the food. The polymer of the basic amino acid is e-polylysine. The method includes the step of maintaining food pH value.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the invention. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
[0010] One or more embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present invention to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
[0011] The terminology used, in the present invention, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present invention. As used in the present invention, the forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The particular order of steps disclosed in the system of the present invention is not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance as described or illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
[0012] In an embodiment, a method to prevent deterioration of food is disclosed, the method includes the step of adding ethanol preparations to the food. The method includes the step of incorporating a combination of tea extract green and a polymer of a basic amino acid into the food. The polymer of the basic amino acid is e-polylysine. The method includes the step of maintaining food pH value.
[0013] In another implementation, the ethanol preparations are added in an amount effective to inhibit microbial growth and oxidative reactions in the food.
[0014] In another implementation, the tea extract green is incorporated into the food in an amount sufficient to provide antioxidant properties and enhance the preservation of the food.
[0015] In another implementation, the polymer of the basic amino acid is organic salt of e-polylysine, and is added to the food in a concentration effective to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and prevent spoilage.
[0016] In another implementation, the organic salt of e-polylysine is of acetic acid, propionic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, or citric acid.
[0017] In another implementation, the food product is selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and processed food items.
[0018] In another implementation, a composition for preventing the deterioration of food also includes ethanol preparation, tea extract green and e-polylysine.
[0019] In another implementation, the ethanol preparations are present in an amount effective to inhibit microbial growth and oxidative reactions in the food.
[0020] In another implementation, the tea extract green is present in an amount sufficient to provide antioxidant properties and enhance the preservation of the food.
[0021] The treatment of a food material, article or feed according to the present invention is accomplished by placing the food or equivalent for a period of sufficient length, in contact with an aerosol containing the preserving agent or agents, for instance by passing it through a chamber containing such fog, or by conducting such fog into the package. However, the time of stay in the chamber should be long enough to achieve a probability that the droplets penetrate into the depressions and pores of the surface. The requisite time depends, among other things, on the preservative substance used, its content in the carrier medium, the particle size distribution of the aerosol, the particle density, turbulence in the chamber, the geometrical shape of the surface, its aerosol particle attracting or repelling properties, the composition and physical characteristics of the material to be treated, and on the storage time and storage conditions.
[0022] The mould contamination consisted of the natural contamination present in the bakeries in which the tests were carried out. The strains isolated belonged to the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladoporium, Mucor, and Thamnidium. This does not exclude the application of the preservatives, known from the literature, and of the method described, to moulds, yeasts and bacteria of other genera, species and strains.
[0023] In an embodiment, the ethanol concentration of the water-containing or aqueous ethanol is 30% by weight or higher, preferably 30 to 90% by weight, more preferably 45 to 75% by weight. If a water-containing ethanol in an ethanol concentration lower than 30% by weight is used, it is necessary to achieve the preservation effect to add a large quantity of the ethanol preparations, and since the water content in foods having the ethanol preparations added therein increases, this has a disadvantageous effect upon food preservation.
[0024] In the present invention, the polylysines may be used in free form, but they may also be used in the form of a salt of inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, etc. or organic acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, etc. The term polymer of a basic amino acid encompasses polymers of 51,000 basic amino acid monomers including polylysine, polyarginine and polyhistidine. The degree of polymerization may preferably vary between 5 and 500 monomers, more preferably between 5 and 100 and most preferably between 10 and 50 monomers. Polylysine is the homopolymer of L-lysine and is preferably used. Polylysine can be used as a-polylysine, e-polylysine or a mixture of these and is preferably used as e-polylysine. e-polylysine preferably includes 25 to 35 L-lysine monomers linked by the peptide bonds between the free carboxyl groups and the e-amino groups. Polylysine is commercially available and is generally produced by aerobic bacterial fermentation. Accordingly, EGCG can be used, for example, in combination with LAE, in combination with polylysine or in combination with both LAE and polylysine.
[0025] The two components are added in amounts and in sufficient proportions to cause yeast inhibition. To choose the optimum amounts and proportions of each of the components of the anti-washing agent for a specific acidic food is within the competence of the person skilled in the art. Optimum amounts and proportions can be evaluated for example by comparing the amount of yeast colony forming units (CFU), by methods known to the person skilled in the art, in acidic foods to which different combinations of EGCG and basic amino acid derivatives are aggregates. The preservative appropriate in each case can be chosen, considering e.g. the food material, article or feed to be treated and the resistances of the microorganisms which have to be controlled. Advantage may also be taken of the disinfecting or synergistic effect of solvents such as ethanol and propylene glycol permitted as food additives or vegetable extracts known to have microbicidal or microbe-inhibiting effects. It is thus possible also to control the disturbances caused by resistant strains, by using two or more preservative substances in alternation.
[0026] The proportion of the polylysines or polylysine salts added has no particular limitation, but it is preferably 0.01 to 30% by weight based on the weight of the ethanol preparations. In particular, when the resulting ethanol preparations are used in a manner of spraying or coating them onto foods or apparatus or instruments for producing food products, the proportion of the polylysines or their salts added may be 0.01 to 1% by weight, and when they are used in a manner of adding them to foods, the proportion may be 0.01 to 30% by weight. However, the proportion is preferred to be adequately varied depending on the conditions of desired shelf life (days), water activity, salt content, etc. of foods.
[0027] The orders of fungi the growth of which is controlled according to this invention, are Eurotiales, Moniliales and Mucorales, and the preservative substances to be used are monocarboxylic acids containing 1-3 C-atoms, sorbic acid, benzoic and hydroxybenzoic and vanillic acid, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium salts, esters and anhydrides of the said acids, sodium and potassium phenolates of the hydroxybenzoic acid esters, esters of isothiocyanic acid, diphenyl, sodium o-phenyl phenolate, fungicidic and fungistatic extracts of spices and herbs, pimaricin and antibiotic substances produced by the genera Brevibacterium and Bacillus. This invention also encompasses killing or controlling the growth of bacteria of the families Pseudomonadaceae or Spirillaceae or of the order Eubacteriales, the chemical preservative being chosen from the following: carbonic or hydroxy-carboxylic acids containing 1-3 C-atoms, mono or dihydroxy alcohols containing 2-3 C-atoms, benzoic and hydroxybenzoic acids, esters and anhydrides of the said acids, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium salts of the said acids, sodium and potassium phenolates of the hydroxybenzoic acid esters, formaldehyde, hexamethylene tetramine, hydrogen peroxide, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, chloramphenicol, bacteriostatic and bactericidic extracts of spices and herbs and antibiotic substances produced by the genera Brevibacterium and Bacillus. So, the ethanol preparations of the present invention may also be prepared by dissolving polylysines or salts thereof in anhydrous ethanol or a water-containing ethanol in an ethanol concentration of 30% by weight or higher.
[0028] Other additives may also be added to the acidic food either individually or premixed with EGCG and / or the basic amino acid derivative. Preferred additives, which also show some enhancement of anti-washing activity, including vanillin, cinnamon extract, mono- and / or diglycerides, hop extract, cinnamic acid or its salt, caproic acid, sodium hexametaphosphate, fatty acid lactylates (p eg sodium caproyl lactylate and sodium lauroyl lactylate), sorbic acid or its salt, propionic acid or its salt and cultured sugar from PURAC (eg PuraQ Verdad NV10 and PuraQ Verdad NV15, which consist of fermentation products of corn sugar such as sugars, organic acids, peptides and aromas). Other additives include, for example, flavor enhancers, pH regulators, antioxidants, emulsifiers and preservatives. Although the method of the invention generally avoids the need for the use of other food preservatives, they can be added if necessary. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a composition that includes epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), lauric arginate (LAE) and polylysine for addition to food, and an acidic food that includes EGCG, LAE and polylysine.
[0029] The foregoing description of the invention has been set merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the substance of the invention may occur to person skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the invention.
, Claims:We claim:
1. A method to prevent deterioration of food, comprising:
adding ethanol preparations to the food; and;
incorporating a combination of tea extract green and a polymer of a basic amino acid into the food, wherein the polymer of the basic amino acid is e-polylysine; and
maintaining food pH value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ethanol preparations are added in an amount effective to inhibit microbial growth and oxidative reactions in the food.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tea extract green is incorporated into the food in an amount sufficient to provide antioxidant properties and enhance the preservation of the food.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer of the basic amino acid is organic salt of e-polylysine, and is added to the food in a concentration effective to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and prevent spoilage.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said organic salt of e-polylysine is of acetic acid, propionic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, or citric acid.

6. A preserved food product prepared by the method as claimed in claim 1.
7. The preserved food product as claimed in claim 6, wherein the food product is selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and processed food items.

8. A composition for preventing the deterioration of food, comprising: a. ethanol preparations;
b. tea extract green; and
c. e-polylysine.

9. The composition as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ethanol preparations are present in an amount effective to inhibit microbial growth and oxidative reactions in the food.

10. The composition as claimed in claim 8, wherein the tea extract green is present in an amount sufficient to provide antioxidant properties and enhance the preservation of the food.