Reducing compositions and methods for preventing microbial contamination and controlling oxidation processes

Abstract

A method of preventing microbial contamination in a food product or composition is disclosed. Also disclosed are preservative compositions prepared using the reducing gas, which can be used to extend the shelf life of food products and compositions and / or to prevent bacterial contamination. Also disclosed are food products and compositions prepared using the disclosed preservative compositions. Methods of making the preservative compositions and food products are also described.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 316,649, filed on March 4, 2022, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. Background Art Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to compositions and methods of use thereof for preventing and / or inhibiting bacterial growth and controlling oxidation processes in food products.

[0004] In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to compositions for use as preservatives in food products.

[0005] The present invention also relates to compositions and methods for preserving food products and compositions and methods for extending the shelf life of food products.

[0006] The present invention also relates to compositions and methods for modifying the high oxidation potential present in most foods due to the addition of preservatives used to prevent spoilage. These preservatives render the treated foods very acidic, very oxidizing, and having a positive oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) (measured in millivolts). The present invention modifies these conditions to be alkaline, antioxidant (i.e., reducing), and having a negative ORP; rendering the treated foods beneficial to the health of animals and humans.

[0007] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to compositions for animal food products, such as pet or livestock food products, and methods of using the same.

[0008] Additionally, the inventors have found that the compositions and methods described herein impart antimicrobial activity to food products. The compositions and methods can be used to prevent bacterial growth, and thereby prevent oxidation / destruction of food products and contamination of surfaces, containers and / or other food products that may come into contact with spoiled or contaminated food products.

[0009] For example, in the case of pet food, contamination may occur during the manufacturing process, storage, or even during preparation. Freezing and drying processes (e.g., freeze drying) can reduce but not eliminate bacterial contamination in raw pet food. Therefore, quality control is required during the manufacturing process, and pet owners must be careful to take additional personal hygiene measures to reduce the health risks associated with handling raw pet food and the health risks to their pets from consuming raw pet food. Even in the case of non-raw pet food, contamination may be introduced during the manufacturing and / or preparation process.

[0010] Therefore, there is a continuing need for new food safe preservatives and additives that prevent or inhibit the growth of microorganisms (eg, bacteria). Summary of the invention

[0011] The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a preservative food composition, the method comprising: (i) infusing a reducing gas and / or a high reducing negative ORP substance ("HNORP"), such as but not limited to reformed metasilicate, into an aqueous solution, wherein the infusion involves mixing under turbulent conditions to produce a preservative composition; and (ii) mixing the preservative composition with a food composition to produce a preservative food composition, wherein the reducing gas and / or the metasilicate reacts with the aqueous solution to produce a reducing liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value of about -100 mV or less.

[0012] The present disclosure further provides a method for preparing a preservative food composition, the method comprising: infusing a reducing gas and HNORP into a food composition, wherein the infusion involves mixing under turbulent conditions to produce a preservative food composition, wherein the reducing gas and / or the metasilicate reacts with the aqueous solution to produce a reducing liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value of about -100 mV or less.

[0013] The present disclosure further provides a preservative food composition prepared by a method comprising the following steps: (i) infusing a reducing gas and HNORP into an aqueous solution, wherein the infusion involves mixing under turbulent conditions to produce a preservative composition; and (ii) mixing the preservative composition with a food composition to produce a preservative food composition, wherein the reducing gas and / or the metasilicate reacts with the aqueous solution to produce a reducing liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value of about -100 mV or less.

[0014] The present disclosure further provides a preservative food composition prepared by a method comprising the steps of: infusing a reducing gas and HNORP into a food composition, wherein the infusion involves mixing under turbulent conditions to produce a preservative food composition, wherein the reducing gas and / or the metasilicate reacts with the aqueous solution to produce a reducing liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value of about -100 mV or less.

[0015] Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.In view of the following disclosure, further aspects of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Set forth below with reference to the accompanying drawings is a detailed description of a method for preparing a composition described herein, which can be used to preserve a food product (such as a pet food product) or extend its shelf life, and a method for preserving a food product comprising combining the preservative composition described herein with a food product, all of which represent examples of the invention disclosed herein.

[0017] The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of various configurations of the subject technology and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the subject technology may be practiced.

[0018] The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and constitute a part of the detailed description.

[0019] The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the subject technology. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the subject technology can be practiced without these specific details.

[0020] It should be understood that various configurations of the subject technology will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure, in which various configurations of the subject technology are shown and described in an illustrative manner. It should be recognized that the subject technology can have other and different configurations, and that several details thereof can be modified in other different aspects, all without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Therefore, the abstract, drawings, and detailed description are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive in nature.

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those methods and materials described herein can be used to practice the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described herein. All publications, patent applications, patents and / or other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. If any one of the publications, patent applications, patents and / or other references mentioned herein and incorporated therein contradicts the present disclosure, the present disclosure including the definitions is authoritative. Additionally, these materials, methods and examples are only illustrative and are not intended to be restrictive.

[0022] “Hydrogas TM" is an electrolytic process for producing a non-toxic, non-corrosive, stable reducing gas that can be infused into a liquid (including water and aqueous solutions), including a liquid for consumption or administration (e.g., intravenously) to any animal, or a liquid for growing any plant (e.g., a plant for preparing a food product such as an animal food product), and also includes any liquid for preparing a mammalian food product for animal consumption. The electrolytic process reduces the liquid redox potential and increases dissolved free electrons, as well as hydroxide (OH - ) and free H 2 content.

[0023] The exemplary methods disclosed herein are based on highly reducing negatively charged gases (such as "Hydrogas TM ”) and a combination of a highly reducing, highly alkaline liquid (e.g., a highly reducing negative ORP or “HRNORP”) or powder (e.g., reformed sodium metasilicate (RLS)). The RLS according to the present invention can be formed with any highly alkaline, non-corrosive, food grade or food safe liquid (e.g., any HRNORP liquid). The highly reducing gas can also be any highly reducing negatively charged gas, including but not limited to gases such as HHO, BROWNS gas, Tylar gas, Knell gas, etc.

[0024] In one aspect of the present invention, by Hydrogas TM The infused liquid is used as a preservative composition or for preparing a preservative and antioxidant composition, which can be incorporated into or otherwise used in preparing a food product or food composition.

[0025] In exemplary embodiments of the compositions and methods of the present invention in combination with the products and compositions described herein, additional ingredients or components may also be utilized. The additional ingredients or components include, but are not limited to, flavorants and palatability enhancers (i.e., flavor enhancers), sweetening agents (sweeteners), meat-based food contents, plant-based food contents, or other food-safe or food-grade ingredients or components.

[0026] The amounts, concentrations, ratios disclosed herein are exemplary only, and one of ordinary skill in the art can use other amounts, concentrations, or ratios based on the following disclosure.

[0027] The processes and schemes and other methods described herein are disclosed for exemplary, illustrative purposes only. The processes, schemes and methods may be varied in other exemplary uses of the methods.

[0028] The articles "a" and "an" are used herein to refer to one or more than one (ie, to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. For example, "an element" means one element or more than one element.

[0029] When the reference value is used in this article, the term "about" refers to a value similar to the reference value in the context. In general, those skilled in the art who are familiar with the context should understand the relevant deviation degree covered by "about" in the context. For example, in some embodiments, the term "about" can cover some values ​​in the range of 25%, 20%, 19%, 18%, 17%, 16%, 15%, 14%, 13%, 12%, 11%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1% or less of the reference value. The details of one or more embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and drawings and claims.

[0030] Unless otherwise indicated, all numerals used in this specification and the associated claims indicating the amounts of ingredients, properties (such as molecular weight), reaction conditions, etc., are understood to be modified in all cases by the term "about". Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and the appended claims are approximate values ​​that may vary depending on the desired properties attempted to be obtained by the embodiments of the present disclosure. At a minimum, and without attempting to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be interpreted in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0031] Whenever a numerical range of a degree or measurement result with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any value and any range falling within the range is also intended to be specifically disclosed. For example, each value range (in the form of "a to b", "about a to about b", or "about a to b", and any similar expressions, wherein "a" and "b" represent the numerical values ​​of the degree or measurement result) should be understood to set forth each number and range encompassed within the broader value range.

[0032] Unless otherwise specifically stated, all numerical ranges defined herein include the endpoints and all values ​​therebetween. For example, "at a concentration of ab" means "at a concentration of at least a and at most b."

[0033] As used herein, the terms "subject" and "recipient" refer to humans and non-human animals, including veterinary subjects. The term "non-human animal" includes all vertebrates, such as mammals and non-mammals, such as non-human primates, mice, rabbits, sheep, dogs, cats, horses, cows, chickens, amphibians and reptiles. In a preferred embodiment, the subject is a human.

[0034] As used herein, the term "administering" refers to administering a composition to a subject / recipient or systemically, for example, feeding a food product or composition to a subject or recipient.

[0035] In certain embodiments, administering entails feeding a food product or composition to a subject or recipient.

[0036] In certain other exemplary embodiments, the food product or composition may optionally include a therapeutically effective amount of one or more therapeutically active agents, such as drugs, e.g., pharmaceutical or veterinary drugs, vitamins, probiotics, and the like.

[0037] As used herein, the term "agent" refers to a substance, entity, or complex, combination, mixture, or system, or phenomenon (eg, heat, electric current or field, magnetic force or magnetic field, etc.).

[0038] As used herein, "associated with" refers to a relationship between two events, entities, and / or phenomena. Two events, entities, and / or phenomena are "related to" one another, as that term is used herein, if the existence, level, and / or form of one event, entity, and / or phenomenon is related to the existence, level, and / or form of another event, entity, and / or phenomenon.

[0039] As used herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the term "composition" can be used to refer to a discrete physical entity that includes one or more specified components. Generally, unless otherwise specified, a composition can be in any form, e.g., gas, gel, liquid, solid, etc. In certain embodiments, the composition is a food composition or food product, such as a pet food.

[0040] As used herein, the terms "food safe" or "food acceptable" or "food grade" as applied to the compositions of the present invention or any other additive or excipient used to formulate the compositions disclosed herein mean that the composition, additive or other excipient is safe for consumption by a subject.

[0041] In certain embodiments, the subject is a mammal. In certain other embodiments, the subject is a human.

[0042] In yet other embodiments, the subject is a companion animal (i.e., a pet), including but not limited to a dog, cat, bird (e.g., a parrot, cockatoo or other avian), fish, rodent (e.g., a mouse, rat, rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, gerbil, etc.), horse, pig, cow, sheep, goat, or other mammal.

[0043] In certain embodiments, the subject is an animal raised for human consumption (i.e., livestock), including but not limited to cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, bison, poultry (e.g., birds and waterfowl such as chickens, ducks, geese, pheasants, quail, etc.).

[0044] In certain embodiments, the subject is an amphibian (eg, a frog or salamander) or a reptile (eg, a snake, a lizard (eg, an iguana), etc.).

[0045] In one aspect, a food safe composition or ingredient (additive or excipient) is compatible with other ingredients contained in a food composition and is not harmful to its recipient. Similarly, as used herein, the term "food safe", "food acceptable" or "food grade" means that the composition or ingredient disclosed herein for use in the compositions of the present invention is compatible with other ingredients of a food composition or formulation and is not harmful to the recipient.

[0046] Some examples of additional materials that may be included: sugars such as lactose, glucose and sucrose; starches such as corn starch and potato starch; cellulose and its derivatives such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, ethylcellulose and cellulose acetate; powdered tragacanth; malt; gelatin; talc; excipients such as cocoa butter and suppository waxes; oils such as peanut oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, corn oil and soybean oil; glycols such as propylene glycol; polyols such as glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol and polyethylene glycol; esters such as ethyl oleate and ethyl laurate; agar; buffers such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide; alginic acid; pyrogen-free water; isotonic saline; Ringer's solution; ethanol; pH buffered solutions; polyesters, polycarbonates and / or polyanhydrides; and other nontoxic compatible substances employed in pharmaceutical formulations.

[0047] As used herein, "prevention" (and grammatical variations thereof), when used in conjunction with the occurrence of a disease, disorder, and / or condition, refers to reducing the risk of developing a disease, disorder, and / or condition and / or delaying the onset of one or more characteristics or symptoms of a disease, disorder, or condition. Prevention may be considered accomplished when the onset of a disease, disorder, or condition has been delayed for a predetermined period of time.

[0048] An individual who is "susceptible" to a disease, disorder, or condition is at risk of developing the disease, disorder, or condition. In some embodiments, an individual who is susceptible to a disease, disorder, or condition does not display any symptoms of the disease, disorder, or condition. In some embodiments, an individual who is susceptible to a disease, disorder, and / or condition has not been diagnosed with the disease, disorder, and / or condition. In some embodiments, an individual who is susceptible to a disease, disorder, or condition is an individual who has been exposed to conditions associated with the development of the disease, disorder, or condition. In some embodiments, the risk of developing a disease, disorder, and / or condition is based on the risk of a population (e.g., family members of an individual who suffers from the disease, disorder, or condition).

[0049] As used herein, "therapeutically effective amount" refers to the amount applied to produce the desired effect. In some embodiments, the term refers to the amount sufficient to treat the disease, disorder and / or condition when applied to a group suffering from or susceptible to a disease, disorder and / or condition according to a treatment dosing regimen. In some embodiments, the therapeutically effective amount is the amount that reduces the incidence and / or severity of one or more symptoms of a disease, disorder and / or condition and / or delays the onset of one or more symptoms of a disease, disorder and / or condition. It should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the term "therapeutically effective amount" does not in fact require the successful treatment of a specific individual. On the contrary, a therapeutically effective amount can be the amount of a specific desired pharmacological response provided in a large number of subjects when applied to a patient who needs such treatment. In some embodiments, a reference to a therapeutically effective amount can be a reference to an amount measured in one or more specific tissues (e.g., tissues affected by a disease, disorder or condition) or fluids (e.g., blood, saliva, serum, sweat, tears, urine, etc.). It should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that in some embodiments, a specific agent or therapy that can be formulated and / or applied in a single dose for therapeutic effectiveness. In some embodiments, a therapeutically effective agent may be formulated and / or administered in multiple doses, eg, as part of a dosing regimen.

[0050] In certain embodiments, food safe or food grade compositions containing the inventive compositions or additives described herein can be used as part of a feeding plan or regimen.

[0051] In certain embodiments, a feeding regimen can be a method of treating a condition or disease comprising administering to a subject or recipient a therapeutically effective amount or dose of an active ingredient in combination with a food product described herein.

[0052] As used herein, the term "treating" or "treatment" (and grammatical variations thereof) refers to the administration of a therapy that partially or completely alleviates, ameliorates, relieves, inhibits, delays the onset of, reduces the severity of, and / or reduces the incidence of one or more symptoms, characteristics, and / or causes of a particular disease, disorder, and / or condition, or is administered for the purpose of achieving any such result. In some embodiments, such treatment may be for subjects who do not have signs of the relevant disease, disorder, and / or condition and / or for subjects who have early signs of the disease, disorder, and / or condition. Alternatively or in addition, such treatment may be for subjects who have one or more established signs of the relevant disease, disorder, and / or condition. In some embodiments, treatment may be for subjects who have been diagnosed with the relevant disease, disorder, and / or condition. In some embodiments, treatment may be for subjects known to have one or more susceptibility factors that are statistically associated with an increased risk of developing a related disease, disorder, and / or condition. In various instances, treatment is for cancer. Tumor: As used herein, the term "tumor" refers to an abnormal growth of a cell or tissue. In some embodiments, a tumor may include precancerous (e.g., benign), malignant, pre-metastatic, metastatic, and / or non-metastatic cells. In some embodiments, a tumor is associated with cancer or is a manifestation of cancer. In some embodiments, a tumor may be a dispersed tumor or a liquid tumor. In some embodiments, a tumor may be a solid tumor.

[0053] As used herein, "Hydrogas TM ” refers to the reducing gas produced according to the electrolysis process described in this disclosure.

[0054] As used herein, "reconstitution" refers to the process of converting a liquid into a reduced liquid. As used herein, a "reconstituted liquid" or "reduced liquid" refers to a liquid that has been reconstituted. The reduced liquid is used to prepare the preservative compositions described herein, which are subsequently incorporated into or otherwise used to prepare a food composition or food product having improved antimicrobial (e.g., antibacterial) properties.

[0055] As used herein, the terms "infuse" or "infusion" or "infusing" or any variation thereof encompass any other suitable method of mixing a reducing gas or silicate with a liquid, such as injection, administration or application. In some embodiments, a method is provided for preparing a stable, non-toxic, non-corrosive reducing liquid by infusing a gas produced by the electrolysis process described herein into a "source liquid" to be treated using the described process. The source liquid can be any suitable liquid that can stably incorporate the infused reducing gas. Examples of suitable source liquids include, but are not limited to, organic solvents, non-polar oils, mineral oils, essential oils, colloidal suspensions, colloidal solutions, leachate from landfills, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and aqueous compositions. In a preferred embodiment, the source liquid for infusion is water used to prepare a cell culture medium. Water sources include, for example, distilled water, deionized water, tap water, drinking water, potable beverages, non-drinking water, agricultural water, irrigation water, salt water, brackish water, hydraulic fracturing water, water dissolved with aqueous heavy metals, industrial water, recycled water, fresh water, water from natural sources, or reverse osmosis water. Drinking water is understood to be safe for human or animal consumption; non-drinking water is unsafe for human or animal consumption, but can be used for other applications. Fresh water is understood to be water from a natural source other than salt water. Salt water may come from a natural source such as the sea or ocean, and it also includes artificial salt water. Industrial water is water used for industrial applications (such as manufacturing processes, containers, cleaning of machines, etc.). Industrial water can be tap water, well water, etc., which are typically non-drinking water.

[0056] As used herein, the term "substantially free" means that the amount of the indicated substance is less than about 1%, preferably less than about 0.1%.

[0057] In one aspect, the present invention relates to reconstituting a liquid such as water or an aqueous solution into a reducing liquid, which is then used to prepare a therapeutically effective composition. The liquid is reconstituted using a non-toxic and stable reducing gas to reduce the amount of undesirable oxidants (e.g., ROS) present in the liquid.

[0058] The process for preparing the reducing gas may include: preparing an activator, wherein the activator includes water, potassium hydroxide, magnesium sulfate, sodium oxide and alkali metal silicate; introducing the activator into a reaction chamber of a reactor, wherein the reactor is configured to produce an electrolytic reaction; adding water to the reaction chamber to provide a water-activator mixture; and applying a direct current to the water-activator mixture to produce the reducing gas. It is generally desirable to reduce the pressure in the reaction chamber to increase the rate of production of the reducing gas. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure in the reaction chamber is reduced to maintain at about 0.5 bar. The reactor chamber typically includes a wet electrolytic cell for advancing the electrolytic reduction process described herein. Additional information can be found in WO2019 / 232387, the relevant disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for the subject matter and purposes cited herein.

[0059] The activator can be prepared using any suitable equipment for conducting a chemical reaction involving an activator reagent. Typically, the activator is prepared by combining the activator components in balanced stoichiometric amounts according to a redox equation. In some embodiments, the activator includes potassium hydroxide, magnesium sulfate, sodium oxide, and an alkali metal silicate in a predetermined stoichiometric ratio. The activator may include about 40 wt % to about 59 wt % potassium hydroxide; about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % magnesium sulfate; about 40 wt % to about 59 wt % sodium oxide; and about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % alkali metal silicate. In other embodiments, the activator may include about 45 wt % to about 55 wt % potassium hydroxide; about 0.2 wt % to about 3 wt % magnesium sulfate; about 45 wt % to about 55 wt % sodium oxide; and about 0.2 wt % to about 3 wt % alkali metal silicate. In other embodiments, the activator may include about 47 wt % to about 53 wt % potassium hydroxide; about 0.2 wt % to about 1.5 wt % magnesium sulfate; about 47 wt % to about 53 wt % sodium oxide; and about 0.2 wt % to about 1.5 wt % alkali metal silicate. In other embodiments, the activator may include about 48 wt % to about 51 wt % potassium hydroxide; about 0.3 wt % to about 0.8 wt % magnesium sulfate; about 48 wt % to about 51 wt % sodium oxide; and about 0.3 wt % to about 0.8 wt % alkali metal silicate. Potassium hydroxide, magnesium sulfate, and sodium oxide are commercially available. In other embodiments, the activator is a liquid solution comprising any stoichiometric amounts of potassium hydroxide, magnesium sulfate, sodium oxide, and alkali metal silicate described herein. The liquid solution may have an activator concentration of about 0.1 to about 20 g / l, about 0.1 to about 15 g / l, about 0.1 to about 10 g / l, about 0.1 to about 5 g / l, about 0.5 to about 4 g / l, about 0.5 to about 3 g / l, about 1 to about 3 g / l, or about 1.5 to about 2.5 g / l.

[0060] The activator can be prepared by any suitable method. For example, potassium hydroxide, sodium oxide, alkaline cation silicate and magnesium sulfate can be measured in any weight ratio in the weight ratio described herein, and then combined to form a single activator mixture. Then, this activator mixture can be dissolved in water at a predetermined concentration as described above. Alternatively, a certain amount of water can be provided, and potassium hydroxide, sodium oxide, alkaline cation silicate and magnesium sulfate can be added to the certain amount of water in sequence, simultaneously or in combination in pairs. In certain embodiments, magnesium sulfate and alkaline cation silicate are first mixed into the certain amount of water, and potassium hydroxide and sodium oxide are then mixed into the certain amount of water. The preparation of the activator can be carried out outside the reactor and then added to the reactor. Alternatively, the activator can be prepared in the reaction chamber of the reactor. Preferably, the alkaline cation silicate is a metasilicate, such as an alkaline sodium silicate complex (SSC) or reformed liquid silica (RLS). Metasilicate can be used to prepare the activator, and can optionally be added to the source liquid in a larger amount with or without a reducing gas. These complexes are described, for example, in US20110059189A1, which is incorporated herein by reference. Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis yielded an empirical formula of the compound or complex of Na8.2Si4.4H9.7Oi7.6. This formula indicates that the basic sodium silicate complex (SSC) is not a single compound, but a mixture of two different compounds in equilibrium with each other. Specifically, SSC is sodium trisilicate (Na 2 SiO 3 ) 3 , Na Na 4 Na 4 :

[0061]

[0062] and sodium silicate pentahydrate (Na 2 SiO 3 )5H 2 A mixture of O.

[0063]

[0064] Sodium silicate pentahydrate (Na 2 SiO 3 )5H2O usually exists in equilibrium in two structural forms, one of which contains one ionized water molecule and the other contains 3 ionized water molecules. To produce SSC, silicon metal (any grade) is loaded into a reactor. Sodium oxide and water are added. An exothermic reaction occurs. The reaction is allowed to proceed for 4-6 hours, after which the product is collected in a cooling tank. The product is cooled, and the liquid product obtained is packaged.

[0065] Silicon-based alkaline composition (empirical formula is Na8.2Si4.4H 9.7 The specific density of Oi7.6 can be between 1.24 and 1.26 kg / m 3 In the range, for example, 1.25 ± 0.1 kg / m 3 The pH of the composition may also be in the range of 13.8 to 14.0, for example, 13.9 ± 0.1. In some embodiments, the SSC may be dried by any suitable method prior to use in any process described herein. Suitable drying methods include, but are not limited to, gentle heating, storage in a desiccator, vacuum drying.

[0066] SSC has been previously studied for its physicochemical properties and potential therapeutic applications. In one study, SSC was found to exhibit antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and resistant strains, as described, for example, in Vatten et al., Res. J. Microbiol. Mar 1, 2012; 7(3):191-8. Sodium silicate is generally considered safe for human consumption by the USFDA under 21 CFR §182.90. US20140087003A1 describes a method of using an alkaline sodium silicate composition to inhibit the toxic effects of venom and to treat venomous bites and stings. US 20060275505A1 describes a composition for increasing alkalinity in the body containing water (a source of alkalinity); specifically, an alkaline silicon solution. US20110059189A1 describes a modified sodium silicate composition, and a method of treating a venomous bite and sting using the modified sodium silicate composition (Na 8.2 Si 4.4 H 9.7 0i 7.6 ) methods for treating cancer and viral infections, and are also described in Townsend et al., Int. J. Appl. Res. Nat. Prod. 2010; 3: 19-28 (AVAH silicates may also be effective in inhibiting several important physiological events in the survival and virulence development of viruses and microbial pathogens). However, the SSCs cited in these publications do not involve reducing gases, and the combination of reducing gases and other beneficial uses of this technology are the subject of this specification.

[0067] The electrolysis process is typically carried out in a reactor. In an exemplary process, the activator is prepared within the reaction chamber of the reactor, or prepared externally and subsequently added to the reaction chamber. Additional water may be mixed with the activator in the reaction chamber in any suitable amount (including up to the filling capacity of the reaction chamber).

[0068] The reactor can be any suitable device for performing an electrolytic reaction. In some embodiments, the reactor comprises a wet electrolyzer. In an electrolyzer, an electric current passes from an electronic conductor through a chemical substrate, such as an ionic solution contained in one or more electrolytic cells (i.e., a reaction chamber), back to a second electronic conductor. The circuit is closed outside the electrolyzer (external circuit) through various electronic conductors. This typically includes a power supply and a current measuring device. The junction between the electronic conductor and the ionic conductor is called an electrode, i.e., a cathode and an anode. In an electrolytic reaction, a direct current passes through a solution contained in a reaction chamber, producing a chemical reaction at the electrodes. In the standard electrolysis of pure water (i.e., in the absence of an activator), a reduction half-reaction occurs at the cathode, where electrons from the cathode are transferred to hydrogen cations to form H 2 Gas, as shown in the following chemical equation: 2H + (aqueous solution) + 2e H 2 (g) At the anode, an oxidation half-reaction occurs in which electrons are transferred from water molecules to the anode to form O 2 Gas, as shown in the chemical equation: 2H 2 O(l)O 2 (g)+4H + (aqueous solution) + 4e-. These half reactions can be balanced by adding base.

[0069] A direct current (DC) power supply is coupled to the reactor and provides the energy necessary to drive the electrolysis process. Electric current is carried by the electrons in the external circuit. Metal, graphite and semiconductor material electrodes are widely used. The selection of suitable electrodes depends on the chemical reactivity between the electrode and the electrolyte and the manufacturing cost. A DC power supply is connected to two electrodes or two plates (usually made of inert metals such as platinum, stainless steel 360 or iridium) placed in water. In certain embodiments, the DC delivered to the electrolyzer is in the range of about 20V to about 30V, for example, about 24.65V ± 0.12V. The input of electric current can also be further passed through 110V (60Hz) or 220V, 50Hz or 60Hz circuits.

[0070] The reactor can be configured to carry out the electrolytic reaction under reduced pressure or in a vacuum. Vacuum electrolytic reactors are known in the art, and suitable equipment will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The electrolytic reaction can be carried out at standard temperature and pressure (STP). In certain embodiments, the reaction is initially carried out at STP, and then, once the reducing gas begins to be produced in the reaction chamber, the pressure in the reaction chamber can be reduced. For example, the reduced pressure can be about 0.3 bar to about 0.9 bar. In certain embodiments, the reduced pressure is 0.5 ± 0.05 bar. By reacting under reduced pressure, the generation rate of the reducing gas can be increased by up to 2.2 times than the generation rate of the reducing gas of the reaction carried out at standard atmospheric pressure.

[0071] In some embodiments, the liquid can be an aqueous solution with a moderate to high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). BOD is defined as the amount of dissolved oxygen required by aerobic biological organisms to decompose organic matter present in a given water sample, most commonly in milligrams of oxygen consumed per liter of sample during a 5-day incubation at 20° C. In some embodiments, the 5-day BOD of the aqueous solution is in the range of about 2 mg / F to about 600 mg / F.

[0072] Infusion can be performed by any suitable method. For example, the gas can be infused into the liquid by bubbling the reducing gas into the liquid. Bubbling can be performed while the reducing gas is being produced by electrolysis by coupling the reactor to a container in which the liquid is contained and causing the reducing gas to flow into the liquid as it is produced. Alternatively, the infusion can be performed by bubbling stored reducing gas (such as in a pressurized gas tank) into a container in which the liquid is contained.

[0073] By adding reducing gas to liquid under turbulent conditions, the infusion process can be enhanced. In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulence is any fluid motion mode characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow rate. Turbulence is caused by excessive kinetic energy in the part of the fluid flow, which overcomes the damping effect of the viscosity of the fluid. In general, in turbulence, many unstable vortices of different sizes will appear, which interact with each other. Turbulent conditions can be produced by various well-known methods, including but not limited to eddy currents, oscillations, vibrations, mixing, flotation and cavitation. Turbulence and cavitation increase the rate at which reducing gas is dissolved in liquid by up to 100 times, depending on the application and the flow rate of the recirculation pump, usually measured in volume units (e.g., gallons, liters) per minute. In certain embodiments, turbulent conditions are produced by cavitation, wherein cavitation is carried out using a propeller, an impeller or a suitable device. In an example, a recirculation pump comprising an impeller is used, and its rotation speed is up to 3600 revolutions per minute (RPM), preferably 750-900RPM. Venturi technology is also used when creating turbulent flow in a pipe with a positive flow pressure of a liquid.

[0074] When a stable reducing liquid is produced, the reducing gas is infused into the liquid until a threshold negative ORP is reached, and sufficient time (stabilization or retention time) is observed to reliably measure the ORP value using a commercially available and calibrated ORP meter having a waterproof electrode, preferably an electrode that can also measure pH. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand the conventional practice associated with the measurement of the reduction potential (including the standard redox potential). This stabilization time will vary depending on the amount of liquid produced per unit time. In some embodiments, the stabilization time is at least about 2 minutes. In other embodiments, the stabilization time is at least about 10 minutes. More generally, the stabilization time will vary from a few seconds to 28 hours, depending on several factors, including the degree of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the presence or absence of colloidal particles, oils, solvents and / or other dissolved solutions. Reduced pressure and turbulence will improve efficiency, and therefore the retention time will be reduced by up to 100 times. Suitable methods for determining the appropriate stabilization time of the liquid sample of interest are within the technical knowledge of those of ordinary skill in the art. In many cases, the introduction of reduced pressure and turbulence will also produce a "residual effect". For example, by applying the correct stabilization time, the infused fluid will maintain a reduced and disinfecting residual effect (ie, replacing oxidants such as chlorine, ozone, UV, H2O2, etc.) In some embodiments, the threshold ORP after stabilization is -150 mV or less.

[0075] It is also possible to prepare a composite reducing liquid comprising a non-toxic, non-corrosive reducing agent and the reducing liquid of the infusion described herein. The non-toxic, non-corrosive reducing agent can be any compound that is easily miscible with the reducing liquid of the infusion. Suitable reducing agents include but are not limited to natural antioxidants, for example, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), glutathione, melatonin and water-soluble tocopherol (vitamin E). In certain embodiments, the non-toxic, non-corrosive reducing agent is an alkaline cationic silicate as described herein. The composite reducing liquid can be produced by any suitable method. In certain embodiments, the non-toxic, non-corrosive reducing agent is added to the reducing liquid of the infusion in a predetermined amount. In other embodiments, the reducing agent and the reducing gas are infused into the liquid simultaneously. This simultaneous infusion can be carried out under turbulent conditions, such as using a recirculating pump, with a rate of at least about 800 ± 35RPM.

[0076] The addition can be performed by quantitatively transferring a single aliquot into the infused reducing liquid. Alternatively, the addition can be performed by continuously transferring the reducing agent from a storage container at any desired flow rate over a specific period of time. The flow rate and time will depend on the reducing agent and the desired stoichiometric ratio of the reducing agent to the infused reducing liquid in the composite reducing liquid. In another embodiment, the reducing agent is added in an intermittent, drop-by-drop manner, including multiple aliquots.

[0077] In some embodiments of the method for producing an aqueous reducing liquid, the previously described reducing gas infusion step is performed by infusing 75 to 120 liters of reducing gas per minute per 60 gallons of liquid to be reconstituted before or simultaneously with 0.5 to 12 milligrams of alkaline cationic silicate per liter. In other embodiments, the amount of alkaline cationic silicate required in the process step is the amount described above, wherein the alkaline cationic silicate comprises lithium silicate, sodium silicate, potassium silicate, ammonium silicate, or a combination thereof.

[0078] On the one hand, the method for preparing the reducing liquid comprises infusing a reducing gas (e.g., a reducing gas produced by an electrolytic process described herein) into a certain amount of liquid under turbulent conditions. Introducing turbulence and cavitation in this process can increase the efficiency of the reorganization of the water in the tank by up to one thousand times. This allows 1kw of electricity to be used per hour for every ten thousand (10,000) gallons of water to be reorganized. If the cavitation / turbulence system is not implemented, the dissolution rate of the gas and liquid is inefficient for utilities. However, the upper limit of the turbulent conditions in this process is less than 3600RPM, because excessive turbulence can cause potential cavitation of the impeller of the water pump, which is undesirable for utilities.

[0079] In some embodiments, the reconstitution process includes the following steps: immediately before the source liquid enters any conventional storage or container, the reduced water gas ("C1") and the reduced liquid metasilicate ("C2") are injected. The source liquid to be treated can be passed through (i) a closed pressure pipeline; or (ii) an open water tank, channel or open pipeline under atmospheric conditions or normal temperature and pressure conditions.

[0080] If the source liquid to be treated passes through a closed pressurized pipeline, the following steps are further performed: (i) C1 and C2 are infused into the pipeline, wherein C1 is infused by a Venturi apparatus or by another method of creating a negative pressure in the pipeline; (ii) C2 is infused proportionally by a conventional dosing pump, a gravity dosing method, or any other method for dosing liquid chemicals. The negative pressure increases the yield of the liquid. Depending on the electrolyzer, the increase in gas yield can be up to 250%. Different tests conducted accurately show that under NPT conditions, about 9325 liters of C1 gas are required to reconstitute 5000 gallons of water to be treated in about 10 hours. Without the use of cavitation enhancement methods, this value is equivalent to 932.5 liters of C1 per hour. The flow rate of the reducing gas (C1) is then measured as liters per hour (FLPH) using a formula that varies depending on the source liquid and other parameters, which will be further described herein for each source liquid and corresponding application. Once the closed pressurized system is stable, the ORP value is measured in millivolts (mv). The ORP will vary depending on the composition of the source liquid. The minimum contact time of C1 with the source liquid required in the pipeline is typically 3 seconds to 30 minutes. The ORP charge is measured after C1 has been in contact with the source liquid for at least 3 seconds and a negative value should be obtained. The formula for calculating FLPH is independent of the liquid pressure in the pressurized pipeline. The volume (ml) of liquid metasilicate (C2) required to reconstitute the source liquid (C2) is determined using the formula described below, which varies based on the composition of the source liquid and its desired use.

[0081] If the liquid to be treated is passed through atmospheric pressure (open tank, channel or open pipeline) or under normal temperature or pressure conditions, the following steps for mixing C1 and C2 are applied: (i) C1 is mixed with the source liquid under turbulent conditions or by cavitation caused by using a flotation mode, a recirculation pump that creates a vacuum and / or a venturi device; (ii) C2 is mixed with the source liquid by an existing conventional dosing pump, a gravity doser or a similar method that is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The FLPH of C1 is then measured in liters / hour using a specific formula based on the composition of the source liquid and the process conditions further described below, which varies based on the composition of the source liquid, the process conditions and the desired use of the source liquid. The volume (ml) of liquid metasilicate required for reconstitution of water (C2) is determined using the formula described below, which also varies based on the composition of the source liquid, the process conditions and the desired use of the source liquid. The minimum contact of C2 in the source liquid reservoir or container is typically 15-30 minutes to achieve a negative ORP. If the remaining negative ORP value (mv) is less than -200 mV, extend the contact time until the ORP is lower than -200 mV.

[0082] One aspect and specific application of the reconstitution process is the preparation of drinking water or "ready-to-drink" (RTD) water or other beverages for human and non-human (animal) consumption. The reconstitution process described herein can be applied to any water-based product suitable for human and non-human consumption, including but not limited to drinking water, carbonated beverages, juices, colored beverages, organic beverages, tea, coffee, energy drinks, and any other beverages to which organic and / or inorganic chemical components have been added. Wherein, the reduced drinking water (1) is substantially free of alkaline chemicals, such as but not limited to sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide or sodium bicarbonate; and (2) is substantially free of oxidants, such as but not limited to calcium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, gaseous chlorine, bromine, iodine, ozone or ultraviolet light. Another benefit of the reduction or reconstitution process is that the original color, taste and smell of the reduced drinking water are retained. Substantially free means that the amount of oxidant is less than about 1%, preferably less than about 0.1%, for the indicated substance.

[0083] Under normal storage and handling conditions, hydration (surface tension) and alkalinity (pH) remain stable for at least 12 months after the reconstitution process. Stability studies were conducted by adding 1.0 mg / liter of SSC to the following: (i) 55-gallon barrels made of BPA plastic (human grade) (under zero UV penetration); (ii) 1L metal bottles; (iii) 1L glass bottles; (iv) 1L plastic bottles. Reducing gas was infused into each container for a contact time of 30 minutes. After stabilization, the pH was measured to be about 10. The sealed barrels and bottles were then placed outdoors under atmospheric conditions in Florida, USA for two years. After two years, the pH of the water bottles was still about 10 without any microbial growth.

[0084] The stability of the liquid water is increased because the reduced water is substantially free of oxidants, since they are effectively neutralized by the reduction process, especially oxidants such as calcium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, gaseous chlorine, bromine, iodine, ozone and / or ultraviolet light, etc. The water thus reconstituted can then be used to prepare the cell culture medium of the present invention.

[0085] In some embodiments, the reducing liquid is reconstituted water or a reconstituted aqueous solution.

[0086] In some embodiments, the pH of the reduced liquid obtained is about 7, or 7-14, or 7-13, or 7-12, or 7-11, or 7-10, or 7-9, or 7-8, or 8-14, or 8-13, or 8-12, or 8-11, or 8-10, or 8-9, or 9-14, or 9-13, or 9-12, or 9-11, or 9-10, or 10-14, or 10-13, or 10-12, or 10-11, or 11-14, or 11-13, or 11-12, or 12-14, or 12-13, or 13-14.

[0087] In other embodiments, the pH of the resulting reducing liquid is at least about 7.0.

[0088] In certain other embodiments, the pH of the reduced liquid obtained is at least about 9.5.

[0089] In certain embodiments, the pH of the resulting reducing liquid is at least about 13.0.

[0090] Furthermore, after undergoing the reconstitution process, despite the measured alkaline pH exceeding 9.5, i.e., the equivalent oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) greater than (-300 mv), the resulting solution is still non-corrosive and non-toxic to mammals (e.g., humans and animals (such as pets)) upon contact or ingestion, including even highly alkaline pH exceeding 13.0 and ORP values ​​greater than (-550 mv).

[0091] The addition / infusion of liquid metasilicate is not chemically induced nor is it produced by alkaline chemicals (such as sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, etc.).

[0092] In one aspect, the reconstitution described herein reduces the ORP value of a fluid.

[0093] In some embodiments, the recombination converts the ORP from a positive value to a negative value. Reducing the ORP charge to a negative value is desirable because it relieves the system of oxidative stress, which is known in the art to be detrimental to certain systems.

[0094] In other embodiments, the ORP value of the composition of the present invention is -50mV or less, or -100mV or less, or -200mV or less, or -300mV or less, or -400mV or less, or about -50mV to about -800mV, or about -400mV to about -600mV, preferably about -300mV to about -500mV, more preferably about -200mV to about -400mV. In some embodiments, the ORP value of the composition is -800mV or even lower.

[0095] In addition, the reconstituted form of the liquid will exhibit additional properties, such as a pH greater than 7, reduced surface tension, improved hydration, improved bio-assimilation, increased solubility of organic or inorganic compounds in the liquid, and antimicrobial properties, compared to the non-reconstituted form of the same liquid. Thus, the use of reconstituted liquids to prepare food products imparts antimicrobial (e.g., antibacterial) properties to the food product, thereby increasing shelf life and stability, and reducing or preventing bacterial growth and contamination.

[0096] The present inventors have discovered that the electrolytic process described herein releases free charges through water-based reducing gases and liquid metasilicates and their reducing, highly alkaline, non-alkaline and non-toxic properties.

[0097] The antimicrobial (e.g., disinfection) and bactericidal properties inherent to the reduced reconstituted water or aqueous solution enhance the storage and shelf life of the composition prepared therefrom, making the reconstituted water or reconstituted aqueous solution particularly suitable as a preservative composition or for preparing a preservative composition that imparts antimicrobial properties or activity to a food product. The composition (e.g., preservative composition) prepared by the electrolysis process described herein can be used to prepare a formulation for consumption as food by mammals (e.g., pets or humans) or poultry, fish, reptiles or other animal species. In certain embodiments, the composition is a pet food containing a preservative composition prepared according to the method described herein.

[0098] In one aspect, the food products described herein can be dry pet food, wet pet food (eg, canned pet food), treats, probiotic supplements, vitamins, or other compositions or formulations for oral ingestion by mammals.

[0099] In certain embodiments, the food product or composition is prepared by a process involving mixing a preservative composition (eg, a reconstituted liquid composition) with other ingredients to form a pet food composition.

[0100] In other embodiments, the food products or compositions of the invention are prepared by mixing an already prepared food product or composition with a preservative composition (eg, a reconstituted liquid composition).

[0101] In certain embodiments, the preservative, antioxidant composition is added by mixing with the food product or composition (i.e., before bottling, canning, or storing in any other container (e.g., non-plastic bags, sealed plastic or metal containers, etc.). The volume percentage of the preservative and antioxidant composition depends on the amount of organic matter and its chemical and biochemical properties at the time of packaging (e.g., acidity (pH), COD (chemical oxygen demand, in mg / lt), BOD5 (biochemical oxygen demand after 5 days, in mg / lt), ORP (oxidation-reduction potential, measured in mv), nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, sulfur, moisture percentage, oxidation stability, etc.).

[0102] In certain embodiments, a food product or composition described herein includes a preservative composition in an amount of at least 0.0005% by weight of the food product.

[0103] In certain embodiments, a food product or composition described herein includes a preservative composition in an amount of at least 0.005% by weight of the food product.

[0104] In certain embodiments, the food products or compositions described herein include a preservative composition in an amount from about 0.0005% to about 5% by weight of the food product.

[0105] In certain embodiments, the food products or compositions described herein include a preservative composition in an amount from about 0.001% to about 1% by weight of the food product.

[0106] In certain embodiments, the food products or compositions described herein include a preservative composition in an amount from about 0.002% to about 0.75% by weight of the food product.

[0107] In certain embodiments, the food products or compositions described herein include a preservative composition in an amount from about 0.005% to about 0.5% by weight of the food product.

[0108] In one aspect, one or more ingredients of a pet food composition can be combined with a preservative composition described herein and subsequently blended, purified, compressed into dry granules or tablets, or otherwise mixed or combined to form a stable pet food product.

[0109] In another aspect, a liquid food product or beverage for consumption by a pet (e.g., a mammal) is provided. In one embodiment, a reconstituted liquid is provided for consumption by a pet. In another embodiment, the reconstituted liquid is mixed with one or more other liquids to prepare a liquid food product or beverage for consumption by a pet.

[0110] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides additive compositions. The additive compositions described herein can be used in the electrolysis process described herein (Hydrogas TM ). The additive can be a liquid, solid or semi-liquid (e.g., a gel). The additive can be prepared by the methods described herein, for example, by preparing an aqueous reconstituted liquid. The additive can include one or more flavoring agents, flavor enhancers, stabilizers, emulsifiers or other food grade or food safe ingredients or components.

[0111] In one aspect, the additives described herein can be mixed with the food product during food product preparation (i.e., manufacturing). Alternatively, the additive can be added to the food product or composition after manufacturing (e.g., by a pet owner before feeding the pet).

[0112] Examples

[0113] Example 1: Pet food preservative composition

[0114] This example describes the assays used to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the compositions described herein in preserving pet food compositions.In the following examples, various formulations of preservative compositions were prepared at varying concentrations.

[0115] In each case, the active compound and active silica were prepared by hydrogasing a wet dog food product sample (i.e., infusing the sample with hydrogas as described herein) and then adding reformed sodium metasilicate (RLS) at the concentrations specified below (i.e., 0.002% to 0.10%).

[0116] Four commercially available canned (ie, wet) dog food products were used in the following experiments. For each dog food, four cans were used (three cans for testing and one can for control).

[0117] The dog food used was: (1) Dog High protein gravy( Dog HighProtein in gravy); (2)Blue Wild high protein dog food (Blue Wilderness High Protein Food for Dogs)(chicken and salmon); (3) Chopped Dinner( Chopped Ground Dinner)(Chicken); and (4) Wet dog food buns and sauce toppings ( Wet Dog Food Loaf&Topper in Sauce).

[0118] In all cases, the pH of the control samples was about 4.5, and the pH of the treated samples was above 8.0. The dogs preferentially accepted the treated samples over the untreated (control) samples. The cans of treated food were opened and left for five days. The control cans oxidized after about eight hours, while the treated cans did not oxidize after five days and were consumed normally by the test dogs.

[0119] Specifically, the stability of pet food compositions and the presence of certain microorganisms, i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, Escherichia (Escherichia coli) and total coliforms, were evaluated. Microbiological evaluation was performed according to USP61 and USP62 protocols. A detailed explanation of how to perform these tests can be found, for example, on the official USP.ORG website: (www.usp.org / sites / default / files / usp / document / harmonization / gen-method / q05a_pf_ira_34_6_2008.pdf).

[0120] No caking or discoloration was observed in any of the preservative compositions prepared according to the following examples.

[0121] Additionally, no unpleasant or foul odor is present in any of the preservative compositions of the Examples.

[0122] The uniformity of the preservative compositions in the examples was analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and wavelength matrix analysis. Each of the preservative compositions in the examples exhibited the desired uniformity.

[0123] Furthermore, stability studies indicate that the preservative compositions in the following examples exhibit both microbiological and chemical stability in a 14-day antimicrobial effectiveness test (AET) as well as an accelerated stability evaluation conducted at 40°C.

[0124] [A] Experiment A:

[0125] Fourteen (14) days later, four (4) pet food preservative compositions were evaluated. These four compositions had the following concentrations of active compound (based on the weight of the pet food composition):

[0126] Composition 1.1: 0.01% active

[0127] Composition 1.2: 0.0075% active

[0128] Composition 1.3: 0.005% active

[0129] Composition 1.4: 0.002% active

[0130] The composition was observed to be beige in color (e.g., light brown, off-white, tan) and soft in texture. No discoloration or caking was observed, nor was any unpleasant or foul odor detected.

[0131] The four compositions were evaluated for microbial contamination with the above contaminants. Yeast or mold <1000 colony forming units / gram (CFU / g) were measured in the four compositions. Additionally, total plate counts <1000 CFU / g were measured for all four compositions.

[0132] Additionally, all four compositions were free of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, and Escherichia.

[0133] Staphylococcus aureus was absent in composition 1.1 but was present in compositions 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4.

[0134] Total coliforms were present in compositions 1.3 and 1.4.

[0135] Transmission electron microscopy and wavelength analysis confirmed the uniformity (ie, matrix homogeneity).

[0136] [B] Experiment B

[0137] In this example, four (4) pet food preservative compositions were evaluated after fourteen (14) days. These four compositions had the following concentrations of active compound (based on the weight of the pet food composition):

[0138] Composition 2.1: 0.01% active

[0139] Composition 2.2: 0.02% active

[0140] Composition 2.3: 0.03% active

[0141] Composition 2.4: 0.10% active

[0142] The composition was observed to be beige in color (e.g., light brown, off-white, tan) and soft in texture. No discoloration or caking was observed, nor was any unpleasant or foul odor detected.

[0143] The four compositions were evaluated for microbial contamination with the above contaminants. Yeast or mold <1000 colony forming units / gram (CFU / g) were measured in the four compositions. Additionally, total plate counts <1000 CFU / g were measured for all four compositions.

[0144] Additionally, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, Escherichia, Staphylococcus aureus, and total coliforms were absent in all four compositions.

[0145] Transmission electron microscopy and wavelength analysis confirmed the uniformity (ie, matrix homogeneity).

[0146] [C] Experiment C:

[0147] In this example, four (4) pet food preservative compositions were evaluated after fourteen (14) days. These four compositions had the following concentrations of active compound (based on the weight of the pet food composition):

[0148] Composition 3.1: 0.01% active silicon dioxide

[0149] Composition 3.2: 0.02% active silicon dioxide

[0150] Composition 3.3: 0.03% active silica

[0151] Composition 3.4: 0.10% silica

[0152] The composition was observed to be beige in color (e.g., light brown, off-white, tan) and soft in texture. No discoloration or caking was observed, nor was any unpleasant or foul odor detected.

[0153] The four compositions were evaluated for microbial contamination with the above contaminants. Yeast or mold <1000 colony forming units / gram (CFU / g) were measured in the four compositions. Additionally, total plate counts <1000 CFU / g were measured for all four compositions.

[0154] Additionally, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, Escherichia, Staphylococcus aureus, and total coliforms were absent in all four compositions.

[0155] Transmission electron microscopy and wavelength analysis confirmed the uniformity (ie, matrix homogeneity).

[0156] [D] Experiment D:

[0157] In this example, four (4) pet food preservative compositions were evaluated after fourteen (14) days. These four compositions had the following concentrations of active compound (based on the weight of the pet food composition):

[0158] Composition 4.1: 0.01% active silicon dioxide

[0159] Composition 4.2: 0.0075% active silica

[0160] Composition 4.3: 0.005% active silica

[0161] Composition 4.4: 0.002% silicon dioxide

[0162] The composition was observed to be beige in color (e.g., light brown, off-white, tan) and soft in texture. No discoloration or caking was observed, nor was any unpleasant or foul odor detected.

[0163] The four compositions were evaluated for microbial contamination with the above contaminants. Yeast or mold <1000 colony forming units / gram (CFU / g) were measured in the four compositions. Additionally, total plate counts <1000 CFU / g were measured for all four compositions.

[0164] Additionally, all four compositions were free of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, and Escherichia.

[0165] Staphylococcus aureus was absent from compositions 4.1 and 4.2, but was present in compositions 4.3 and 4.4.

[0166] Total coliforms were absent in compositions 4.1 and 4.2, but were present in compositions 4.3 and 4.4.

[0167] Transmission electron microscopy and wavelength analysis confirmed the uniformity (ie, matrix homogeneity).

[0168] References

[0169] 1. Guidance for Industry, Q2B Validation of Analytical Procedures: Methodology, International Committee for Harmonization, 1996.

[0170] 2. Reviewer's Guide, Validation of Chromatographic Methods, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), 1994.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a preservative and antioxidant food composition, the method comprising: (i) infusing a reducing gas and a metasilicate into an aqueous solution, wherein the infusing involves mixing under turbulent conditions to produce a preservative composition; as well as (ii) mixing the preservative composition with a food composition to produce a preservative food composition; The reducing gas and / or the metasilicate reacts with the aqueous solution to produce a reducing liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value of about -100 mV or less.

2. A method for preparing a preservative and antioxidant food composition, the method comprising: infusing a reducing gas and a metasilicate into a food composition, wherein the infusing involves mixing under turbulent conditions to produce a preservative food composition; The reducing gas and / or the metasilicate reacts with the aqueous solution to produce a reducing liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value of about -100 mV or less.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the reducing gas and / or the metasilicate reacts with the aqueous solution to produce a reducing liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value of about -500 mV or less.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the mixing occurs under turbulent conditions at a flow rate of 100-500 liters of reducing gas per hour for at least five minutes.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the mixing occurs under turbulent conditions at a flow rate of 25-75 liters of reducing gas per hour for at least five minutes.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preservative composition is present in the preservative food composition in an amount of at least 0.0005% by weight of the preservative food composition.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preservative composition is present in the preservative food composition in an amount of at least 0.005% by weight of the preservative food composition.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preservative composition is present in the preservative food composition in an amount of about 0.0005% to about 5% by weight of the food product.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preservative composition is present in the preservative food composition in an amount of about 0.001% to about 1% by weight of the preservative food composition.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preservative composition is present in the preservative food composition in an amount of about 0.002% to about 0.75% by weight of the preservative food composition.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preservative composition is present in the preservative food composition in an amount of about 0.005% to about 0.5% by weight of the preservative food composition.

12. The method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the preservative composition comprises reformed silica.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the silica is reformed liquid sodium metasilicate having a negative ORP of about -250 mv to about -400 mv and a pH of about 12.7 to 13.

7.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the metasilicate is a sodium silicate complex having a pH of 13.

7.

15. A preservative food composition prepared by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The preservative food composition according to claim 15, which is a pet food.

17. The composition of claim 15, wherein the reducing liquid has an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) value of about -500 mV or less.

18. The food composition of claim 14, wherein the food composition is free of Escherichia coli after fourteen days of antimicrobial efficacy testing.

19. The food composition of claim 14, wherein the food composition is free of Salmonella after fourteen days of antimicrobial efficacy testing.

20. The food composition of claim 14, wherein the food composition is free of Pseudomonas aeruginosa after fourteen days of antimicrobial efficacy testing.

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