Fresh-cut Produce Cleaning via Vertical Fall and Upward Spray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for washing fresh-cut produce are inefficient in removing organic exudate and foreign materials, leading to reduced sanitizer effectiveness, contamination risks, and the formation of harmful by-products, while also being costly in terms of water and chemical usage.
Innovation Solution
A system where fresh-cut produce is allowed to fall through a chute while being sprayed with a produce-washing liquid and/or air, causing it to tumble and increase exposure time, thereby enhancing sanitization and separation of organic materials from the produce.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If produce is washed in a flume or on a moving belt with sprayed solution, then the produce is cleaned and sanitized, but the exposure time to washing solution is insufficient leading to inadequate microbial inactivation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the produce horizontally on a belt or through a flume, the invention inverts the approach by allowing produce to fall vertically downward while spraying washing solution upward against it. This inversion creates counter-current flow that increases exposure time and enhances cleaning effectiveness without requiring long horizontal conveyance distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic spraying of washing solution in synchronisation with the downward movement of produce. The intermittent spray cycles create repeated wetting and tumbling actions that enhance exposure time and microbial inactivation effectiveness compared to continuous low-velocity flow systems.
2Reliability
If sanitizer concentration is increased to ensure adequate microbial inactivation, then microbial reduction is improved, but product damage occurs due to excessive exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the washing system by creating vertical downward motion of produce combined with upward spray flow. This parameter change increases the effective exposure time and turbulence, allowing adequate microbial inactivation at lower sanitizer concentrations that would otherwise require excessive concentration or time in horizontal flow systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system induces mechanical tumbling and vibration of produce as it falls and is sprayed. This mechanical action enhances the penetration of sanitizing solution into produce surfaces and crevices, improving microbial inactivation effectiveness without requiring increased chemical concentration that could damage product quality.
3Reliability
If chlorine and sanitizer chemicals are continuously added to maintain active sanitizer levels, then microbial inactivation is maintained, but the cost of chemical usage increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes organic exudate from produce surfaces early in the washing process through enhanced mechanical tumbling and spray action. By removing organic material that consumes sanitizers, the system reduces the rate of sanitizer depletion, thereby reducing the amount of make-up chemical needed to maintain effective sanitizer levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-cleaning mechanisms where the downward falling produce naturally tumbles and reorients itself, creating self-enhanced exposure to washing solution without requiring additional mechanical agitation devices. This self-service approach improves cleaning efficiency and reduces sanitizer consumption compared to systems requiring continuous chemical supplementation.
4Reliability
If organic exudate accumulates in wash water, then the wash solution becomes less effective for microbial inactivation, but increasing sanitizer addition creates harmful by-products
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary removal of organic exudate through enhanced mechanical tumbling and spray action before the produce contacts the sanitizing solution. By pre-cleaning organic material, the system prevents excessive consumption of sanitizers by organic matter, thereby preventing the formation of harmful chlorinated by-products while maintaining microbial inactivation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the naturally occurring downward fall of produce, which would normally be a simple gravitational process, into a beneficial tumbling and reorienting mechanism. This converts gravitational energy into mechanical agitation that enhances cleaning efficiency and reduces organic load in wash water, preventing harmful by-product formation without sacrificing microbial inactivation capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively removes organic exudate and foreign materials, reduces sanitizer usage, and minimizes water consumption, while providing thorough sanitization and reducing contamination risks, as demonstrated by comparative test data showing improved chlorine demand, chemical oxygen demand, absorbance, and turbidity reductions.
Implementation Method 1
as the produce falls, it is impacted, reoriented, cleaned, and/or sanitized by the produce-washing liquid
Implementation Method 2
its fall is retarded by a generally upwardly flow of produce-washing liquid
Implementation Method 3
an air flow is also directed upwardly to further slow the descent of the produce and thereby increase the tumbling motion
Implementation Method 4
cleaned by the produce-washing liquid
Implementation Method 5
sanitized by the produce-washing liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The system for cleaning fresh and freshly-cut produce is designed to clean produce as soon as practicable after the produce is cut. As the produce falls downwardly, a spray manifold directs a produce-washing liquid upwardly so that the produce-washing liquid directly sprays and impacts the falling produce. The impact of the produce-washing liquid causes the produce to tumble and the descent of the produce is slowed, and consequently the produce is thoroughly coated and cleaned by the produce-washing liquid. In an alternative embodiment, a suspending fluid (preferably air) is simultaneously directed to the falling produce to slow the descent of the produce and further ensure that the produce is thoroughly washed and directly sprayed by the produce-washing liquid.