200812508 九、發明說明： 【發明所屬之技術領域】 渔度之微粒醫藥及 本發明係關於利用高頻微波對乾或低 艮物產口口的低溫殺菌及滅菌0 【先前技術】 常常需要食物產品之滅g或低溫殺菌以便較佳保存產品 且防止腐敗。對於消費者而言，其亦 々货、有利的以便避务合200812508 IX. Description of the invention: [Technical field of invention] The particulate medicine of fishing degree and the invention relate to low-temperature sterilization and sterilization of dry or low-lying products using high-frequency microwaves. [Prior Art] Food products are often required. G or low temperature sterilization to better preserve the product and prevent spoilage. For the consumer, it is also good for goods, and it is beneficial to avoid
物中毒或錢。 ㉟ 當前已知用於低溫殺菌及滅菌乾產品之許多方法。一種 該方法為暴露至諸如氧化乙稀之氣體。此方法具有缺點。 乳化乙稀為-有毒且易燃氣體，使得使用氧化乙烯危險， 且该方法可能在產品中產生有毒殘留物。 用於食物之滅菌或低溫殺菌之另一方法為使用電離輻 射’諸如來自Co_6G或㈤37之伽馬射線，放射性同位 素：或加速電子。然而，消費者謹防輻射食物，且分子級 之幸田射之效應可能不被充分理解。 干亦可（例如）藉由熱風加熱食物產品。&方法具有缺點： 而要相對較長之處理時間及高溫，可能不利地影響某些食 物產品之物理或化學特徵。 藉由瘵A加熱需要相對高之溫度（儘管通常低於乾熱）且 口用於對溼度敏感之產品（諸如，嬰兒配方食品粉末）。 、 加熱方法使用微波輻射殺死食物產品中之微生物。 2低溫殺菌及滅菌㈣’已主要對液體產品藉由使用微 '田射進仃加熱。用於乾產品之微波方法受限於需以相對 122432.doc 200812508 緩慢之加熱速率對整體物質進行相對低溫加熱，此不適合 於加熱敏感性食物產品（諸如，嬰兒配方食品）。此外，目 ' ;乾良物產之低溫微波方法僅具有一破壞對於有生 存力且休眠之有機體僅有有限之破壞能力。 【發明内容】Poison or money. 35 Many methods for sterilizing and sterilizing dry products are currently known. One method is exposure to a gas such as ethylene oxide. This method has disadvantages. Emulsified ethylene is a toxic and flammable gas, making it dangerous to use ethylene oxide, and this method may produce toxic residues in the product. Another method for sterilization or low temperature sterilization of food is to use ionizing radiation 'such as gamma rays from Co_6G or (v) 37, radioisotopes: or accelerated electrons. However, consumers are wary of irradiating food, and the effects of molecular-level homicide may not be fully understood. Drying can also heat the food product, for example by hot air. & methods have disadvantages: However, relatively long processing times and high temperatures can adversely affect the physical or chemical characteristics of certain food products. Heating by 瘵A requires relatively high temperatures (although usually below dry heat) and the mouth is used for moisture sensitive products (such as infant formula powders). The heating method uses microwave radiation to kill microorganisms in the food product. 2 low temperature sterilization and sterilization (4) 'has been mainly used for liquid products by using micro-field injection heating. Microwave methods for dry products are limited by the relatively low temperature heating of the bulk material at a slow heating rate relative to 122432.doc 200812508, which is not suitable for heating sensitive food products (such as infant formulas). In addition, the low-temperature microwave method of the dry product has only one damage and has only limited damage to the living and dormant organisms. [Summary of the Invention]
本t月為一種用具有足以在一簡短時間週期中穿透受處 理食物或醫藥產品之—頻率及功率密度的微波輻射來加熱 该產品而對該產品進行滅菌或低溫殺g的方法。在本發明 之實踐中，合適的微波頻率通常將在自大約1〇〇 MH/至 fHz之範圍中，且合適的功率密度通常將在100瓦特/ 公分2至160萬瓦特/公分2之大致範圍中。較佳地，產品經 曝露於微波期間之時間週期不大於大約60秒，更佳為大約 0.001秒至5秒’且最佳不大於大約一秒。處理產品之微波 之頻率及持續時間可足以殺死目標微生物，而不提高整體 產品之溫度至足以產生將不利地影響產品之品質的顯著物 理或化學變化。 、可以分批法、半連續法或連續法實踐本發明。當本發明 為:連續法時，乾微粒醫藥或食物產品可連續流動穿過一 U波腔至以使得該產品之每一微粒接收適當量之微波輻射 以對該產品進行滅菌或低溫殺菌而不加熱整體產品至足以 產生其他顯著變化。 【實施方式】 本發明提供—種藉由使乾微粒醫藥及食物產品曝露於微 波歷時-段簡短時間以破壞有生存力之微生物及其抱子， 122432.doc 200812508 但不使整體物質加熱至足以在物質中產生顯著物理或化學 變化而對乾微粒醫藥及食物產品進行低溫殺菌及滅菌的方 法’其中該等顯著物理或化學變化將不利地影響產品之品 質。This month is a method of sterilizing or chilling a product by heating it with microwave radiation having a frequency and power density sufficient to penetrate the treated food or medical product in a short period of time. In the practice of the present invention, a suitable microwave frequency will typically be in the range of from about 1 〇〇 MH / to fHz, and a suitable power density will typically be in the approximate range of 100 watts / cm 2 to 1.6 million watts / cm 2 in. Preferably, the time period during which the product is exposed to the microwave is no more than about 60 seconds, more preferably from about 0.001 second to 5 seconds' and most preferably no more than about one second. The frequency and duration of the microwaves of the treated product may be sufficient to kill the target microorganism without increasing the temperature of the overall product to produce significant physical or chemical changes that would adversely affect the quality of the product. The invention may be practiced in a batch process, a semi-continuous process or a continuous process. When the present invention is a continuous process, the dry particulate medicine or food product can be continuously flowed through a U-wave cavity such that each particle of the product receives an appropriate amount of microwave radiation to sterilize or sterilize the product without Heating the overall product is sufficient to produce other significant changes. [Embodiment] The present invention provides a method for destroying viable microorganisms and their stalks by exposing dry microparticle medicines and food products to microwaves for a short period of time, 122432.doc 200812508 without heating the whole substance sufficiently A method of sterilizing and sterilizing dry microparticle medicines and food products by producing significant physical or chemical changes in the material 'where such significant physical or chemical changes will adversely affect the quality of the product.
一特定處理是否將產生一顯著物理或化學變化部分取決 於物質之特性。食物及醫藥產品通常具有關於諸如效能、 言養彳貝值及熟習此項技術者已知之其他特徵之特徵的特定 取小品質標準，許多品質標準係藉由政府管制來設定。此 外，產品需要滿足消費者之品質期望以便成功，該等期望 可涉及外觀、味覺、嗅覺、紋理等等。在本發明之實踐 中’應4擇本發明使用之實施例以避免或最小化產品之物 理或化予、’义化，該等物理或化學變化將以對正被處理之產 品類型有意義的任何方式降低產品之品f。熟習此項技術 者將合易理解產品之品質是否被顯著降低。 , S月之較佳貫施例中，提供一種用於藉由使乾微 粒醫^及食物產品曝露於具有⑼MHZ至11G咖之 大致乾圍中之頻率的微波同時流體化該物質及./或在一封 包中或在一傳送帶上傳送該物質以破壞有生存力之微生物 及八孢子而對乾微粒醫藥及食物產品進行低溫殺菌及滅菌 、勺方法纟一特定較佳實施例中，在一傳送帶上經過-微 波源輸送物曾，甘— m 、/、在一您封封包中或在一經關閉或與外部 環境阻隔開之傳送帶上輸送。 在本發明之—高度較佳實施例中，存在乾微粒物質之一 經過微波源之連續流動，該連續流動允許大量物質在一段 122432.doc 200812508 簡短時間中之有效處理。 、在本ix明之另一高度較佳實施例中，可使用一封入一微 皮透波物貝中之傳送裝置輸送物質經過微波源。 w在本&明之貫踐中，可吹入氣體穿過微波腔室及/或沿 著二正輪送待處理之物質之傳送帶吹入一氣體。該氣體可 :σ於：或多個目的，包括(但不限於)：保持物質在處理 厂 又匕熱，避免不需要的物理或化學變化；控制正被 處理之物質之運動及位置，尤其當該物質為一乾微粒物質 w ^1 ° ^ ^ ^^a 11 ^# ^ ^ ^ 1 氬氦、氮或其類似物）降低物質在處理期間被氧 化之可能性。 本I月依賴於在乾醫藥或食物產品中含有微生物之目桿 微粒相比於其他微粒的較高溼度含量。咸信潮濕微粒比乾 微粒吸收更多微波’從而導致目標微生物之優先加熱。在 此方法中’高頻微波經濃縮至在—秒鐘的若干分之幾中將 增加目標微粒之溫度的位準且將主要影響諸如不穩定且休 眠之微生物之彼等微粒的溫度而不提高產品中之具有一較 低水含量之其他組份的溫度。 +可藉由本發明之方法對一乾微粒食物或醫藥產品進行滅 菌或低溫殺菌但不装者赤s + t …、…、次另外有害地影響整體食物或醫藥 之物理或化學性能。本發明能夠藉由藉由過度溫度產生微 生物之内部局部加熱及/或藉由在微生物内建立過度内部 壓力以引起溶@而純化不穩定且休眠之微生物。 本發明之方法需要將目標微粒曝露於一高功率密度之微 I22432.doc 200812508 波場歷時不大於大約60秒。較少曝露時間係所要的，例如 大約H)秒或更少，更佳不大於大約五秒，且最佳不大於大 約一秒。將需要一引起物質之低溫殺菌或滅菌之最小曝露 時間，該最小曝露時間常常為大約〇〇〇1秒或更多。實際 最小及最大曝露時間將取決於正被處理之物質之组人:’丁、 施加於物質之微波場之頻率及密度’及正被處理之物質之 厚度及/或f量D其中（例如）在—傳送帶上輸送該物質穿過 微波場，可調節輸送之速度以達成所要之曝露時間。孰習 此項=者可容易地確定一用於—特定物質及裝置之；:適 的曝鉻呤間而無需過度實驗。 去：：熟習此項技術者而言，以下將係顯而易見的：該方 法品要微波穿透整個物質且微波被目標微生物充分吸收。 以下將係進一步顯而荔目沾叹 ^ 、 、·為了確保微波之該穿透及吸 收，可能存在對目標物質之者 取決於經低溫殺菌或滅菌：貫際限制’該等限制將 及組態、微波輻射之強度及 尺寸 待處理之物質之—合適厚二及。其他因素。-般而言， 習此項技術者可容易之大致範圍中。熟 無需過度實驗。對-特定裝置及物質之限制而 粒適合於對乾的或具有低渥度含量之固體微 化式的食物產品或罄蘊 發明之方法較佳用於對粉末=進行滅菌或低溫殺菌。本 或低溫殺Pi y式之嬰兒配方食品進行滅菌 :低…。可藉由 乾燥)而自嬰兒配方 *由在贺務乾㈣中 口口之S水形態製備此種粉末以產生 I22432.doc 200812508 嬰兒配方食品粉末。舉i? Ά? ^ σ /v « ^七兄配方食品含有嬰兒需要之營養 素，詳言之，碳水化合物（較佳，乳糖）、脂質、蛋白質、 礦物及維生素。 ' 呈現以下實例以說明本發明之特定實施例，但以下實例 • 不應被解釋為限制本發明之範噚。 • 實例1 將一 1.5公分高X 1公分直徑之鐵氟龍（Tefl〇n)燒杯中所含 • 冑的1克嬰兒配方食品粉末樣本置放於-微波腔室中且用 具有-2.54 GHz之頻率及與細瓦特/公分2__般低之功率密 度的微波處理該樣本歷時大約2〇秒。樣本之在處理之前與 處理之後的分析展示如藉由好氧性生菌數(A p c )量測的有 生存力之微生物之數目中的一顯著降低。 實例2 將一 1.5公分高X丨公分直徑之鐵氟龍燒杯中所含有的工克 嬰兒配方食品粉末樣本置放於一微波腔室中且用具有一】 _ GHz之頻率及一 30,000瓦特/公分2之功率密度的微波處理 該樣本歷時大約0.001秒。該樣本之在處理之前與處理之 後的分析展示枯草芽孢桿菌⑺endospores)中之6 • 個數量級（six log)之降低。 ^ 熟習此項技術者將想到本文中未加以說明的本發明之許 多變化。本發明不限於本文中所說明及描述之實施例，但 包含隨附申請專利範圍之範疇内之所有標的物。 122432.docWhether a particular treatment will produce a significant physical or chemical change depends in part on the nature of the material. Food and pharmaceutical products typically have specific small quality criteria regarding characteristics such as efficacy, mussel value, and other characteristics known to those skilled in the art, many of which are set by government regulation. In addition, products need to meet the quality expectations of consumers in order to succeed, and such expectations may relate to appearance, taste, smell, texture, and the like. In the practice of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention are used to avoid or minimize the physical or chemical nature of the product, and such physical or chemical changes will be meaningful to the type of product being processed. Way to reduce the product f. Those skilled in the art will understand whether the quality of the product is significantly reduced. , in a preferred embodiment of S, providing a method for simultaneously fluidizing a substance by exposing dry microparticles and food products to microwaves having a frequency of (9) MHZ to 11G coffee. Low temperature sterilization and sterilization of dry microparticle medicines and food products in a package or on a conveyor belt to destroy viable microorganisms and octapores, in a particularly preferred embodiment, in a conveyor belt The upper-microwave source has been transported in a package or in a conveyor that is closed or blocked from the external environment. In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention, there is a continuous flow of one of the dry particulate matter through the microwave source which allows a substantial amount of material to be effectively processed in a short period of time 122432.doc 200812508. In another highly preferred embodiment of the present invention, a transfer device for transporting material into a microdermabrasion article can be used to transport material through the microwave source. In the present invention, it is possible to blow a gas through a microwave chamber and/or a conveyor belt that feeds the material to be treated along the two positive wheels. The gas may be: σ at: or for a number of purposes, including (but not limited to): maintaining the substance in the treatment plant while heating, avoiding unwanted physical or chemical changes; controlling the movement and location of the material being treated, especially when The material is a dry particulate material w ^1 ° ^ ^ ^^a 11 ^ # ^ ^ ^ 1 Argon argon, nitrogen or the like) reduces the likelihood of the material being oxidized during processing. This month of January relies on the higher moisture content of the target rod particles containing microorganisms in dry medicine or food products compared to other particles. Salty wet particles absorb more microwaves than dry particles, resulting in preferential heating of the target microorganism. In this method, 'concentrating the high frequency microwave to a fraction of the second will increase the level of the temperature of the target particle and will primarily affect the temperature of the particles such as unstable and dormant microorganisms without increasing The temperature of other components in the product that have a lower water content. + A dry particulate food or pharmaceutical product can be sterilized or sterilized by the method of the present invention, but the physic or chemical properties of the whole food or medicine are additionally adversely affected by the red s + t ..., .... The present invention is capable of purifying unstable and dormant microorganisms by generating internal localized heating of the microorganisms by excessive temperature and/or by creating excessive internal pressure within the microorganisms to cause dissolution. The method of the present invention entails exposing the target particles to a high power density micro-I22432.doc 200812508 wavefield duration of no more than about 60 seconds. Less exposure time is desirable, for example about H) seconds or less, more preferably no more than about five seconds, and most preferably no more than about one second. A minimum exposure time will be required which will cause low temperature sterilization or sterilization of the material, which is typically about 1 second or more. The actual minimum and maximum exposure times will depend on the group of substances being processed: 'D, the frequency and density of the microwave field applied to the substance' and the thickness and/or amount of material D being treated (for example) The substance is transported through the microwave field on a conveyor belt, and the speed of delivery can be adjusted to achieve the desired exposure time. Mistakes This item can be easily determined for a specific substance and device;: Suitable for chrome exposure without undue experimentation. Go to: For those skilled in the art, the following will be apparent: the method requires microwaves to penetrate the entire material and the microwaves are fully absorbed by the target microorganism. The following will further highlight the apprehension ^, , · In order to ensure the penetration and absorption of microwaves, there may be a target substance depending on the low temperature sterilization or sterilization: the internal limit 'the restrictions and the configuration The intensity of the microwave radiation and the size of the material to be treated - suitable for thickness II. other factors. In general, the subject of this technology can be easily approximated. Cooked without undue experimentation. For the specific device and substance limitations, the granules are suitable for dry or low-twist content solid-digested food products or methods of the invention. The method of the invention is preferably used for sterilizing or sterilizing powders. This or low temperature kill Pi y infant formula is sterilized: low... The formula can be prepared from the infant by drying. * This powder is prepared from the S water form of the mouth in the dry (4) to produce the I22432.doc 200812508 infant formula powder. i i? Ά? ^ σ /v « ^The seven brother formula contains nutrients for infants, in particular, carbohydrates (preferred, lactose), lipids, proteins, minerals and vitamins. The following examples are presented to illustrate specific embodiments of the invention, but the following examples are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. • Example 1 A 1 gram infant formula powder sample contained in a 1.5 cm high X 1 cm diameter Teflon (Tefl〇n) beaker was placed in a microwave chamber with a -2.54 GHz Microwave processing of the frequency and power density as low as watts/cm 2__ The sample lasted approximately 2 sec. The analysis of the sample before and after treatment showed a significant decrease in the number of viable microorganisms as measured by the aerobic bacterial count (A p c ). Example 2 A sample of a gram of infant formula contained in a 1.5 cm high X 丨 cm diameter Teflon beaker was placed in a microwave chamber with a frequency of _ GHz and a 30,000 watt/cm Microwave processing of a power density of 2 The sample lasted approximately 0.001 seconds. The analysis of the sample before and after treatment showed a reduction of 6 • sixth log in B. subtilis (7) endospores. Many variations of the invention not described herein will occur to those skilled in the art. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described herein, but all the subject matter within the scope of the appended claims. 122432.doc