	US 11,751,581 B2
	Ultraviolet treatment of food products to kill microorganisms while retaining fruit bloom
Ryan Hathaway, Lynn, MA (US); Roger Williams, Acton, MA (US); and Saad Ahmed, Wilmington, MA (US)
Assigned to Xenon Corporation, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by Xenon Corporation, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/215,598.
Application 17/215,598 is a division of application No. 16/388,263, filed on Apr. 18, 2019, granted, now 10,959,441.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/822,292, filed on Mar. 22, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/659,390, filed on Apr. 18, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0212330 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. A23B 7/015 (2006.01); A23L 3/00 (2006.01); A23L 3/005 (2006.01)

CPC A23B 7/015 (2013.01) [A23L 3/001 (2013.01); A23L 3/003 (2013.01); A23L 3/005 (2013.01); A23V 2002/00 (2013.01)]

11 Claims

1. A method for treating unwashed fruit with fruit bloom with a lamp system, the method comprising:

providing a first ultraviolet (UV) energy with one or more flashes using a first set of one or more flash lamps to first surfaces of each of a plurality of blueberries;

providing a second UV energy with one or more flashes using a second set of one or more flash lamps to second surfaces of each of the plurality of blueberries, wherein the first surfaces and the second surfaces are different;

determining a fruit bloom level associated with the plurality of blueberries after provision of the first UV energy and the second UV energy;

determining an adjustment to a parameter of at least one of the first UV energy and the second UV energy based on the fruit bloom level;

providing a first inspection scanner for determining first inspection data associated with a plurality of blueberries, the first inspection data indicating a microorganism level associated with the plurality of blueberries after the provision of the first UV energy and the second UV energy to the plurality of blueberries;

providing a second inspection scanner for determining second inspection data associated with a plurality of blueberries, the second inspection data indicating a fruit bloom level associated with the plurality of blueberries after the provision of the first energy UV and the second UV energy to the plurality of blueberries;

receiving first data including the first inspection data, receive second data including the second inspection data;

determining a first difference between the first data and a first threshold value;

determining a second difference between the second data and a second threshold value, and

determining the adjustment to a parameter of the lamp system based on the first difference and the second difference;

and

providing UV energy with the adjusted parameter to a subsequent set of blueberries to deactivate microorganisms from the blueberries while retaining fruit bloom;

wherein the combination of the first UV energy and the second UV energy comprises multiple energy flashes, each flash having no more than a maximum per pulse energy density of 2 mJ/cm2, the multiple energy pulses having an accumulated energy density of a minimum of 15 mJ/cm2; or

wherein the combination of the first UV energy and the second UV energy comprises multiple energy flashes, each flash having no more than a maximum per pulse energy density of 5 mJ/cm2, the multiple energy pulses having an accumulated energy density of a minimum of 30 mJ/cm2; or

wherein the combination of the first UV energy and the second UV energy comprises multiple energy flashes, each flash having no more than a maximum per pulse energy density of 10 mJ/cm2, the multiple energy pulses having an accumulated energy density of a minimum of 50 mJ/cm2.