Method, composition and device for removing oxygen from solutions containing alcohols and/or acids

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a novel method, composition and device for removing dissolved oxygen from solutions containing alcohols and/or acids. By removing oxygen from various products, the present invention is an effective antioxidant for beverages and food products, as well as for industrial and commercial solutions containing alcohols and/or acids.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments, the invention is now claimed to be:  
     
         1 . A method for removing oxygen from a solution containing alcohol comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a solution containing alcohol; and,    b) adding to the alcohol solution a sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging membrane fragments to reduce the oxygen present in the solution to water.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol solution comprises from about 1 to about 18 weight percent ethyl alcohol.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol solution comprises about 9.5 weight percent ethyl alcohol.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein oxygen scavenging membrane fragments contain an electron transport system which reduces to water in solutions containing alcohol.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments are derived from bacteria, yeast, fungi, plants and animals selected from the group consisting of beef heart, potato tubers, spinach, Saccharomyces, Neurospora, Aspergillus, Euglena, Acetobacter, Chlamydomonas, Escherichia, Bacillus, Salmonella, Gluconobacter, and Pseudomonas.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , herein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments are cell membrane fragments derived from the organism  Escherichia coli.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol solution is adjusted to a pH of about 7.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol solution is adjusted to a pH of about 8.4.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol solution is an alcoholic beverage.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol solution is beer.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol solution is wine.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding an organic substrate to the solution containing alcohol.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said substrate is a compound selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, succinic acid, alpha-glycerol phosphate, formic acid, and malic acid or corresponding salts thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adjusting the pH of the alcohol solution to a pH of about 6 to about 9 prior to the addition of the oxygen scavenging membrane fragments.  
     
     
         15 . A device for removing oxygen from a contained alcohol solution comprising a means for containing an alcohol solution having a solution contact surface and a non-solution contact surface, wherein said solution contact surface contains a sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging membrane fragments to reduce the oxygen present in the solution to water.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said contained alcohol solution is an ethanol solution having a pH of about 6 to about 9.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said contained alcohol solution is an ethanol solution having an alcohol content of about 1 to about 18 weight percent.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said contained alcohol solution is an alcoholic beverage.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments are derived from bacteria, yeast, fungi, plants, and animals selected from the group consisting of beef heart, potato tubers, spinach, Saccharomyces, Neurospora, Aspergillus, Euglena, Acetobacter, Chlamydomonas, Escherichia, Bacillus, Salmonella, Gluconobacter, and Pseudomonas.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments are cell membrane fragments derived from the organism  Escherichia coli.    
     
     
         21 . A deoxidizing agent for reducing the dissolved oxygen concentration of a solution containing alcohol, comprised of membrane fragments which possess an electron transport system that reduces oxygen to water in a solution containing alcohol.  
     
     
         22 . The deoxidizing agent of  claim 21 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments are derived from bacteria, yeast, fungi, plants, and animals selected from the group consisting of beef heart, potato tubers, spinach, Saccharomyces, Neurospora, Aspergillus, Euglena, Acetobacter, Chlamydomonas, Escherichia, Bacillus, Salmonella, Gluconobacter, and Pseudomonas.  
     
     
         23 . A method for removing oxygen from an acidic solution comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an acidic solution containing oxygen; and,    b) adding to the acidic solution a sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging membrane fragments to reduce the oxygen present in the solution to water.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments possess an electron transport system which reduces oxygen to water in acidic solutions.  
     
     
         25 . A method for removing oxygen from an acidic solution comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an acidic solution containing oxygen; and,    b) adding to the acidic solution a sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging membrane fragments from an organism of the genus Acetobacter to reduce the oxygen present in the solution to water.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said acidic solution comprises a pH between 2.5 and 7.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments comprise cell membrane fragments from the organism  Acetobacter aceti.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments comprise cell membrane fragments from the organism  Acetobacter aceti,  ATCC No. 23746.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said acidic solution is wine.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said acidic solution is beer.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said acidic solution comprises fruit juices.  
     
     
         32 . A deoxidizing agent for reducing the dissolved oxygen concentration of an acidic solution comprising the cell membrane fragments of an organism from the genus Acetobacter.  
     
     
         33 . A deoxidizing agent for removing the dissolved oxygen from an acidic solution comprising the cell membrane fragments of the organism  Acetobacter aceti.    
     
     
         34 . An antioxidant for preventing the oxidation of an acidic solution comprising the cell membrane fragments of the organism  Acetobacter aceti.    
     
     
         35 . The deoxidizing agent of  claim 32 , wherein said cell membrane fragments are from the organism  Acetobacter aceti,  ATCC No. 23746.  
     
     
         36 . A device for removing oxygen from a contained acidic acid solution comprising a means for containing an acidic acid solution having a solution contact surface and a non-solution contact surface, wherein said solution contact surface contains a sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging membrane fragments to reduce the oxygen present in the solution to water.  
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 36 , wherein said contained acidic solution is an acidic solution having a pH of about 2.5 and 7.  
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 36 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments are cell membrane fragments derived from an organism of the genus Acetobacter.  
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 36 , wherein said oxygen scavenging membrane fragments are cell membrane fragments derived from the organism  Acetobacter aceti.    
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 39  wherein said oxygen scavenging cell membrane fragments are derived from the organism  Acetobacter aceti,  ATCC No. 23746.  
     
     
         41 . A method for removing oxygen from an acidic alcohol solution comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an acidic alcohol solution containing oxygen; and    b) adding to the acidic alcohol solution a sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging cell membrane fragments from an organism of the genus Acetobacter to reduce the oxygen present in the solution to water.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said acidic ethanol solution comprises an ethanol solution having a pH between 2.5 and 7.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said acidic ethanol solution comprises an acidic solution containing from about 1 to about 18 weight percent alcohol.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said acidic alcohol solution comprises an acidic solution containing about 9.5 weight percent ethanol.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said acidic alcohol solution comprises an acidic solution containing about 13 weight percent ethanol.  
     
     
         46 . A method for preventing the enzymatic browning reaction of fruit which has been cut comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing fruit which has been cut; and,    b) coating the cut fruit with a solution containing sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging membrane fragments to prevent oxidation deterioration from occurring.    
     
     
         47 . A method for preventing the enzymatic browning reaction of vegetable which has been cut comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing vegetable which has been cut; and,    b) coating the cut vegetable with a solution containing sufficient amount of oxygen scavenging membrane fragments to prevent oxidation deterioration from occurring.