Process for improving the durability of, and/or stabilizing, microbially perishable products

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for improving the durability of, and/or stabilizing, microbially perishable products, in which, during the process for preparing, processing or packaging the products, their surfaces and/or their environment, in particular the environmental air and/or the surfaces of the utensils or other materials which come directly or indirectly into contact with the products, are impacted with one or more process adjuvants, the process adjuvant comprising at least one microbicidally active flavouring substance.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A method for the improvement of the keeping quality and/or stabilization of microbially perishable products, wherein the surfaces of the products and/or their environment, especially the ambient air and/or the surfaces of the equipment or other materials immediately or intermediately contacting the products, are treated with one or more processing aids prior to, during or after the process for the manufacturing, processing or packaging of the products, wherein said processing aids are microbicidal compositions comprising at least two microbicidally active GRAS (generally recognized as safe) flavoring agents, said at least two GRAS flavoring agents being selected from the following group of combinations of GRAS flavoring agents: 
 (i) GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (ii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS phenol; (iii) GRAS alcohol and GRAS phenol; (iv) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS phenol; (v) GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (vi) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (vii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (viii) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (ix) GRAS alcohol, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (x) GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xi) GRAS alcohol and GRAS acetate; (xii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acetate; (xiii) GRAS alcohol and GRAS alcohol; (xiv) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS aldehyde; (xv) GRAS acetate and GRAS acetate; (xvi) GRAS acetal and GRAS acetal; (xvii) GRAS phenol and GRAS phenol; (xviii) GRAS acid and GRAS acid; (xix) GRAS ester and GRAS ester; (xx) GRAS terpene and GRAS terpene; (xxi) GRAS phenol and GRAS polyphenol; (xxii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol, GRAS acid and GRAS acetate; (xxiii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acetate; (xxiv) GRAS acetate and GRAS phenol; (xxv) GRAS acetate and GRAS acid; (xxvi) GRAS acetate and GRAS aldehyde; (xxvii) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xxviii) GRAS acetate, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (xxix) GRAS acetate, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xxx) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (xxxi) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xxxii) GRAS acetal, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xxxiii) GRAS acetal and GRAS phenol; (xxxiv) GRAS acetal and GRAS acid; (xxxv) GRAS acetal and GRAS alcohol; (xxxvi) GRAS acetal, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xxxvii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol, GRAS terpene and GRAS acid; (xxxviii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xxxix) GRAS ester and GRAS acid; (xl) GRAS ester and GRAS phenol; (xli) GRAS ester and GRAS acetate; (xlii) GRAS ester and GRAS aldehyde; (xliii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xliv) GRAS terpene, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlv) GRAS terpene, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xlvi) GRAS terpene, GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlvii) GRASs terpene, GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xlviii) GRAS polyphenol, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlix) GRAS terpene and GRAS acid; (l) GRAS terpene and GRAS phenol; (li) GRAS terpene and GRAS acetate; (lii) GRAS terpene and GRAS aldehyde; and (liii) GRAS polyphenol, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 (a) said GRAS alcohols are selected from acetoin, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, propylene glycol, glycerol, n-butyl alcohol, iso-butyl alcohol, hexyl alcohol, L-menthol, octyl alcohol, cinnamyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, 1-pentanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, anisic alcohol, citronellol, n-decanol, geraniol, 3-hexenol, linalool, nerolidol, 2,6-nonadiene-1-ol, nonyl alcohol, rhodinol, terpineol, borneol, clineol, cuminyl alcohol, 10-undecene-1-ol, and 1-hexadecanol;    (b) said GRAS aldehydes are selected from acetaldehyde, anisic aldehyde, benzaldehyde, methyl-1-propanol, citral, citronellal, n-decanal, ethylvanillin, furfural, heliotropin, heptanal, hexanal, 2-hexenal, 3-phenyl-1-propanal, dodecanal, nonyl aldehyde, octyl aldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, propanal, vanillin, cinnamic aldehyde, perillaldehyde, and cuminaldehyde;    (c) said GRAS phenols are selected from thymol, methyleugenol, acetyleugenol, safrol, eugenol, isoeugenol, anethole, phenol, methylchavicol, carvacrol, α-bisabolol, fornesol, anisole, and propenylguaethol;    (d) said GRAS acetates are selected from iso-amyl acetate, benzyl acetate, benzylphenyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, cinnamyl acetate, citronellyl acetate, ethyl acetate, eugenol acetate, geranyl acetate, hexyl acetate, hydrocinnamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, octyl acetate, phenylethyl acetate, terpinyl acetate, triacetin, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, and calcium acetate;    (e) said GRAS acids are selected from acetic acid, aconitic acid, adipic acid, formic acid, malic acid, capronic acid, 3-phenyl-1-propionic acid, nonanoic acid, lactic acid, phenoxyacetic acid, phenylacetic acid, valeric acid, iso-valeric acid, cinnamic acid, citric acid, mandelic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, tannic acid, and/or their physiologically acceptable salts;    (f) said GRAS terpenes are selected from camphor, limonene, and β-caryophyllene; and    (g) said GRAS acetals are selected from acetal, acetaldehyde dibutyl acetal, acetaldehyde dipropyl acetal, acetaldehyde phenethyl propyl acetal, cinnamic aldehyde ethylene glycol acetal, decanal dimethyl acetal, heptanal dimethyl acetal, heptanal glyceryl acetal, and benzaldehyde propylene glycol acetal.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said processing aid has a microbicidal activity period of less than 24 hours.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to claim  3 , wherein the microbicidal activity period of said processing aids is below 1 hour.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , comprising the step of treating the products with said processing aid by means of brushing, spreading, emulsifying, spraying, nebulizing and/or volatizing the processing aid and/or during the separating, cleaning and/or cutting of the product.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said processing aid contains less than 50% by weight of isopropanol or of a mixture of ethanol and isopropanol.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to claim 18, wherein the proportion of flavoring agents in said processing aid is from 0.05 to 100% by weight.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the proportion of flavoring agents in said processing aid is 100% by weight.  
     
     
         26 . A microbicidal composition comprising at least two microbicidally active GRAS (generally recognized as safe) flavoring agents, said at least two GRAS flavoring agents being selected from the following group of combinations of GRAS flavoring agents: 
 (i) GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (ii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS phenol; (iii) GRAS alcohol and GRAS phenol; (iv) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS phenol; (v) GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (vi) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (vii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (viii) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (ix) GRAS alcohol, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (x) GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xi) GRAS alcohol and GRAS acetate; (xii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acetate; (xiii) GRAS alcohol and GRAS alcohol; (xiv) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS aldehyde; (xv) GRAS acetate and GRAS acetate; (xvi) GRAS acetal and GRAS acetal; (xvii) GRAS phenol and GRAS phenol; (xviii) GRAS acid and GRAS acid; (xix) GRAS ester and GRAS ester; (xx) GRAS terpene and GRAS terpene; (xxi) GRAS phenol and GRAS polyphenol; (xxii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol, GRAS acid and GRAS acetate; (xxiii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acetate; (xxiv) GRAS acetate and GRAS phenol; (xxv) GRAS acetate and GRAS acid; (xxvi) GRAS acetate and GRAS aldehyde; (xxvii) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xxviii) GRAS acetate, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (xxix) GRAS acetate, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xxx) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (xxxi) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xxxii) GRAS acetal, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xxxiii) GRAS acetal and GRAS phenol; (xxxiv) GRAS acetal and GRAS acid; (xxxv) GRAS acetal and GRAS alcohol; (xxxvi) GRAS acetal, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xxxvii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol, GRAS terpene and GRAS acid; (xxxviii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xxxix) GRAS ester and GRAS acid; (xl) GRAS ester and GRAS phenol; (xli) GRAS ester and GRAS acetate; (xlii) GRAS ester and GRAS aldehyde; (xliii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xliv) GRAS terpene, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlv) GRAS terpene, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xlvi) GRAS terpene, GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlvii) GRASs terpene, GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xlviii) GRAS polyphenol, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlix) GRAS terpene and GRAS acid; (l) GRAS terpene and GRAS phenol; (li) GRAS terpene and GRAS acetate; (lii) GRAS terpene and GRAS aldehyde; and (liii) GRAS polyphenol, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde.    
     
     
         27 . A processing aid for treating the surface of microbially perishable products by means of brushing, spreading, emulsifying, spraying, nebulizing and/or volatizing and/or during the separating, cleaning and/or cutting of the products, said processing aid comprising a microbicidal composition comprising at least two microbicidally active GRAS (generally recognized as safe) flavoring agents, said at least two GRAS flavoring agents being selected from the following group of combinations of GRAS flavoring agents: 
 (i) GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (ii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS phenol; (iii) GRAS alcohol and GRAS phenol; (iv) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS phenol; (v) GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (vi) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (vii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (viii) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (ix) GRAS alcohol, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (x) GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xi) GRAS alcohol and GRAS acetate; (xii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acetate; (xiii) GRAS alcohol and GRAS alcohol; (xiv) GRAS aldehyde and GRAS aldehyde; (xv) GRAS acetate and GRAS acetate; (xvi) GRAS acetal and GRAS acetal; (xvii) GRAS phenol and GRAS phenol; (xviii) GRAS acid and GRAS acid; (xix) GRAS ester and GRAS ester; (xx) GRAS terpene and GRAS terpene; (xxi) GRAS phenol and GRAS polyphenol; (xxii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol, GRAS acid and GRAS acetate; (xxiii) GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde, GRAS phenol and GRAS acetate; (xxiv) GRAS acetate and GRAS phenol; (xxv) GRAS acetate and GRAS acid; (xxvi) GRAS acetate and GRAS aldehyde; (xxvii) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xxviii) GRAS acetate, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (xxix) GRAS acetate, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xxx) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol, GRAS aldehyde and GRAS acid; (xxxi) GRAS acetate, GRAS alcohol, GRAS phenol and GRAS acid; (xxxii) GRAS acetal, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xxxiii) GRAS acetal and GRAS phenol; (xxxiv) GRAS acetal and GRAS acid; (xxxv) GRAS acetal and GRAS alcohol; (xxxvi) GRAS acetal, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xxxvii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol, GRAS terpene and GRAS acid; (xxxviii) GRAS ester, GRASalcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xxxix) GRAS esterand GRAS acid; (xl) GRAS ester and GRAS phenol; (xli) GRAS ester and GRAS acetate; (xlii) GRAS ester and GRAS aldehyde; (xliii) GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xliv) GRAS terpene, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlv) GRAS terpene, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xlvi) GRAS terpene, GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlvii) GRASs terpene, GRAS ester, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde; (xlviii) GRAS polyphenol, GRAS alcohol and GRAS acid; (xlix) GRAS terpene and GRAS acid; (l) GRAS terpene and GRAS phenol; (li) GRAS terpene and GRAS acetate; (lii) GRAS terpene and GRAS aldehyde; and (liii) GRAS polyphenol, GRAS alcohol and GRAS aldehyde.