Environmentally compatible processes compositions and materials treated thereby

Abstract

An environmentally friendly process for treating crops, especially sweet potatoes, to prevent or at least inhibit deterioration of the edible plant matter, involves contacting the plant matter with an aqueous composition including phosphonic acid, also known as phosphorous acid, together with at least one of citric acid, phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid, preferably at least phosphoric acid, sufficient to lower the treating water to a pH of less than 4, and also containing at least one of the metals or metal ions of silver, copper and zinc in an amount of 1 to 1,000 ppm. The composition may optionally also contain hydrogen peroxide.

1 . A method of treating edible plant matter to inhibit deterioration thereof by undesirable microbiological or biochemical processes during storage and handling of the edible plant matter, comprising
 contacting the edible plant matter with an aqueous composition by at least one of dipping the edible plant matter in the aqueous composition, spraying the aqueous composition onto the edible plant matter and exposing the edible matter to a fog of the aqueous composition, wherein   the aqueous composition has a pH no greater than 4 and comprises (1) phosphonic acid, (2) metals or metallic ions of at least one of silver, copper and zinc, present in the aqueous composition in an amount of 1 ppm to 1,000 ppm, and (3) at least one of citric acid, phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the edible matter comprises sweet potatoes. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the metal or metal ions consist essentially of silver. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the acids, other than the phosphonic acid, are at least one of phosphoric acid and citric acid. 
   
   
       5 . A method of killing pathogens in water, comprising
 adding to said water an amount sufficient of a hydrogen peroxide solution having a pH of less than 4, to kill pathogens in said water,   wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution contains metallic ions of silver, copper and zinc,   said metallic ions being present in said hydrogen peroxide solution in an amount of 10 ppb to 5%;   wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution contains peracetic, sulfuric, phosphonic, salicylic, citric and phosphoric acids, and   wherein said solution also contains glycerin.