Beverage manufacture, processing, packaging and dispensing using electrochemically activated water

Abstract

A system and method for manufacturing, processing, packaging, and dispensing beverages wherein electrochemically-activated water is used to neutralize residual amounts of incompatible flavor ingredients, color ingredients, and alcohol ingredients when transitioning from the processing of one beverage to another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transitioning at least a portion of a beverage processing system from processing a first beverage to processing a second beverage wherein said first beverage includes an ingredient of a product formula of said first beverage which is not compatible with said second beverage, said ingredient is a flavor ingredient, a color ingredient, or an alcohol ingredient, and an amount of said ingredient remains in said portion of said beverage processing system after processing said first beverage, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. delivering an amount of an aqueous dilution of an electrochemically-activated water solution comprising an anolyte through said portion of said beverage processing system effective for oxidizing at least a portion of said ingredient therein and then   b. processing said second beverage in said portion of said processing system,   wherein, said second beverage has a release requirement for taste, color, or alcohol content, and said portion of said ingredient oxidized by said electrochemically-activated water solution in step (a) is an amount sufficient such that said ingredient will not prevent said second beverage from meeting said release requirement, and   said electrochemically-activated water solution has been produced such that, in undiluted form without any non-electrochemically-activated water added thereto, said electrochemically-activated water solution has a pH in a range of from about 4.5 to about 7.5 and an oxidation-reduction potential of at least +650 mV and comprises hypochlorous acid, ozone, peroxide ions, and superoxide ions as its dominant electrolysis products.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said aqueous dilution of said electrochemically-activated water solution has a volume ratio of non-electrochemically-activated water to said electrochemically-activated water solution of at least 60:40. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, when in said undiluted form without any non-electrochemically-activated water added thereto, said electrochemically-activated water solution has a free available oxidant content of less than 300 ppm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said portion of said beverage processing system comprises a fill line for filling bottles or other product packages. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said aqueous dilution of said electrochemically-activated water solution has an oxidation-reduction potential of not more than +900 mV. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said aqueous dilution of said electrochemically-activated water solution has an oxidation-reduction potential of less than +890 mV. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said aqueous dilution of said electrochemically-activated water solution has a free available oxidant concentration of not more than 80 ppm by weight. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein, in said undiluted form without any non-electrochemically-activated water added thereto, said oxidation-reduction potential of said electrochemically-activated water solution is not more than +950 mV. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in said undiluted form without any non-electrochemically-activated water added thereto, said electrochemically-activated water solution consists of said anolyte wherein said anolyte has been harvested from an anodal chamber of an electrochemical reactor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said electrochemically-activated water solution has been produced in an anodal chamber of an electrochemical reactor by reintroducing at least some of a catholyte solution from a cathodal chamber of said electrochemical reactor, without fresh water addition thereto, into said anodal chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said ingredient is a cola flavor ingredient, an apple flavor ingredient, a cherry flavor ingredient, a raspberry flavor ingredient, a black current flavor ingredient, a pineapple flavor ingredient, a bubblegum flavor ingredient, or a strawberry flavor ingredient. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said ingredient is an alcohol ingredient. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said ingredient is a product coloring ingredient. 
     
     
         14 . A method of transitioning at least a portion of a beverage processing system from processing a first beverage to processing a second beverage wherein said first beverage includes an ingredient of a product formula of said first beverage which is not compatible with said second beverage, said ingredient is a flavor ingredient, a color ingredient, or an alcohol ingredient, and an amount of said ingredient remains in said portion of said beverage processing system after processing said first beverage, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. delivering an amount of an aqueous dilution of an electrochemically-activated water solution comprising an anolyte through said portion of said beverage processing system effective for oxidizing at least a portion of said ingredient therein and then   b. processing said second beverage in said portion of said processing system,   wherein, said second beverage has a release requirement for taste, color, or alcohol content and said portion of said ingredient oxidized by said electrochemically-activated water solution in step (a) is an amount sufficient such that said ingredient will not prevent said second beverage from meeting said release requirement,   said aqueous dilution of said electrochemically-activated water solution has an oxidation-reduction potential of less than +900 mV, and   said electrochemically-activated water solution has been produced such that, in undiluted form without any non-electrochemically-activated water added thereto, said electrochemically-activated water solution has a pH in a range of from about 4.5 to about 7.5.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said aqueous dilution of said electrochemically-activated water solution has a volume ratio of non-electrochemically-activated water to said electrochemically-activated water solution of at least 60:40. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said portion of said beverage processing system comprises a fill line for filling bottles or other product packages. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said aqueous dilution of said electrochemically-activated water solution has an oxidation-reduction potential of not more than +890 mV. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein in said undiluted form without any non-electrochemically-activated water added thereto, said electrochemically-activated water solution consists of said anolyte wherein said anolyte has been harvested from an anodal chamber of an electrochemical reactor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said electrochemically-activated water solution has been produced in an anodal chamber of an electrochemical reactor by reintroducing at least some of a catholyte solution from a cathodal chamber of said electrochemical reactor, without fresh water addition thereto, into said anodal chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said ingredient is a cola flavor ingredient, an apple flavor ingredient, a cherry flavor ingredient, a raspberry flavor ingredient, a black current flavor ingredient, a pineapple flavor ingredient, a bubblegum flavor ingredient, or a strawberry flavor ingredient. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said ingredient is an alcohol ingredient. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said ingredient is a product coloring ingredient.