Preferential heating of materials by use of non-ionising electromagnetic radiation

摘要

A method and apparatus for preferential heating of materials, such as pharmaceuticals and food products, by exposing the material to high intensity, pulsed, non-ionising electromagnetic radiation. The micro-organisms are exposed to pulsed microwave radiation that has a pulse duration of less than 1 second, a pulse frequency of less than 100 pulses per second, an average power of at least 1 kW, and a peak power of at least 3kW which destroys the micro-organisms without the substantial heating of the surrounding environment that is exposed to the radiation.