Feb. 18,2016  8  US 2016/0044917 Al  [0084]  One preferred method of preparing AGIIS can be  described briefly as: Concentrated sulfuric acid is added to  chilled water (8°-12°  C.) in the reaction vessel, then, with  stirring, calcium sulfate is added to the acid in chilled water to  give a mixture. Temperature control is paramount to this  process. To this stirring mixture is then added slurry of cal› cium hydroxide in water. The solid formed from the mixture  is then removed. This method involves the use of sulfuric  acid, calcium sulfate, and calcium hydroxide, and it has sev› eral unexpected advantages. Firstly, this reaction is not vio› lent and is not exceedingly exothermic. Besides being easy to  control and easy to reproduce, this reaction uses ingredients  each of which has been reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug  Administration ("U.S. FDA") and determined to be "gener› ally recognized as safe" ("GRAS"). As such, each of these  ingredients can be added directly to food, subject, of course,  to certain limitations. Under proper concentration, each of  these ingredients can be used as processing aids and in food  contact applications. Their use is limited only by product  suitability and Good Manufacturing Practices ("GMP"). The  AGIIS so prepared is thus safe for animal consumption, safe  for processing aids, and safe in food contact applications.  Further, the AGIIS reduces biological contaminants in not  only inhibiting the growth of, and killing, microorganisms but  also destroying the toxins formed and generated by the micro› organisms. The AGIIS formed can also preserve, or extend  the shelf-life of, consumable products, be they plant, animal,  pharmaceutical, or biological products.  It  also preserves or  improves the organoleptic quality of a beverage, a plant prod› uct or an animal product.  It  also possesses certain healing and  therapeutic properties.  [0085]  The sulfuric acid used is usually 95-98% FCC  Grade (about 35-37 N). The amount of concentrated sulfuric  acid can range fromabout0.05 Mto about 18 M (about0.1 N  to about 36 N), preferably from about 1 M to about 5 M.  It  is  application specific. The term "M" used denotes molar or  moles per liter.  [0086]  Normally, a slurry of finely ground calcium hydrox› ide suspended in water (about 50% ofw/v) is the preferred  way ofintroducing the calcium hydroxide, in increments, into  a stirring solution of sulfuric acid, with or without the pres› ence of calcium sulfate. Ordinarily, the reaction is carried out  below 40°  C., preferably below room temperature, and more  preferably below 10°  C. The time to add calcium hydroxide  can range from about 1 hour to about 4 hours. The agitation  speed can vary from about 600 to about 700 rpm or higher.  After the mixing, the mixture is filtered through a 5 micron  filter. The filtrate is then allowed to sit overnight and the fine  sediment is removed by decantation.  [0087]  The calcium hydroxide used is usually FCC Grade  of about 98% purity. For every mole of concentrated acid,  such as sulfuric acid, the amount, in mole, of calcium hydrox› ide used is application specific and ranges from about 0.1 to  about  1.  [0088]  The phosphoric acid used is usually from  JT  Baker  of about 85-88%.  [0089]  The calcium monohydrogen phosphate is usually of  98-99%; and the calcium phosphate ("the tribasic") is  obtained from Mallinckrodt. Other phosphate salts used are  all of reagent grade.  [0090]  The optional calcium carbonate is normally FCC  Grade having a purity of about 98%. When used with calcium  hydroxide as described above, for every mole of concentrated  acid, such as sulfuric acid, the amount, in mole, of calcium  carbonate ranges from about 0.001 to about 0.2, depending on  the amount of calcium hydroxide used.  [0091]  The optional carbon dioxide is usually bubbled into  the slurry containing calcium hydroxide at a speed of from  about 1 to about 3 pounds pressure. The carbon dioxide is  bubbled into the slurry for a period of from about 1 to about 3  hours. The slurry is then added to the reaction vessel contain› ing the concentrated sulfuric acid.  [0092]  Another optional ingredient is calcium sulfate, a  Group IIA salt of a dibasic acid. Normally, dihydrated cal› cium sulfate is used. As used in this application, the phrase  "calcium sulfate," or the formula "CaSO$_{4}$ ,"  means either  anhydrous or hydrated calcium sulfate. The purity of calcium  sulfate (dihydrate) used is usually 95-98% FCC Grade. The  amount of calcium sulfate, in moles per liter of concentrated  sulfuric acid ranges from about 0.005 to about 0.15, prefer› ably from about 0.007 to about 0.07, and more preferably  from about 0.007 to about 0.04.  It  is application specific.  [0093]  In the event that CaSO$_{4 }$ is used for the reaction by  adding it to the solution of concentrated H$_{2}$SO$_{4}$ , the amount  of CaSO  4 ,  in grams per liter of solution based on final volume,  has the following relationship:  [0094]  The AGIIS obtained could have an acid normality  range of from about 0.05 to about 31; the pH oflower than  O;  boiling point of from about 100 to about 106°  C.; freezing  point of from about -8°  C. to about 0°  C. AGIIS obtained from  using the reaction ofH$_{2}$ SOiCa(OH)$_{2}$/CaSO$_{4 }$ had the follow› ing analyses (average):  [0095]  AGIIS With Final Acid Normality of 1.2 N, pH of  -0.08  [0096]  H$_{3}$O+, 2.22%; Ca, 602 ppm; SO$_{4}$ ,  73560 ppm; K,  1.36 ppb; impurities of! 9.68 ppm, and neither Na nor Mg was  detected.  [0097]  AGIIS With Final Acid Normality of about 29 N, pH  of about -1.46  [0098]  H$_{3}$O+, 30.68%; Ca, 52.9 ppm; SO$_{4}$ ,  1422160 ppm;  K, 38.02 ppb; and neither Na nor Mg was detected.  [0099]  Aqueous solutions of other alkalis or bases, such as  Group IA hydroxide solution or slurry and Group IIA hydrox› ide solution or slurry can be used. Groups IA and HA refer to  the two Groups in the periodical table. The use of Group IIA  hydroxide is preferred. Preferably, the salts formed from  using Group IIA hydroxides in the reaction are sparingly  soluble in water.  It  is also preferable to use only Group IIA  hydroxide as the base without the addition of Group IA  hydroxide. After the reaction, the resultant concentrated  acidic solution with a relatively low pH value, typically below  pH 1, can then be diluted with de-ionized water to the desired  pH value, such as pH of about 1 or about 1.8.  [0100]  As discussed above, AGIIS has relatively less dehy› drating properties (such as charring sucrose) as compared to  the saturated solution of CaSO$_{4 }$ in the same concentration of  H$_{2}$ SO$_{4}$ . Further, the stability and non-corrosive nature of the  AGIIS of the present invention can be illustrated by the fact  that a person can put his or her hand into this solution with a  Final AGIIS Acid Normality (N)  1-5  6-10  11-15  16-20  21-36  Amount ofCaSO$_{4 }$in g/1  5  4  3  2 