An acoustic apparatus and method for using a combination of low-frequency and high-frequency vibration of dried food, grain being an example, such that there are a large number of collisions among the individual grain particles for destroying microorganisms that reside on the surface or just below the surface of the grain, are described. Embodiments of the invention permit bulk and continuous processing of the food. It is expected that such collisions do not produce any chemical changes in the food, nor should it have any adverse effects on the taste thereof. Embodiments of the apparatus are applicable to destruction of airborne microorganisms.

A continuous freeze dryer having a hopper for supplying product to the inlet of the freeze-drying chamber via a sealed coupling with the inlet. A hopper valve allows the hopper to be sealed and evacuated with a product to be freeze-dried inside. An inlet valve of the freeze-drying chamber and a hopper valve may both be opened to provide a pathway between the hopper and the chamber whilst the hopper and chamber are maintained in an evacuated condition. The hopper may include an internal shell within an external shell with an evacuation port for evacuation a cavity between the shells. A hopper valve allows the supply of product to the freeze dryer via a hopper port. Product may be loaded into a hopper, coupled with the inlet of the freeze-drying chamber, evacuated, a hopper valve opened to supply product to the freeze-drying chamber, and the product conveyed through the freeze-drying chamber.

A method for treating liquid food products after direct heating comprises a first cooling of the liquid food product occurring on a floor of the infuser vessel up to an outlet opening. A second cooling of the liquid food product occurs in a tubular section connecting directly to the outlet opening. A third cooling of the liquid food product occurs in a housing cover of a pump housing of a centrifugal pump. At least one flushing operation of the pump housing and of an impeller via a rear impeller gap is performed, wherein the at least flushing operation occurs via a front impeller gap located between the housing cover and the impeller. Volume flows of the at least one flushing operation are greater than equalization flows within the pump housing.

To provide a food freezing device, a food freezing method, and a frozen food with which an eating quality as before quickly frozen can be obtained even when foods such as cooked rice foods and noodles are quickly frozen.

A food freezing device 400 of the present invention includes: a freezing tank 410 that stores an ice slurry S in a state of being maintained at equal to or less than −10° C.; a hanger 431 that holds an α-starch-containing frozen food F in the ice slurry S stored in the freezing tank 410; an ice slurry supply means (420, 450, 456, and 300) for supplying the ice slurry into the freezing tank 410; and a flow means (130) for causing the ice slurry to flow such that the ice slurry S collides with the frozen food F at equal to or greater than a predetermined relative speed. The frozen food F is a cooked rice food such as nigiri sushi or noodles such as udon noodles that contain a large amount of α-starch.

A method based on sensor information of a MOX sensor. Sensor information captured at different operating temperatures in different freshness state determination cycles determines a freshness state of a food. Additional information relating to a food is determined. A storage container, a computer program product, and a household cooling appliance for carrying out the method.

A method in which on a basis of sensor information of a MOX sensor captured at different operating temperatures in different freshness state determination cycles a freshness state of a food is determined. A further aspect relates to a method in which additional information relating to a food is determined. A storage container, a computer program product, and a household cooling appliance implement the above noted methods.

A method in which on a basis of sensor information of a MOX sensor captured at different operating temperatures in different freshness state determination cycles a freshness state of a food is determined. A further aspect relates to a method in which additional information relating to a food is determined. A storage container, a computer program product, and a household cooling appliance implement the above noted methods.

The invention relates to a fluid treatment device comprising a stirring element and at least one magnetic device. The stirring element has a plurality of flutes within its central portion, and the magnetic devices are placed around the stirring element. The device can further comprise a UV irradiation module and an on-line analysis module.

An assembly is provided for turning a food product into slices of food product. The assembly includes a microbial treatment assembly configured to move the food product along a path, and a microbial intervention apparatus configured to substantially reduce an amount of microbes on an exterior surface of the food product while the food product is traveling along the path, a slicing machine downstream of the microbial treatment assembly, the slicing machine being configured to slice the food product into slices, an enclosure in which the slicing machine is positioned, the enclosure being sealed from outside atmosphere, and a microbial treatment apparatus in communication with the enclosure and configured to deter the growth of microbes on the food product.

A flash boiling apparatus for a liquid food product that includes particles, the apparatus including a vacuum vessel provided with a product inlet and a product outlet for liquid food product, a pressure relief valve arranged upstream the product inlet for providing a pressure drop that results in flash boiling of the liquid food product, and an inlet section arranged between the pressure relief valve and the product inlet, for conveying the liquid food product from the pressure relief valve to the product inlet. The inlet section includes a through-flow area that increases in a direction from the pressure relief valve to the product inlet, such that a flow velocity of the liquid food product decreases when it passes the inlet section.