An appliance disinfecting device with monitoring and safety interlock system that utilizes user detection and sensors to detect touch and can provide user feedback and decorative features. The device can include a UV transmissive material that provides disinfection of hard to reach surfaces or areas safely. The appliance disinfection device can include an automatic interlock to protect a user from UV exposure. The optics used for the UV disinfection allow the device to become a human interface. The device can be connected to the appliance control system which can be connected to a network and cloud interface.

A dip tank and recycling system for applying antimicrobial solution to food items, including a dip tank having a bottom and sides, and holding a liquid antimicrobial solution. A conveyor to convey food items through the tank passes through the liquid antimicrobial solution held in the tank such that food items conveyed on the conveyor are dipped in the liquid antimicrobial solution. At least two discharge nozzles spray fresh antimicrobial solution into the tank. The discharge nozzles are located in the sides of the tank, and are positioned above the level of the conveyor but below an expected top level of the liquid antimicrobial solution contained within the tank such that food items conveyed on the conveyor are agitated by the force of the spray from the discharge nozzles. The spray from the discharge nozzles causes unstacking of items on the conveyor, producing an even application of the antimicrobial solution.

A dip tank and recycling system for applying antimicrobial solution to food items, including a dip tank having a bottom and sides, and holding a liquid antimicrobial solution. A conveyor to convey food items through the tank passes through the liquid antimicrobial solution held in the tank such that food items conveyed on the conveyor are dipped in the liquid antimicrobial solution. At least two discharge nozzles spray fresh antimicrobial solution into the tank. The discharge nozzles are located in the sides of the tank, and are positioned above the level of the conveyor but below an expected top level of the liquid antimicrobial solution contained within the tank such that food items conveyed on the conveyor are agitated by the force of the spray from the discharge nozzles. The spray from the discharge nozzles causes unstacking of items on the conveyor, producing an even application of the antimicrobial solution.

An appliance disinfecting device with monitoring and safety interlock system that utilizes user detection and sensors to detect touch and can provide user feedback and decorative features. The device can include a UV transmissive material that provides disinfection of hard to reach surfaces or areas safely. The appliance disinfection device can include an automatic interlock to protect a user from UV exposure. The optics used for the UV disinfection allow the device to become a human interface. The device can be connected to the appliance control system which can be connected to a network and cloud interface.

Heating systems utilizing radio frequency (RF) energy and methods for using the same to rapidly and uniformly heat packaged articles moving through the system on one or more convey lines. These systems may be useful for a variety of processes, including the pasteurization or sterilization of packaged foodstuffs.

Described herein are conveyor systems and application units which can be used to transport and simultaneously treat, or to facilitate treatment and inspection of produce, agricultural products, or other items. The conveyor systems and application units can be configured to allow products to be simultaneously rotated as they are moved along a packing line, which can facilitate the uniform application of spray coatings and/or allow the products to be uniformly blow dried while they are moved. Exemplary conveyor systems and application units can include a bed formed of a plurality of rollers and a rotation inducing device that causes the rollers to rotate while they are laterally transported, thereby causing the products lying on top of the bed to rotate during transport.

The invention is a cooling tunnel for rapidly cooling a food product (1). The cooling tunnel (10) includes a plurality of thermal zones (21, 31) within the tunnel, and a conveying means (14) for transporting the food product sequentially therethrough. In operation, circulating air and the food product within each thermal zone are in a heat exchange relationship whereby heat from the food product is transferred to the circulating air and a heat exchanger extracts heat from the circulating air and exhausts the heat from the thermal zone.

Methods for producing insect product are provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and drying the insect slurry to form a dried insect product comprising solid insect matter particles. Methods for producing a chitin product are also provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and removing chitin from at least a portion of the insect slurry. Insect products are also provided that include a composition derived from at least one whole insect and has solid insect matter particles, in which the composition has a peroxide value of about 30 meq/kg of fat or less and about 90% of the solid insect matter particles, by volume, has a particle size of about 1000 μm or less.

Methods for producing insect product are provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and drying the insect slurry to form a dried insect product comprising solid insect matter particles. Methods for producing a chitin product are also provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and removing chitin from at least a portion of the insect slurry. Insect products are also provided that include a composition derived from at least one whole insect and has solid insect matter particles, in which the composition has a peroxide value of about 30 meq/kg of fat or less and about 90% of the solid insect matter particles, by volume, has a particle size of about 1000 μm or less.

A system for processing material, including at least one microwave generator, at least one microwave guide operatively connecting the at least one microwave generator to at least a first conveyor unit, and the first conveyor unit provided in a first housing that comprises at least one opening configured to receive microwave energy via a first microwave guide. The first conveyor unit is configured to receive and process a quantity of material, which includes heating the material to a first temperature by applying microwave energy to the material within the first housing.