A heating medium injector includes an injector structure defining a heating medium flow path and a product flow path. The heating medium flow path extends to a contact location, while the product flow path also extends to the contact location. The contact location comprises a location at which the heating medium flow path and product flow path merge within the injector. A mixture flow path is defined within the injector structure between the contact location and an injector outlet of the injector structure and is defined at least in part by a mixture flow path outer surface comprising a mixture flow path wall. A cooling structure extends along both a product flow path boundary wall and the mixture flow path wall so as to traverse a plane extending transverse to the foodstuff flow path at the contact location.

A system includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum source, and a mixture flow path adapted to be connected to receive the output of a direct steam injector. The vacuum source is operatively connected to a vacuum port of the vacuum chamber, while a product outlet port from the vacuum chamber is adapted to be connected to an arrangement for removing treated product from the vacuum chamber. The mixture flow path includes a flow path segment outside of the vacuum chamber volume and a flow path segment within the vacuum chamber volume. At least some of a surface defining the flow path segment within the vacuum chamber is in substantial thermal communication with one or more cooling structures.

A heating medium injector includes an injector structure defining a heating medium flow path and a product flow path. The heating medium flow path extends to a contact location along an axis of the injector, while the product flow path also extends to the contact location along the injector axis. The contact location comprises a location at which the heating medium flow path and product flow path merge within the injector. In a region along the injector axis, the product flow path is defined between a first flow surface and a second flow surface. The first flow surface comprises a surface of a boundary wall separating the heating medium flow path from the product flow path and the second flow surface comprises a surface of an opposing second boundary wall. The second flow surface is in substantial thermal communication with a second flow surface cooling structure.

A heating medium injector includes an injector structure defining a heating medium flow path and a product flow path. The heating medium flow path extends to a contact location along an axis of the injector, while the product flow path also extends to the contact location along the injector axis. The contact location comprises a location at which the heating medium flow path and product flow path merge within the injector. In a region along the injector axis, the product flow path is defined between a first flow surface and a second flow surface. The first flow surface comprises a surface of a boundary wall separating the heating medium flow path from the product flow path and the second flow surface comprises a surface of an opposing second boundary wall. The second flow surface is in substantial thermal communication with a second flow surface cooling structure.

Soft cooked egg products having a runny yolk are prepared by removing the eggs from their shells; cooking so that the egg white has a temperature of no more than about 175 F. and the egg yolk has a temperature of no more than about 150 F.; cooling the egg to an internal temperature of 75 F. or less; sealing the egg in a package; and pasteurizing. Alternatively, the shell-less eggs are packaged sealed in a package and cooked so that the egg white has a temperature of no more than about 175 F. and the egg yolk has an internal temperature of no more than about 150 F. The processes are carried out under processing conditions such that the pasteurized, cooked, packaged eggs have runny yolks. Products made by this process are also described.