A method for processing vegetables to reduce unpleasant odor and/or taste, and/or to minimize discoloration, deterioration, degradation, or rot over a period of storage time is described. The method includes: i) subjecting the vegetable to mechanical size reduction; ii) heating or freezing the vegetable for a pre-determined period; and iii) bringing the softened vegetable product into contact with one or more reactive oxygen species selected from: peroxides; superoxides; and ozone.

A device and a method are for sterilization of milk from livestock such as cows, sheep or goats. The milk, prior to an irradiation with UV-C light through a light translucent barrier, is homogenized since the milk is exposed to ultrasound. The milk simultaneously to or after the homogenization is exposed to an electrical field, such as a field with changing polarity, where polarity change and field strength are chosen such that the milk in the electrical field is heated due to the milk's resistance.

A device and a method are for sterilization of milk from livestock such as cows, sheep or goats. The milk, prior to an irradiation with UV-C light through a light translucent barrier, is homogenized since the milk is exposed to ultrasound. The milk simultaneously to or after the homogenization is exposed to an electrical field, such as a field with changing polarity, where polarity change and field strength are chosen such that the milk in the electrical field is heated due to the milk's resistance.

A method includes receiving a stream of input material made up of pieces of meat and separating a first material and a second material from the input material. The first material includes liquified meat fat and the second material includes raw lean meat. Fat granules are formed from a portion of the first material. A quantity of the meat fat granules at a meat fat blending temperature are then combined with a quantity of the second material at a lean meat blending temperature to produce a target comminuted meat product having a target lean point.

A method includes receiving a stream of input material made up of pieces of meat and separating a first material and a second material from the input material. The first material includes liquified meat fat and the second material includes raw lean meat. Fat granules are formed from a portion of the first material. A quantity of the meat fat granules at a meat fat blending temperature are then combined with a quantity of the second material at a lean meat blending temperature to produce a target comminuted meat product having a target lean point.

The present invention relates to a process for fast and homogeneously heating a liquid product to a predetermined temperature by means of resistive heating. Sufficient and effective microbial inactivation is achieved upon applying an electrical field strength of between 0.1-5.0 kV/cm for a prolonged period of time, thus by selecting a relatively low electrical field strength and a pulse duration of at least 10 microseconds while the maximum temperature of the liquid product autonomously remains below 92 C. during the resistive heating. The present invention further relates to said process wherein the liquid product is pre-heated prior to subjecting the liquid product to the process. The present invention also relates to the liquid product obtainable by the process according to the invention.

The present invention relates to a process for fast and homogeneously heating a liquid product to a predetermined temperature by means of resistive heating. Sufficient and effective microbial inactivation is achieved upon applying an electrical field strength of between 0.1-5.0 kV/cm for a prolonged period of time, thus by selecting a relatively low electrical field strength and a pulse duration of at least 10 microseconds while the maximum temperature of the liquid product autonomously remains below 92 C. during the resistive heating. The present invention further relates to said process wherein the liquid product is pre-heated prior to subjecting the liquid product to the process. The present invention also relates to the liquid product obtainable by the process according to the invention.

A kettle process and product formulation protect large fragile fruit or vegetable pieces that have not been previously sweetened or sugar capped. The combination of a two-starch formulation and a controlled time and temperature kettle process are able to solve the problem of preparing a fruit or vegetable product with no sweetener added using a kettle process, providing large/whole pieces of fruit or vegetable with acceptable quality both out of the jar, can, pouch, packaging or the like and/or as a baking ingredient.

A kettle process and product formulation protect large fragile fruit or vegetable pieces that have not been previously sweetened or sugar capped. The combination of a two-starch formulation and a controlled time and temperature kettle process are able to solve the problem of preparing a fruit or vegetable product with no sweetener added using a kettle process, providing large/whole pieces of fruit or vegetable with acceptable quality both out of the jar, can, pouch, packaging or the like and/or as a baking ingredient.

Disinfecting particulate material includes combining the particulate material with a photocatalyst to yield a mixture, irradiating the mixture for a length of time with pulses from a light source having broadband emission spectrum between 190 nm-1100 nm to yield an irradiated mixture, and separating the photocatalyst from the disinfected mixture to yield the disinfected particulate matter. Irradiating the mixture inactivates microorganisms in the mixture to yield a disinfected mixture. A system for disinfecting particulate material includes a pulsed light source having a broadband emission spectrum in a range between about 190 nm and about 1100 nm, a chamber defining a cavity optically coupled to the pulsed light source, a humidifier, a fan, and one or more sensors. The chamber includes a conveyor configured to accept the particulate material and arranged such that the pulses emitted by the pulsed light source irradiate the particulate material on the conveyor.