A frozen condiment selected from the group consisting of sauces, pastes, p?t?s, creams and pizza toppings, having hygienic and organoleptic features comparable with those of a corresponding fresh condiment, which is in the form of granules having a porous surface, having an average weight of 6.0 g or less and essentially homogeneous in size having a diameter comprised between 1 mm and 20 mm, and apt to determine a rapid and uniform thawing of the deep-frozen condiment.

An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.

An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.

A frozen condiment is described, chosen among the group consisting of sauces, pastes, pates, creams and pizza toppings, having hygienic and organoleptic features comparable with those of a corresponding fresh condiment, which is in the form of granules having a porous surface, having an average weight of 6.0 g or less and essentially homogeneous in size having a diameter comprised between 1 mm and 20 mm, and apt to determine a rapid and uniform thawing of the deep-frozen condiment; a process for the deep-freezing of a substantially fluid condiment is also described, which involves dividing a substantially fluid condiment into a plurality of drops, which, in a first deep-freezing step, are dosed within a liquid bath at a temperature lower than ?150? C., obtaining a plurality of partially frozen granules having a hard and deep-frozen external surface and a soft not completely deep-frozen core, and a second deep-freezing step at a temperature comprised between ?30? C. and ?90? C., which leads to condiment deep-frozen granules; and subjecting the deep-frozen granules thus obtained to a refining step, wherein at least a part of said plurality of deep-frozen granules is reduced in size thus obtaining a plurality of deep-frozen granules having an average weight of 6.0 g or less, preferably between 1.0 and 5.0 g, and which are essentially homogeneous in size having a diameter comprised between 1 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 3 and 15 mm; the process is carried out within a system comprising a dosing device to dose the condiment dropwise, a first deep-freezing section downstream of the dosing device, comprising a liquid bath, at a temperature of ?150? or lower, wherein the drops are fed and wherefrom a condiment in the form of partially deep-frozen granules is discharged; a second deep-freezing section, operating at a temperature comprised between ?30? C. and ?90? C., wherein the granule deep-freezing is completed, a refining device (5) arranged downstream of said second deep-freezing section (4), for the reduction in size of at least part of said deep-frozen granules of condiment (D) exiting said second deep-freezing section (4); and a packaging device.

A frozen condiment is described, chosen among the group consisting of sauces, pastes, pates, creams and pizza toppings, having hygienic and organoleptic features comparable with those of a corresponding fresh condiment, which is in the form of granules having a porous surface, having an average weight of 6.0 g or less and essentially homogeneous in size having a diameter comprised between 1 mm and 20 mm, and apt to determine a rapid and uniform thawing of the deep-frozen condiment; a process for the deep-freezing of a substantially fluid condiment is also described, which involves dividing a substantially fluid condiment into a plurality of drops, which, in a first deep-freezing step, are dosed within a liquid bath at a temperature lower than ?150? C., obtaining a plurality of partially frozen granules having a hard and deep-frozen external surface and a soft not completely deep-frozen core, and a second deep-freezing step at a temperature comprised between ?30? C. and ?90? C., which leads to condiment deep-frozen granules; and subjecting the deep-frozen granules thus obtained to a refining step, wherein at least a part of said plurality of deep-frozen granules is reduced in size thus obtaining a plurality of deep-frozen granules having an average weight of 6.0 g or less, preferably between 1.0 and 5.0 g, and which are essentially homogeneous in size having a diameter comprised between 1 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 3 and 15 mm; the process is carried out within a system comprising a dosing device to dose the condiment dropwise, a first deep-freezing section downstream of the dosing device, comprising a liquid bath, at a temperature of ?150? or lower, wherein the drops are fed and wherefrom a condiment in the form of partially deep-frozen granules is discharged; a second deep-freezing section, operating at a temperature comprised between ?30? C. and ?90? C., wherein the granule deep-freezing is completed, a refining device (5) arranged downstream of said second deep-freezing section (4), for the reduction in size of at least part of said deep-frozen granules of condiment (D) exiting said second deep-freezing section (4); and a packaging device.

Product such as food is chilled or frozen in apparatus in which a chilling zone holds a pool of cryogen vapor, and a belt that carries the product through the apparatus passes through a region in the apparatus that is lower than the upper surface of the pool of cryogen vapor.

Product such as food is chilled or frozen in apparatus in which a chilling zone holds a pool of cryogen vapor, and a belt that carries the product through the apparatus passes through a region in the apparatus that is lower than the upper surface of the pool of cryogen vapor.

A device for the handling and the low-temperature storage of probe tubes in tube racks comprises a low-temperature compartment (1) having insulated side and bottom walls (2, 3) and at least one opening (6) at a top side. The compartment (1) is used for storing at least one tube rack at a low temperature. The device has a holder apparatus (8) comprising a rack holder (9) for holding a tube rack and a picker apparatus (25) comprising a gripper (26) adapted to remove and insert individual tubes from or into a tube rack held by said holder. The holder apparatus (8) is adapted to displace the rack holder (9) between an upper rack position outside low-temperature compartment (1) above the opening (6) and a lower rack position inside the compartment (1). Similarly, the picker apparatus (25) is adapted to displace the gripper (26) between an upper gripper position outside the compartment (1) above the opening (6) and a lower gripper position inside the compartment (1) below the opening (6). This design allows to remove and insert individual tube racks from above through the opening (6) of the low-temperature compartment (1).

A device for the handling and the low-temperature storage of probe tubes in tube racks comprises a low-temperature compartment (1) having insulated side and bottom walls (2, 3) and at least one opening (6) at a top side. The compartment (1) is used for storing at least one tube rack at a low temperature. The device has a holder apparatus (8) comprising a rack holder (9) for holding a tube rack and a picker apparatus (25) comprising a gripper (26) adapted to remove and insert individual tubes from or into a tube rack held by said holder. The holder apparatus (8) is adapted to displace the rack holder (9) between an upper rack position outside low-temperature compartment (1) above the opening (6) and a lower rack position inside the compartment (1). Similarly, the picker apparatus (25) is adapted to displace the gripper (26) between an upper gripper position outside the compartment (1) above the opening (6) and a lower gripper position inside the compartment (1) below the opening (6). This design allows to remove and insert individual tube racks from above through the opening (6) of the low-temperature compartment (1).

An automated low-temperature storage for storing laboratory samples includes a storage zone for storing the samples that is maintainable at a first temperature below 20 C.; a handling zone located above the storage zone that is maintainable at a second temperature above the first temperature and below 0 C.; a chamber laterally adjacent to the storage zone and the handling zone for storing the samples at a third temperature that is higher than the first temperature and below 0 C.; and a vertical wall separating the chamber from the handling zone and storage zone. A first opening arranged in said vertical wall connects the handling zone and the chamber; and an automated transport device is arranged at least partially in the handling zone and is configured to move the samples between the storage zone, the handling zone, and the chamber.