An endless conveyor belt for a conveyor baking oven has a conveyor run with a plurality of belt links configured in one piece, the belt links extending transversely to a conveying direction and being mounted between lateral guides. Seen in projection in a plane perpendicular to a conveying plane, each of the belt links has gas passage openings. These gas passage openings have a total opening surface area, which amounts to at least 30% of a total surface area of the projection of the belt link. The result is an endless conveyor belt, which allows a baking space of a conveyor baking oven equipped with an endless conveyor belt of this type to be heated more efficiently and flexibly.

Apparatus and methods for bulk processing items on a conveyor belt using an angled axial fan that extends obliquely into a processing chamber and includes a curved back wall forming an air flow chamber. The angled axial fan enhances air flow around a product being processed on the conveyor belt. A heater employs shrouds and a series of baffle plates held together using a connecting pin to heat circulated air in a low-pressure area below the conveyor belt. Baffles in an upper chamber mix and direct heated, circulated air over the conveyed product.

A powder sterilization method for sterilizing powder, in particular an active pharmaceutical ingredient in powder form or food in powder form, using fluid vapor, in particular steam. According to the invention, the fluid vapor is applied to the powder in an evacuated treatment chamber (3), in particular it is applied to the powder during its free fall along a drop section (7), in particular in countercurrent.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a procedure of pasteurization of food, preferably nuts and, particularly, almonds.

A process method for aseptic canning and an aseptic canning system. The process comprises the following steps: placing a first solid-state food item into a sterilization pot, closing a pot lid of the sterilization pot; warming the interior of the sterilization pot, cooking the first solid-state food item, and sterilizing the first solid-state food item to produce a second solid-state food item; cooling the second solid-state food item in the sterilization pot; and in the aseptic environment within the sterilization pot, placing the cooled solid-state food item into a can and sealing the can. The system applying the process also is provided with a transfer apparatus used for transferring the first solid-state food item and/or the second solid-state food item.

A conveyor belt (36) is arranged in at least one spiral conveyor unit (32) or (34) is arranged in tiers forming at ascending spiral stack (38) and/or a descending spiral stack (40). A ceiling or top sheet (58) is positioned over the spiral stack. A circulation fan (60, 62) draws spent thermal processing medium laterally from the tiers of the spiral stack, up the exterior of the stack and across the top of the stack above the ceiling or top sheet and through a heat exchanger (64) located above the ceiling. The treated thermal processing medium is then routed across the remainder of the diameter of the spiral stack and then down the side of the spiral stack diametrically opposite to the circulating fan thereby to enter the spiral stack in a lateral direction diametrically toward the circulating fan. At least one opening (70, 100, 200) is formed in the ceiling between the heat exchanger and the diametrically distal end of the spiral stack from the circulating fan thereby to provide an alternative flow path for a portion of the thermal processing medium to enter the spiral stack from above, thereby resulting in more uniform treatment of the work product being carried by the conveyor of the spiral stack.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a food processing system that allows processed food that is sterilized and has a good texture to be identically provided on a large production scale. The food processing system is provided with: a heating unit equipped with a heating mechanism for indirectly heating food; a cooling unit equipped with a cooling mechanism for cooling the food heated by the heating unit; and a transfer unit for transferring the food through the heating unit and the cooling unit. The integrated food processing system according to the present invention allows a large amount of sterilized food having a good texture, good taste and long shelf life to be provided.

A thermal processing and control system (300) includes a thermal processing station (312) for receiving food products (14) being carried on a conveyor system (316). A first scanning station (318) is located upstream from the thermal processing station (312) for scanning the food products being carried by the conveyor (316). An actuator (420) automatically connects temperature measuring devices (402) with selected food products (14). A diverter conveyor (324) diverts selected food products (14) from the conveyor (316) to a transverse conveyor (326) for either further processing or alternative processing, depending on how system (300) is configured. The temperature measuring devices (402) are automatically removed from the food products at station (329).

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a food processing system that allows processed food that is sterilized and has a good texture to be identically provided on a large production scale. The food processing system is provided with: a heating unit equipped with a heating mechanism for indirectly heating food; a cooling unit equipped with a cooling mechanism for cooling the food heated by the heating unit; and a transfer unit for transferring the food through the heating unit and the cooling unit. The integrated food processing system according to the present invention allows a large amount of sterilized food having a good texture, good taste and long shelf life to be provided.

In one aspect, a spiral cooking device includes a first cooking zone with air configured to move horizontally therethrough in a first direction, a second cooking zone with air configured to move horizontally therethrough in a second direction different than the first direction, and a spiral conveyor belt at least partially positioned in the first and second cooking zones and configured to transport food product thereon through the first and second cooking zones. In one aspect, a spiral cooking device includes a spiral conveyor belt providing a central opening inside the belt and a conveyor belt drive member positioned externally of the central opening. In one aspect, a conveyor belt cleaning device is provided. In one aspect, a cooking device includes a frame including a plurality of coupled pipes for providing structural support to the device and at least one of the pipes is configured to have liquid pass therethrough.