A vending machine adapted for dispensing at least one pre-packaged food product includes a microwave oven. The microwave oven includes a magnetron that emits microwave electromagnetic radiation, a housing that defines a microwave cavity for receiving the food product. The housing defines a first opening to allow passage of the pre-packaged food product between outside of the microwave cavity and inside of the microwave cavity. The microwave oven also includes a first chain door that selectively covers the first opening so as to prevent the microwave electromagnetic radiation from escaping the housing through the first opening.

Processes and systems that enhance the heating of packaged foodstuffs and other items in various microwave heating systems are described herein. The foodstuffs may be contained in a package including one or more energy control elements that interact with microwave energy in order to alter the effect that microwave energy has on the foodstuff. These energy control elements can enhance or inhibit microwave energy and a single package may include one or more energy control elements. In some cases, the energy control element may respond differently to different types of microwave energy. As a result, some packages described herein may exhibit different absorption or reflectance characteristics when exposed to microwave energy while being pasteurized or sterilized in a larger-scale microwave heating system than when the package is reheated in an at-home microwave oven prior to consumption or use.

Disclosed herein is a microwave oven having an improved structure with which foods can be effectively heated. The microwave oven includes: a housing including a cooking chamber having a bottom surface; at least one first reflective portion formed on the bottom surface of the cooking chamber; a magnetron provided to generate microwave radiation; and a tray disposed apart from the bottom surface of the cooking chamber and supporting food to be heated. The at least one first reflective portion extends a given height (h) above a reference level (RL).

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.

A system includes a first unit configured to generate and apply radio frequency (RF) energy to a load positioned in the first unit during a first time period, wherein the load is at a first temperature at a start of the first time period and at a second temperature different from the first temperature at an end of the first time period, and a second unit configured to receive the load at the second temperature and to cause heat transfer by convection to the load during a second time period different from the first time period, wherein the load is at a third temperature at an end of the second time period. First and second time periods together is less than or equal to a time period for the load to change from the first temperature to the third temperature from convective processing and without application of the RF energy.

Processes and systems that enhance the heating of packaged foodstuffs and other items in various microwave heating systems are described herein. It has been unexpectedly found that configuring the microwave heating zone of a microwave-assisted pasteurization or sterilization system so that the article carrier, the microwave launchers, and/or the packages have certain relative dimensions may significantly enhance the uniformity of heating of the articles. The result is pasteurized or sterilized articles that exhibit fewer hot and cold spots, a consistent microbial lethality rate, and desirable end properties, such as visual appearance, taste, and texture.

Processes and systems that enhance the heating of packaged foodstuffs and other items in various microwave heating systems are described herein. It has been unexpectedly found that configuring the microwave heating zone of a microwave-assisted pasteurization or sterilization system so that the article carrier, the microwave launchers, and/or the packages have certain relative dimensions may significantly enhance the uniformity of heating of the articles. The result is pasteurized or sterilized articles that exhibit fewer hot and cold spots, a consistent microbial lethality rate, and desirable end properties, such as visual appearance, taste, and texture.

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.

A device for treating a product with microwaves includes a treatment chamber, in which the product can be transported along a transport path in a transport direction through the treatment chamber, and a microwave radiation device arranged in the treatment chamber, by means of which microwaves coupled into the microwave radiation device can be radiated, which act on the product, wherein the microwave radiation device includes at least one coaxial conductor which protrudes into the treatment chamber, or is arranged therein, with an electrically-conductive internal conductor and an electrically-conductive external conductor, wherein the external conductor, arranged coaxially, surrounds the internal conductor in a spaced manner and includes at least one opening, which enables an emission of microwaves from the coaxial conductor through the opening on to the product.

A microwave oven container may include a body for containing a liquid, an agitator projecting through a bottom wall of the body to agitate the liquid contained in the body, where the agitator includes a first end located in the body and a second end located exterior to the body. The second end of the agitator is able to couple with a turntable drive of a microwave oven to power movement of the agitator in response to rotation of the turntable drive. The container may also include a cage located within the body that substantially surrounds the first end of the agitator and includes a plurality of openings to allow liquid contained in the body to pass through the cage.