A device fir treating a product with microwaves has a treatment chamber in which the product can be conveyed along a transport track in a transport direction through the treatment chamber, and has a microwave-emitting apparatus, which is arranged in the treatment chamber and by which microwaves coupled into the microwave-emitting apparatus can be emitted, which microwaves impinge upon the product. The microwave-emitting apparatus has at least one coaxial conductor, which protrudes into or is arranged in the treatment chamber and which has an electrically conductive inner conductor and an electrically conductive outer conductor, the outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor at a distance therefrom and in coaxial arrangement and having at least one opening, which enables the emission of microwaves through the opening from the coaxial conductor onto the product. The microwave-emitting apparatus has a plurality of coaxial conductors arranged at a distance from each other in the transport direction, each having at least one opening in the outer conductor. In a coaxial conductor arranged subsequently in the transport direction, the at least one opening is offset transversely to the transport direction with respect to the at least one opening of a preceding coaxial conductor.

An improved transport carrier for use in a fluid filled microwave sterilization or pasteurization system includes patterned electrically conductive layers or carriers which extend over or under items to be sterilized or pasteurized and occlude 1 to 30% of the area in the direct path of microwave emissions to the items. When the patterned electrically conductive layers or cages are present, heating of the items to be sterilized or pasteurized is substantially more uniform compared to when there is nothing occluding or otherwise interrupting the direct pathway from the microwave emitters to the items. Enhanced automation is achieved for sterilization or pasteurization systems by configuring the preheating and cooling sections as loading and unloading sections. Furthermore, superior fluid temperature control between the loading, heating, and unloading sections is achieved using double gates or dividers between sections.

The present invention relates to a thawing-apparatus, in which a substance is preferably heated. The present invention further relates to a method to thaw a substance with radio-frequency waves.

An apparatus for exposing an object to radio-frequency energy includes a conveyor, an radio-frequency generator, and a control system configured to automatically perform an operation. During the operation, the control system is configured to control the radio-frequency generator to apply radio-frequency energy to the object for a predetermined amount of time. Further, the conveyor rotates the objects as the object is conveyed through the radio-frequency energy.

A cooking system for preparation of foods, comprises an oven with a microwave source and a convection heater, and a bowl with a stirrer; the system further comprises at least a couple of interchangeable bowls, a plastic bowl being configured to be used when microwave source is in an activated configuration and a metal bowl being configured to be used when heater is in an activated configuration.

An exemplary method for protecting a microwave magnetron is disclosed provided by the steps of positioning one or more containers on a conveyer belt which passes through the microwave oven, where each container is holding a liquid. Further comprising the steps of ramping up the magnetron while a container is passing through the microwave oven, positioning product for microwaving on the conveyer belt, and applying microwave energy to the product. A system for protecting a magnetron is also disclosed comprising a plurality of containers, each container holding a liquid and positioned atop the conveyer belt before placing a product for microwaving on the conveyer.

Carriers suitable for transporting a plurality of articles through a microwave heating zone are provided. Carriers as described herein may include an outer frame and upper and lower support structures vertically spaced from one another to provide a cargo volume into which the articles are loaded. At least a portion of the upper and/or lower support structures may be formed of an electrically conductive material. Additionally, the carrier may include removable article spacing members, such as vertical spacing members and dividers, that can be selectively inserted to adjust the size and/or shaper of the cargo volume. Carriers as described herein may be configured to receive a variety of different articles, including trays and pouches, and the articles may be loaded into the carrier in a nested or overlapping manner.

The present invention relates to a system for preparing food by microwaves, comprising a microwave generator, in particular a magnetron, at least one food container formed of a microwave-tight material, at least one lid adapted for closing an open top side (40) of said at least one food container and for sealing it in a microwave-tight way, a stirrer rotatably arranged inside said food container and adapted to be driven by a motor, preferably by a motor arranged outside of the food container, a docking station adapted to removably receive said at least one food container in a configuration in which the food container is sealed by said at least one lid and to feed microwaves generated by said microwave generator into the food container for heating any food comprised therein, preferably wherein the docking station includes a motor for driving said stirrer inside the food container.

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus, in which a dairy product is heated, dried, disinfected and/or pasteurized, sterilized. The present invention further relates to a method to treat a dairy product with radio-frequency wave

Embodiments herein relate to systems and methods for thermally processing packaged food products with highly-uniform electromagnetic energy fields. In an embodiment, a method of thermally processing a packaged food product is included herein. The method can include placing the packaged food product in a heating chamber, the packaged food product comprising a hermetically sealed package and a food material disposed within the package. The method can further include applying electromagnetic energy to the packaged food product from a first electromagnetic energy source from a first direction. The electromagnetic energy can be sufficient to raise the temperature of the food material by at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit with a spatial temperature variation of less than 25 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 120 seconds. Other embodiments are also included herein.