A system and method for decontamination of product is described. An object to be treated, which may be a food product or a medical device, is placed in a substantially closed dielectric container with a working gas. The container is placed in an apparatus capable of producing a controlled electrical discharge so as to create reactive ion species within the package. The object to be treated may be exposed either the immediate products of the electrical discharge or the long lasting reactive ion species, or both, so as to treat the object to reduce or eliminate specific contaminants, which may be biological pathogens or the cause of product spoilage, or inorganic contaminants. The reactive ion species may result from an atmospheric non-equilibrium plasma (ANEP) formed by the apparatus and the treatment may be performed without significantly increasing the bulk temperature of the object being treated.

Various embodiments of processing systems and components for sterilization or pasteurization and associated methods of operation are described herein. For example, a method of sterilization or pasteurization includes immersing an item in an immersion fluid, and the immersed item is subject to a hydrostatic pressure of the immersion fluid. The method also includes applying microwave energy to the item while the item is immersed in the immersion fluid and subject to the hydrostatic pressure of the immersion fluid. The hydrostatic pressure of the immersion fluid prevents the water content of the item from causing steam explosion in the item while the microwave energy is applied. The method further includes heating the item immersed in the immersion fluid to a target temperature with the applied microwave energy, the target temperature being sufficient to achieve sterilization or pasteurization of the item.

An apparatus and method for cooking at least one egg with an eggshell The apparatus comprises a housing provided with a device for providing microwave radiation in a confined space in the housing and a holder located in the confined space. The holder is provided with at least one cavity adapted to the shape of the egg with the eggshell. The apparatus further comprises means to insert a liquid into the holder for filling the cavity with the liquid to at least partly surround the eggshell of the egg located in the cavity. The apparatus comprises also means to control the amount of liquid in the holder during a cooking process of the at least one egg, wherein: a first amount of liquid is inserted into the cavity before providing microwave radiation in the cavity, which first amount of liquid surrounds the eggshell of the egg located in the cavity; a second amount of liquid is gradually inserted into the cavity.

A microwave heating system configured for heating a plurality of articles is provided. One or more of the microwave launchers can be offset slightly, such that the microwave energy introduced into the heating chamber is discharged at a launch tilt angle of at least 2. Additionally, each launcher can include a microwave-transparent window disposed between the microwave chamber and the one or more launch openings and at least 50 percent of the chamber-side surface of the window can be oriented at an angle of at least 2 from the horizontal.

Methods and apparatuses for thermally treating flowable materials using electromagnetic radiation, and foods and materials obtained thereby. Also provided are methods of continuous flow thermal treatment of biomaterials, apparatuses for performing the same, and products prepared using the methods and/or apparatuses.

A microwave heating system configured to heat a plurality of articles is provided. The microwave heating system can include one or more microwave launchers that define at least one launch opening having a depth of not more than about 0.625, wherein is the predominant wavelength of the microwave energy passing through the launcher. Additionally, in some embodiments, the launch opening may have a width or depth that is less than the corresponding inlet dimension, such that the microwave launcher has a generally tapered profile. When the microwave launcher includes a single inlet and two or more launch openings, the center points of adjacent outlets may be laterally spaced from one another relative to the direction in which the articles are passed through the heating chamber.

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.

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.

A method and apparatus comprising microwave radiation pulses to reduce a microorganism population in an object.

An apparatus for extracting a vaporizable substance, from a material containing such substance, comprises an irradiation chamber for irradiating the material with electromagnetic radiation to vaporize the substance. The substance may comprise water and the material is dehydrated. The electromagnetic radiation comprises microwaves. The irradiation is conducted in the near-field range of the electromagnetic radiation. In one aspect, the electromagnetic radiation within the waveguide evanescently couples with the material.