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.

Heat exchange devices, including aseptic cooler devices, and systems including same are provided. Methods of using heat exchange device are also provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides heat exchangers having an open chamber configuration and including a first section containing a cooling or heating media and a second section containing a food product. The first section includes a level detecting device that is configured to maintain a level of cooling or heating media in the first section, while preventing the cooling or heating media from pressurizing the first section. The open chamber configuration provides an air break at a top portion of the first section that ensures that the cooling or heating media entering the first section is at, or close to, atmospheric pressure.

A particulate material freezing device includes a belt and an injection plate. The belt is configured to support conveyance of a particulate material and has air permeability. The injection plate includes a plurality of injection holes configured to inject a cooling gas to the belt from below. Further, the belt includes a sliding portion configured to move while sliding on an upper surface of the injection plate in a traveling direction of the belt. Thus, the particulate material freezing device is implemented where a flow of the cooling gas is stabilized.

A system for the production of plant products as substitutes for pasta, which includes at least one carousel provided with at least one seat for stably accommodating at least one plant; rotations of the carousel are adapted for temporary alignment with perimetric stations thereof. At least one first perimetric station of the carousel includes elements configured to transfer the at least one plant onto the seat; at least one second perimeter station has a component configured to transversely cut the at least one plant (longitudinal partitioning according to predefined shapes and sizes); at least one third station includes elements configured to longitudinally cut the at least one plant arranged on the seat, in order to provide plant products as substitutes for pasta.

The invention relates to a continuous process for freezing a flow of aqueous material in liquid form and moving the aqueous material through at least one tube from an inlet of the tube to an outlet of the tube so as to form a breakable or cuttable frozen extrusion without bursting the tube. The process creates an extruded material that comprises liquid aqueous material entrapped between frozen aqueous material to self-lubricate the extrusion as it moves through the tube. An apparatus for carrying out the process of the invention is also provided.

Disclosed are various embodiments of an auger-style treatment tank equipped with instrumentation. In one embodiment, an auger treatment tank includes an auger configured to rotate within treatment liquid in the auger treatment tank. The auger includes an auger shaft and at least one auger flight coupled to and helically disposed about the auger shaft. The auger treatment tank also includes one or more sensors configured to provide data directly or indirectly indicating a torque transmitted to the auger to effect rotation.

A method and apparatus for evaporative cooling of materials within a vacuum chamber by maintaining a controlled partial pressure environment. The method involves sealing material inside a chamber, reducing the internal pressure using a vacuum pump, and simultaneously introducing external gassuch as ambient air, nitrogen, or inert gasesinto the chamber. A constant partial pressure is maintained by balancing the gas input and vacuum pump operation, allowing for efficient evacuation of vaporized liquid without recondensation. The system can operate with either constant or variable flow rates for both gas input and vacuum pumping, depending on desired cooling conditions, chamber size, and material characteristics. The apparatus includes a sealable vacuum chamber, at least one external gas inlet, and a vacuum pump configured to sustain the target partial pressure.