A process for heating articles includes sequentially passing loaded carriers in a continuous manner through a first processing section and sequentially passing said plurality of loaded carriers in an incremental manner through a second processing section using an incremental convey segment. The incremental convey segment includes sequential carrier-receiving slots, each carrier-receiving slot configured to receive one of the loaded carriers. The incremental convey segment is further configured to be move incrementally at multiples of discrete intervals corresponding to the carrier-receiving slots. The process further includes sequentially passing the loaded carriers in a continuous manner through a third processing section and heating articles supported by the carriers with microwave energy in at least one of the processing sections, the heating of the articles occurring while the articles are at least partially submerged in a liquid bath and at an pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.

A process for heating articles in a heating system includes passing an article in a carrier through a heating chamber that is at least partially filled with a liquid medium to form a liquid bath. The process further includes heating the article in the carrier by at least partially submerging the article into the liquid bath during heating, the heating being performed, at least in part, using microwave energy. The process further includes one or more of adding fluid into and removing fluid from at least one location in the heating chamber to maintain a temperature profile across the heating chamber. In one implementation, the temperature of the liquid bath at an inlet area of the heating chamber is at least 10° C. cooler than a temperature of the liquid bath at an outlet area of the heating chamber.

A process for heating articles in a heating system includes passing an article in a carrier through a heating chamber that is at least partially filled with a liquid medium to form a liquid bath. The process further includes heating the article in the carrier by at least partially submerging the article into the liquid bath during heating, the heating being performed, at least in part, using microwave energy. The process further includes one or more of adding fluid into and removing fluid from at least one location in the heating chamber to maintain a temperature profile across the heating chamber. In one implementation, the temperature of the liquid bath at an inlet area of the heating chamber is at least 10° C. cooler than a temperature of the liquid bath at an outlet area of the heating chamber.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In an embodiment, an apparatus for heat treatment of food product by radio frequency (RF) includes a transmission line having: a center conductor that includes a stack of food product packages, and an outer shield that at least partially encloses the center conductor. An RF connector is electrically coupled with the center conductor and with a source of RF voltage.

In an embodiment, an apparatus for heat treatment of food product by radio frequency (RF) includes a transmission line having: a center conductor that includes a stack of food product packages, and an outer shield that at least partially encloses the center conductor. An RF connector is electrically coupled with the center conductor and with a source of RF voltage.

The present invention relates to a method for three-dimensional microwave air-jet drying of persimmon slices, comprising steps of grading and cleaning, slicing, microwave heating, steam de-astringency, hot-air reverse primary drying, negative-pressure intermittent secondary drying, cooling and packaging. In the present invention, high-temperature (60-70° C.) high-pressure annularly sprayed citric acid and 40% alcohol vapor (rotating at 360°) are adopted to remove astringency of persimmons, wherein high temperature causes more intense Brownian motion of liquid molecules; high pressure improves permeation and diffusion speed of de-astringency liquid in the persimmon slices; citric acid plays a membrane breaking role on persimmon cell membranes; and 40% alcohol vapor is allowed to rapidly diffuse into cells, so that tannin is polymerized into insoluble gel from a soluble state, thereby achieving a uniform and rapid de-astringency effect.