A cooking apparatus has a cooking chamber, a microwave unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber, a convection unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber, a grill unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber, an input unit to receive a cooking command and a control unit to perform a cooking corresponding to the received cooking command by performing one of a first heating stage and a second heating stage, and after performing the one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage, performing the other one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage. In the first heating stage, the control unit operates the microwave unit and at least one of the convection unit and the grill unit, and in the second heating stage, the control unit operates the grill unit and the convection unit while not operating the microwave unit.

Embodiments herein relate to articles and methods for detecting heating patterns within model food compositions containing irreversible thermochromic ink, and for creating multi-dimensional temperature distribution profiles within a packaged model food composition. In an embodiment, a packaged model food composition for thermal testing is included. The packaged model food composition can include a package and a model food composition disposed in the package. The model food composition can include a model food material that shares processing characteristics with a target food material and 0.05 wt. % to 20 wt. % of one or more irreversible thermochromic inks. The irreversible thermochromic inks can exhibit a variable change in at least one color parameter in response to temperature change across a selected temperature range. Other embodiments are also included herein.

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.

An automated system for the preparation and distribution of food, comprises: at least one supply station of at least one container adapted to contain a plurality of food ingredients; at least one filling station of the at least one container with the food ingredients; at least one pressurization station intended to apply an vacuum to the at least one container; at least one microwave cooking station of the food ingredients inside the at least one container; and a distribution apparatus/system(s)/component(s)/structure(s) (or the like) of the at least one container to an end consumer.

A method for microbiological decontamination/sterilization of an organic product is described. In this method, an organic product is provided with a liquid or liquefiable material layer on its surface. The liquid or liquefiable material is removed by explosive vaporization by irradiating the layer with a gyrotron microwave beam having a power density of at least about 500 W per square cm. The beam frequency is selected to be approximately equal to the liquid or liquefiable material layer thickness, and the irradiation time is about 0.5 second or less.

A method for microbiological decontamination/sterilization of an organic product is described. In this method, an organic product is provided with a liquid or liquefiable material layer on its surface. The liquid or liquefiable material is removed by explosive vaporization by irradiating the layer with a gyrotron microwave beam having a power density of at least about 500 W per square cm. The beam frequency is selected to be approximately equal to the liquid or liquefiable material layer thickness, and the irradiation time is about 0.5 second or less.

A method for sanitizing pre-measured units of a pre-sanitized flowable food product in a sanitizing device installed into an existing food production system without substantially increasing the head height requirement of the feed production system. A plurality of containers are moved about a path with increased retention time through a plurality of stations: a receiving station, one or more sanitizing stations, and a dispensing station, and a container cleaning station. A pre-measured unit measured for packaging is received at the receiving station into a container. The pre-measured unit is exposed to one or more sanitizing agents at one or more sanitizing stations. The pre-measured unit is immediately packaged after sanitization. The pre-measured unit is dispensed into a packaging device at the dispensing station. The containers are then cleaned at the container cleaning station to prepare each container to receive a subsequent pre-measured unit of the pre-sanitized flowable feed product.

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.

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.