Apparatus and method for treating a product with steam. The apparatus includes a treatment tunnel having an entrance opening and an exit opening for introducing and discharging the product, respectively. The apparatus includes a transport unit for transporting the product from the entrance opening to the exit opening and a steam feed unit for feeding steam into the treatment tunnel. The apparatus includes one or more nozzles in communication with the steam feed unit arranged for directing a jet of steam at the product.

A thermal treatment apparatus includes a pair of heat exchangers and an intake that receives a main flow of filling material and a branch that diverts filling material to form a branch flow. The branch flow takes a part of the heat energy used in a primary process for use in a secondary process. It then rejoins the main flow.

A thermal treatment apparatus includes a pair of heat exchangers and an intake that receives a main flow of filling material and a branch that diverts filling material to form a branch flow. The branch flow takes a part of the heat energy used in a primary process for use in a secondary process. It then rejoins the main flow.

A method and a device for treating food and/or containers for holding food treats the food and/or containers in at least one treatment zone by a process liquid, wherein the process liquid is at least partially recirculated into the treatment zone or the treatment zones after completed treatment of the food and/or the containers. During continuous treatment at least some or all of the process liquid is used per time unit to form at least one stream of the process liquid, the formed stream is filtered by at least one membrane filtration system, and a filtered stream is at least partially fed back into an element holding and/or conducting the process liquid and/or into a treatment zone.

A method and a device for treating food and/or containers for holding food treats the food and/or containers in at least one treatment zone by a process liquid, wherein the process liquid is at least partially recirculated into the treatment zone or the treatment zones after completed treatment of the food and/or the containers. During continuous treatment at least some or all of the process liquid is used per time unit to form at least one stream of the process liquid, the formed stream is filtered by at least one membrane filtration system, and a filtered stream is at least partially fed back into an element holding and/or conducting the process liquid and/or into a treatment zone.

A heating medium injector includes an injector structure defining a heating medium flow path and a product flow path. The heating medium flow path extends to a contact location, while the product flow path also extends to the contact location. The contact location comprises a location at which the heating medium flow path and product flow path merge within the injector. A mixture flow path is defined within the injector structure between the contact location and an injector outlet of the injector structure and is defined at least in part by a mixture flow path outer surface comprising a mixture flow path wall. A cooling structure extends along both a product flow path boundary wall and the mixture flow path wall so as to traverse a plane extending transverse to the foodstuff flow path at the contact location.

A heating medium injector includes an injector structure defining a heating medium flow path and a product flow path. The heating medium flow path extends to a contact location, while the product flow path also extends to the contact location. The contact location comprises a location at which the heating medium flow path and product flow path merge within the injector. A mixture flow path is defined within the injector structure between the contact location and an injector outlet of the injector structure and is defined at least in part by a mixture flow path outer surface comprising a mixture flow path wall. A cooling structure extends along both a product flow path boundary wall and the mixture flow path wall so as to traverse a plane extending transverse to the foodstuff flow path at the contact location.

A method for removing deposits inside a section in a food processing system is provided. The method comprises introducing a cleaning liquid into the section, inducing boiling of the cleaning liquid by adjusting a pressure and/or a temperature inside the section to a first pressure value and/or a first temperature value, thereby forming bubbles in the cleaning liquid, imploding the bubbles by adjusting the pressure and/or temperature to a second pressure value and/or a second temperature value, thereby forming a mechanical impact on the deposits such that these are released from the section, and transferring the deposits being released by the cleaning liquid out from the section.

An article includes a heating medium injector, a mixture flow path, and a vacuum chamber. The heating medium injector has a heating medium path connected to receive a heating medium such as steam and a product path connected to receive undenatured meat protein. The heating medium injector also includes a mixing structure and a mixture outlet. The mixing structure comprises a structure within the heating medium injector at which the heating medium path and product path merge and the mixture outlet is connected to receive material from the mixing structure. The mixture flow path defines a mixture flow path volume and is connected at one end to the mixture outlet of the heating medium injector and at the opposite end to the vacuum chamber. Undenatured meat protein is contained within the vacuum chamber outside of the mixture flow path volume.

An article includes a heating medium injector, a mixture flow path, and a vacuum chamber. The heating medium injector has a heating medium path connected to receive a heating medium such as steam and a product path connected to receive undenatured meat protein. The heating medium injector also includes a mixing structure and a mixture outlet. The mixing structure comprises a structure within the heating medium injector at which the heating medium path and product path merge and the mixture outlet is connected to receive material from the mixing structure. The mixture flow path defines a mixture flow path volume and is connected at one end to the mixture outlet of the heating medium injector and at the opposite end to the vacuum chamber. Undenatured meat protein is contained within the vacuum chamber outside of the mixture flow path volume.