Embodiments herein relate to one or more methods comprising heating of a kava product; pressurizing the kava product, electrically pulsing the kava product, homogenizing the kava product or combinations thereof; cooling the kava product; wherein the method is configured to stabilize the kava product against microbiological decomposition or reduce microbial count in order to improve safety and extend shelf life under refrigeration and/or at ambient temperature.

A method and equipment for preparation of a berry-based food product, and in particular a grape-based product, which includes the following successive steps: (a) enzymatic maceration of the berries; (b) pressing of the berries, with the separation of juice from the berries and from solid particles from the berries; (c) treating the juice from the berries by decompression, where the treatment comprises elimination of condensates formed during the decompression. Flash-decompression equipment which could be used to practice the method is also disclosed. The method and equipment also has applications in the treatment of juice from berries and in particular to the production of wine.

A method and apparatus for changing all or part of the skinsheet of a rotary drum blancher/cooler from being clean in place totally removable is disclosed. The drum includes the skinsheet (in sections) with a plurality of clamps and catches. Each catch is comprised of two catches—a clean in place catch and a totally removable catch. Each clamp is attached to a section and has an clamping position and a release position, and includes a bail. When a clamp is in the clamping position and its bail is in either the clean in place catch or the totally removable catch of a corresponding catch on an adjacent second section, the catch and clamp hold the adjacent sections together to form a part of the drum. When the clamp is in the release position and the bail is in the clean in place catch of the adjacent section, the clamp and clean in place catch allow adjacent sections to separate, but do not allow them to be removed.

A method and apparatus for changing all or part of the skinsheet of a rotary drum blancher/cooler from being clean in place totally removable is disclosed. The drum includes the skinsheet (in sections) with a plurality of clamps and catches. Each catch is comprised of two catches—a clean in place catch and a totally removable catch. Each clamp is attached to a section and has an clamping position and a release position, and includes a bail. When a clamp is in the clamping position and its bail is in either the clean in place catch or the totally removable catch of a corresponding catch on an adjacent second section, the catch and clamp hold the adjacent sections together to form a part of the drum. When the clamp is in the release position and the bail is in the clean in place catch of the adjacent section, the clamp and clean in place catch allow adjacent sections to separate, but do not allow them to be removed.

The invention relates to a novel solid heat exchanger module containing a plurality of heat exchanger tubes having a particular shape and being arranged in a special manner.

A pasteurization system is configured for incorporating a food treatment system which includes a mix hopper, a freezing cylinder, and a cooling condenser. The pasteurization system includes a pasteurizing pipeline and a cooling module. The pasteurizing pipeline includes a forwarding passage guiding a heat exchanging medium from the compressor to the mix hopper and the freezing cylinder, and a returning passage guiding the heat exchanging medium from the mix hopper and the freezing cylinder back to the compressor through the cooling condenser. The cooling module is operatively coupled at the returning passage for not only reducing the temperature and pressure of the heat exchanging medium at the returning passage but also releasing an excessive energy of the heat exchanging medium before returning back to the compressor.

A conveyor belt (36) is arranged in at least one spiral conveyor unit (32) or (34) is arranged in tiers forming at ascending spiral stack (38) and/or a descending spiral stack (40). A ceiling or top sheet (58) is positioned over the spiral stack. A circulation fan (60, 62) draws spent thermal processing medium laterally from the tiers of the spiral stack, up the exterior of the stack and across the top of the stack above the ceiling or top sheet and through a heat exchanger (64) located above the ceiling. The treated thermal processing medium is then routed across the remainder of the diameter of the spiral stack and then down the side of the spiral stack diametrically opposite to the circulating fan thereby to enter the spiral stack in a lateral direction diametrically toward the circulating fan. At least one opening (70, 100, 200) is formed in the ceiling between the heat exchanger and the diametrically distal end of the spiral stack from the circulating fan thereby to provide an alternative flow path for a portion of the thermal processing medium to enter the spiral stack from above, thereby resulting in more uniform treatment of the work product being carried by the conveyor of the spiral stack.

A method and apparatus for changing all or part of the skinsheet of a rotary drum blancher/cooler from being clean in place totally removable is disclosed. The drum includes the skinsheet (in sections) with a plurality of clamps and catches. Each catch is comprised of two catchesa clean in place catch and a totally removable catch. Each clamp is attached to a section and has an clamping position and a release position, and includes a bail. When a clamp is in the clamping position and its bail is in either the clean in place catch or the totally removable catch of a corresponding catch on an adjacent second section, the catch and clamp hold the adjacent sections together to form a part of the drum. When the clamp is in the release position and the bail is in the clean in place catch of the adjacent section, the clamp and clean in place catch allow adjacent sections to separate, but do not allow them to be removed.

A method and apparatus for changing all or part of the skinsheet of a rotary drum blancher/cooler from being clean in place totally removable is disclosed. The drum includes the skinsheet (in sections) with a plurality of clamps and catches. Each catch is comprised of two catchesa clean in place catch and a totally removable catch. Each clamp is attached to a section and has an clamping position and a release position, and includes a bail. When a clamp is in the clamping position and its bail is in either the clean in place catch or the totally removable catch of a corresponding catch on an adjacent second section, the catch and clamp hold the adjacent sections together to form a part of the drum. When the clamp is in the release position and the bail is in the clean in place catch of the adjacent section, the clamp and clean in place catch allow adjacent sections to separate, but do not allow them to be removed.

An endless conveyor belt for a conveyor baking oven has a conveyor run with a plurality of belt links configured in one piece, the belt links extending transversely to a conveying direction and being mounted between lateral guides. Seen in projection in a plane perpendicular to a conveying plane, each of the belt links has gas passage openings. These gas passage openings have a total opening surface area, which amounts to at least 30% of a total surface area of the projection of the belt link. The result is an endless conveyor belt, which allows a baking space of a conveyor baking oven equipped with an endless conveyor belt of this type to be heated more efficiently and flexibly.