A freshness-preserving container for food, includes a shell with a cover which can be sealingly placed on the shell. The freshness-preserving container has a mechanically operating low-pressure generating unit with which an air pressure that is reduced compared to the surrounding area outside of the freshness-preserving container can be adjusted in the freshness-preserving container. The low-pressure generating unit has an actuating element which can be moved relative to the freshness-preserving container, and air can be suctioned out of the freshness-preserving container dependent on the movement of the actuating element. A domestic refrigerator including a freshness-preserving container is also provided.

A vacuum cooling device for the cooling of foodstuff, in particular hot bakery products has a vacuum chamber, which contains a product chamber for receiving the foodstuff for its cooling and a separation chamber, a vacuum source, which is connected with the product chamber or the separation chamber and a vapor condenser for condensation of vapor containing discharge air generated during the cooling process in the product chamber. The vapor condenser is arranged below the product chamber, whereby the vapor condenser can contain a cooling medium, if the vacuum cooling device is in the operating state. The vapor condenser comprises a cooling medium distribution device to distribute the cooling medium in the vapor condenser. The product chamber has at least an opening for supplying the vapor containing discharge air into the cooling medium.

A baby-safe drying apparatus, including a generally pair shaped housing having a bottom portion connected to a middle portion tapering to a top portion, an electric fan connected to an interior wall of the housing and operative to draw air into an air inlet and out an air outlet, and a rechargeable battery supported within the bottom portion. The housing has a generally hollow interior with the air inlet located on the bottom portion and the air outlet located on the top portion. The air outlet is generally perpendicular to the housing in an upright position. The electric fan is arranged to be baby-safe. The rechargeable battery operationally providing power to the electric fan. The lower portion has a greater mass than the middle and top portions such that the center of gravity of the housing is lowered.

A method and apparatus is disclosed relating to controlled environment agriculture (CEA), food processing facilities, and commercial kitchens. The inventive smart and scalable extreme vacuum cooling (EVC) equipment is based on a scalable and modular design that allows one or multiple food chamber modules to connect to one utility module so that all food chambers can share the available vacuum cooling capacity dynamically.

A scalable EVC system can be built, shipped and assembled with as few as one food chamber module and one utility module to a number of food chamber modules and a utility module. The food chambers are designed with different sizes in dimension and power requirements but with the same interface to the utility module. In this way, multiple food chamber modules can operate for food rapid cooling and flavor infusion supported by only one utility module.

In a CEA farm, leafy greens are harvested daily and need to be chilled rapidly to comply with USDA food safety standards. Leafy greens can occupy a lot of space with a small vapor payload in vacuum cooling. The multiple food chamber modules to a single utility module design can save the total system cost, space, and energy.

For food flavor infusion in a commercial kitchen, brining and marinating take time. During the wait time, the food chamber is held at a low pressure condition without the need for pumping air out. During this time, the utility module can serve other food chambers. In this regard, an EVC system with multiple food chamber modules and a single utility module design will work well for food flavor infusion.

The smart and scalable EVC technology and equipment can make a big impact on commercial food preparation and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) for rapid chill to comply with food safety regulations. They are also very useful for food flavor infusion in commercial kitchens and food foundries.

Ice nucleation and supercooling are controlled by the presence of magnetite particles. Magnetite decreases supercooling and promotes ice nucleation. Therefore, freezing of liquid solutions occurs at higher temperature compared to supercooled solutions. Applying a magnetic field allows control of supercooling and ice nucleation.

An exemplary method for preserving fresh herbs includes obtaining fresh trimmings from a plant, grinding and/or chopping the fresh trimmings to form processed trimmings, packaging the processed trimmings in a container, and freezing the processed trimmings in the container. Freezing the processed trimmings may include subjecting the processed trimmings to a dry ice atmosphere.

The insulated container having an internal support to separate ice, food, and drinks from melted ice water or liquids to prevent damage to the dry items. The dry items are placed on top of the flat upper surface of the removable support. The removable support may include apertures that allow melting ice water to drain past the top surface and through the apertures of the removable support.

A method of using a storage and cooking device having multiple thermal containers includes disposing a first food item in a first thermal container, a second food item in a second thermal container, and a third food item in a third thermal container. A volume of fluid is cooled and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy from at least one of the first, second, or third food item is transferred to the cooled fluid. The device is transitioned from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to a criterion being satisfied. When in the second configuration, the volume of fluid is heated and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy is transferred from the volume of fluid to at least one of the first, second, or third food item.

An apparatus for cooling a food item may include a base and a top, the top and the base defining an interior chamber configured to receive the food item, and a fan coupled to the top and configurable in an operating mode and an off mode, wherein the fan moves air within the interior chamber when in the operating mode. The apparatus may include a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the food item within the interior chamber and provide a temperature signal representative of that temperature, at least one user input allowing a user to select a cooling parameter, and a control unit adapted to receive the temperature signal and the cooling parameter, wherein the control unit is configured to switch the fan from the operating mode to the off mode when the cooling parameter has been met.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods related to preservation of plants, including trimmings and portions of leafy green plants A exemplary method for preserving fresh herbs may comprise: a. obtaining fresh trimmings from a plant; b. grinding and/or chopping th fresh trimmings to form processed trimmings; c. packaging the processed trimmings in a container; and d. freezing the processed trimmings; wherein the interior environment of the container contains substantially no oxygen.