A method of fabricating a processed food product containing protein includes, while moving a mixture in a tubular body, continuously heat-coagulating the mixture by an interior heating system and shaping the mixture. The mixture contains protein, lipid and water and has flowability. The tubular body includes a heating section and a non-heating section succeeding the heating section. The non-heating section includes a back pressure structure that produces back pressure inside the tubular body.

Some embodiments are directed to systems and methods for treating a viscous fluid. The viscous liquid may be a liquid sugar. The viscous fluid may have a viscosity of at least 50 cP. The system may include one or more mixers configured to receive the viscous fluid and to generate turbulent flow of the viscous fluid; and one or more UV chambers configured to receive the viscous fluid from the mixer and to expose the viscous fluid to a dose of UV light, the dose being at least 250 mJ/cm.sup.2. The system may deliver a total dose of UV light of about 500 mJ/cm.sup.2 such that bacteria and other contaminants are reduced or eliminated.

Provided is a method for marking a product for human or animal use with an XRF identifiable mark, the method including forming on at least a region of the product a pattern of at least one FDA-grade material identifiable by XRF, the pattern being optionally at least partially invisible to the naked human eye and having a predefined identifiable characteristic, wherein the product is selected from food products, therapeutics and cosmetics.

A method for preparing a vitamin D.sub.2-containing mushroom oil. A mushroom sliced to obtain mushroom slices. The mushroom slices are irradiated with an ultraviolet light. The irradiated mushroom slices are subjected to extraction with an edible oil followed by solid-liquid separation to obtain the vitamin D.sub.2-containing mushroom oil. The ultraviolet light is a combination of an ultraviolet B (UVB) light with a wavelength of 280-315 nm and an ultraviolet C (UVC) light with a wavelength of 200-280 nm.

A method for preparing a vitamin D.sub.2-rich mushroom powder, including: slicing a mushroom to obtain mushroom slices, irradiating the mushroom slices with an ultraviolet light, drying the mushroom slices in nitrogen to obtain dried mushroom slices, and pulverizing the dried mushroom slices to obtain the vitamin D.sub.2-rich mushroom powder. The ultraviolet light irradiation is performed at an ambient temperature of 20-55° C. and an ambient relative humidity of 50-85%, and a moisture content of the mushroom slices is not less than 20%.

A system for direct injection of selected thermal-infrared (IR) wavelength radiation or energy into articles for a wide range of processing purposes is provided. These purposes may include heating, raising or maintaining the temperature of articles, or stimulating a target item in a range of different industrial, medical, consumer, or commercial circumstances. The system is especially applicable to operations that require or benefit from the ability to irradiate at specifically selected wavelengths or to pulse or inject the radiation. The system is particularly advantageous when functioning at higher speeds and in a non-contact environment with the target.

Disclosed is a method to prepare myceliated vegetable product which includes culturing fungi in an aqueous media which contains vegetables, fruits, and/or combinations thereof. Examples of vegetables used in the processes of the invention include carrot, spinach, kale, beet, broccoli, and combinations thereof. Fungi used include Lentinula edodes. The resultant myceliated nutrient food product has its flavor, or aroma modulated, such as by decreasing undesirable flavor of bitterness, beet, hay/herbal/grassy or decreasing undesirable aroma of beet or hay/herbal/grassy. Products made according to the invention have a nutritional profile comprising a measurable level of at least one of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, folate, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, or Vitamin C, and a dose 10 g of the myceliated vegetable product can provide a significant amount of the daily requirement of certain vitamins and minerals. The product can be added to foods and/or beverages to improve the nutrient composition of foods without adding undesirable tastes or aromas.

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.

A device for decontamination and detoxification by emitting light flashes rich in UV radiation, particularly UVC. The device includes: a flash lamp; a reflector, preferably placed behind the flash lamp, so as to reflect the light emitted by the lamp towards an output window; and a UV detector for measuring the UV radiation emitted by the lamp.

The invention provides a method for removal of antibiotic residues from food products by irradiating the food product with a dose of ionizing gamma radiation for an effective duration of time. The food product undergoing irradiation by ionizing gamma radiation is selected from a group of dairy and poultry products and its likes thereof.