A method and a system for decontamination the surface of food items such as meat pieces is described. A method includes obtaining at least one food item and/or at least one meat piece to be surface decontaminated, microwave treating the food item and/or the meat piece with microwaves in the range of 0.5-18 GHz such as 4-18 GHz, wherein the microwave treating is performed on at least one food item and/or meat piece which is packed in a packaging material, and/or the food item and/or meat piece pivot during microwave treating at least along two circular paths.

A device for continuously heating foodstuffs includes a channel arranged to receive an electrically conductive liquid. Side walls of the channel include mutually opposite electrodes that are arranged in pairs which are connected to a current source. A first pair of mutually the opposite electrodes is arranged on the side walls of the channel at a distance along the channel. A second pair of mutually opposite electrodes is arranged in electrical contact with the interior of the channel. Each pair of electrodes is electrically connected to a respective one of separate secondary windings of a transformer of the current source. The secondary windings are arranged to be excited by at least one primary winding.

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.

The invention relates to a method for treating a food product by non-conventional resistive heating using. contact with spaced-apart electrically conductive electrodes connected to a power source that regulates current to the electrodes by pausing heating of the food product to a predetermined temperature. The electrodes are configured into two groups at a first distance from one another. Each electrode group has individual electrodes, similar to a comb-like set of needles, wherein neighboring needles of each group are at a second distance from one another that is greater than or equal to the first distance. Each set of needles penetrates the food product such that points of the needles leave penetration points, wherein the food product is accommodated in a space between two conveyor belts and the individual electrodes extend from at least one of the conveyor belts in the direction of the opposite conveyor belt.

The invention relates to a method for treating a food product by non-conventional resistive heating using. contact with spaced-apart electrically conductive electrodes connected to a power source that regulates current to the electrodes by pausing heating of the food product to a predetermined temperature. The electrodes are configured into two groups at a first distance from one another. Each electrode group has individual electrodes, similar to a comb-like set of needles, wherein neighboring needles of each group are at a second distance from one another that is greater than or equal to the first distance. Each set of needles penetrates the food product such that points of the needles leave penetration points, wherein the food product is accommodated in a space between two conveyor belts and the individual electrodes extend from at least one of the conveyor belts in the direction of the opposite conveyor belt.

A meat-aging apparatus is disclosed. The meat-aging apparatus comprises: a photographing unit for photographing meat stored in the meat-aging apparatus; an illumination unit for irradiating light to the meat; a storage unit for storing recipe information for aging the meat according to the type or state of the meat; and a processor for determining the type or state of the meat on the basis of a photographed image, and controlling the illumination unit to irradiate light to the meat according to the recipe information corresponding to the determined type or state of the meat in order to age the meat.

A meat-aging apparatus is disclosed. The meat-aging apparatus comprises: a photographing unit for photographing meat stored in the meat-aging apparatus; an illumination unit for irradiating light to the meat; a storage unit for storing recipe information for aging the meat according to the type or state of the meat; and a processor for determining the type or state of the meat on the basis of a photographed image, and controlling the illumination unit to irradiate light to the meat according to the recipe information corresponding to the determined type or state of the meat in order to age the meat.

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.