A23L3/003

Method and system to decouple steam pressure from temperature to control shear imparted on product flow
11707151 · 2023-07-25 · ·

A cooking system for cooking a product flow utilizing steam. A supply of steam is provided at a supply pressure that is regulated by a control unit to a regulated pressure. The supply of steam is provided to a plurality of steam injection cookers which are positioned within a product supply pipeline that receives a product flow. The product flow is cooked as the product flow passes through the product supply pipeline and the plurality of cookers. Each of the steam injection cookers includes a steam modulator that controls the amount of steam injected. By regulating the steam pressure and the steam modulator, the control unit can modify the amount of shear created within the product flow and control the temperature of the fluid. The cooking system further includes a clean-in-place system that can inject a cleaning solution into the steam supply pipeline and the plurality of steam injection cookers.

UV STERILIZATION FRESH-KEEPING BOX
20230232871 · 2023-07-27 ·

The present invention discloses a UV sterilization fresh-keeping box, including an accommodating box and a UV sterilization device removably disposed on a top side of the accommodating box. The accommodating box includes a box body with a storage space, and a lid disposed on the box body. The lid has a light transmission part to allow UV light to pass through, and a first assembling part disposed on a peripheral side of the light transmission part. The UV sterilization device includes a case, a UV module disposed in the case, a control module electrically connected to the UV module, and a second assembling part disposed on a bottom side of the case. The UV sterilization device is mounted onto the lid by combining the second assembling part with the first assembling part. The UV module is controlled by the control module to emit UV light towards the light transmission part, so as to sterilize the storage space.

PLANT FOR PASTEURIZING FOODSTUFFS OR BEVERAGES FILLED INTO CLOSED CONTAINERS BY WAY OF A PROCESS LIQUID
20230016841 · 2023-01-19 ·

The invention relates to a plant (1, 42, 53, 56) for pasteurizing foodstuffs/beverages in containers by way of a process liquid (13), having: at least one heating zone (6, 7), pasteurizing zone (8-10) and cooling zone (11, 12), wherein each of said zones is assigned a sprinkling device (14-20) for discharging the process liquid and a collecting region (23-29) for receiving the discharged process liquid, a first heat exchanger (31) which feeds heat from a heat source (32) to the process liquid from a collecting region of the at least one pasteurizing zone and which, for this purpose, has a line connection to said collecting region and to inlets to sprinkling devices of the at least one heating zone via a pressure-closed heating line system (95), a second heat exchanger (30) which is coupled to a cooling system in order to cool the process liquid from the collecting region of the at least one cooling zone and which, for this purpose, has a line connection to said collecting region and to inlets to sprinkling devices of the at least one cooling zone via a pressure-closed cooling line system (96), wherein the process liquid can additionally be fed heat in the heating line system by means of a condenser (37) of a heat pump (35), and the process liquid can additionally be cooled in the cooling line system by means of an evaporator (39).

CONTINUOUS DIFFERENTIAL-PRESSURE STEAM STERILIZATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A POWDER

A continuous differential-pressure steam sterilization system for a powder, and belongs to the field of material sterilization includes: a superheated steam generation system, a steam pressure and flow rate control system, a quantitative feeding system, an instantaneous differential-pressure sterilization system, a dust explosion suppression system, a sterile cooling system, a primary gas-solid separation system, a secondary gas-solid separation system, a sterile storage system, a steam recovery and reheating system, and a condensate recovery system. The continuous differential-pressure steam sterilization system shortens the thermal contact time and mainly accumulates the heat on the surface of the powder, rather than in the center of the powder, which reduces the damage to the nutritional quality of the powder. Comprehensive treatment methods such as superheated steam, temperature compensation and non-sticky inner lining are adopted to reduce the problem of powder binding, agglomeration, and even blocking in the pipe of the system.

REMOTE MONITORING OF CONTAMINANT REDUCTION IN INGESTIBLE PRODUCTS
20230210144 · 2023-07-06 ·

Provided herein are techniques, devices, and systems for determining the safety of an ingestible product with respect to a contaminant as the ingestible product is being processed. A computing system may receive data associated with processing of an ingestible product. Based on the data, and using a model, the computing system may determine a value associated with the ingestible product with respect to a target contaminant. Based on the value, the ingestible product can be classified as a class label indicative of a safety of the ingestible product with respect to the contaminant, such as a classification of “safe” or “unsafe.” In some examples, a reduction of a contaminant in an ingestible product is dynamically monitored, in real-time, as the ingestible product is being processed.

APPLIANCE NETWORK WITH A SMART CONTROL, HOST MULTI-FUNCTION AND EXTERNAL APPLIANCE WITH FOOD CONTAINERS AND METHODS
20220383379 · 2022-12-01 · ·

An appliance or compact multi-function appliance for use with a perishable food, product or container that are configured to track, monitor and report food freshness and cooking status and to order, purchase, process payments and provide home delivery for a product.

MEASURING SYSTEM FOR FOODSTUFFS
20220364780 · 2022-11-17 · ·

A measuring system for automatically determining and/or monitoring the quality of a liquid or viscous foodstuff, including a housing with an interior space for a product container for the foodstuff, the product container has a product space for the foodstuff and a lid provided with a probe with a thermometer, a heating and cooling device for the interior space, a sensor device for determining a non-temperature quality-related parameter value of the foodstuff, and a control unit designed to control the measuring system, measure, store, process and/or export the measured parameter values, and to control the heating and/or the cooling system according to a desired time-temperature program. The cooling system includes a cold buffer, a cooler for the cold buffer, and a separate refrigerant circuit. The cold buffer includes a buffer holder with a phase-transition material, wherein the refrigerant circuit includes a cooling circuit with a pump.

Retort system

A recirculation circuit for a processing vessel is configured to process a load with a process fluid. The recirculation circuit includes a first circuit portion configured to recirculate a first portion of the process fluid through the vessel. The first circuit portion includes a first pump having a first flow rate and a first output pressure and a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump. A second circuit portion is configured to recirculate a second portion of the process fluid through the vessel. The second circuit portion includes a second pump having a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate and a second output pressure lower than the first output pressure.

Application of radio frequency energy to packaged articles
11612177 · 2023-03-28 ·

Heating systems utilizing radio frequency (RF) energy and methods for using the same to rapidly and uniformly heat packaged articles moving through the system on one or more convey lines. These systems may be useful for a variety of processes, including the pasteurization or sterilization of packaged foodstuffs.

AUTOMATED CLEAN IN PROCESS (CIP) SYSTEM

Provided are foodstuff treatment systems that are convertible between a processing mode in which foodstuffs are processed (e.g., disinfected) and a clean-in-place mode in which the system operates to clean material (e.g., biological buildup) that has accumulated within the system.