Systems and methods for packaging food products, such as fruits, vegetables, and meats. Specifically, the described methods relate to systems and methods for packaging food products in a manner that increases the products' shelf life. Generally, the methods begin by providing a food product. In some cases, debris is removed from the food product. To kill bacteria and other microbes on the food product, the food product is optionally washed in ozonated water. To deactivate enzymes within the food product, the food product is heated, though not necessarily cooked or blanched. The food product is then typically sealed in a barrier package containing between about 1 percent and about 50 percent oxygen, by volume. In some cases, the sealed package is then heated to between about 165 and about 285 degrees Fahrenheit to kill microbes in the sealed package. Other implementations are also described.

Systems and methods for packaging food products, such as fruits, vegetables, and meats. Specifically, the described methods relate to systems and methods for packaging food products in a manner that increases the products' shelf life. Generally, the methods begin by providing a food product. In some cases, debris is removed from the food product. To kill bacteria and other microbes on the food product, the food product is optionally washed in ozonated water. To deactivate enzymes within the food product, the food product is heated, though not necessarily cooked or blanched. The food product is then typically sealed in a barrier package containing between about 1 percent and about 50 percent oxygen, by volume. In some cases, the sealed package is then heated to between about 165 and about 285 degrees Fahrenheit to kill microbes in the sealed package. Other implementations are also described.

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).

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).

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 method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed, it being distinguished by the fact that it comprises the steps of drying and preservation by thermal treatment and pressure treatment of the nonperishable semimoist animal feed packaged in a packaging unit. In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a thus obtainable semimoist animal feed packaged in a substantially gas-tight packaging unit having improved storage properties, especially storage stability. Lastly, sales units comprising multiple packaging units, optionally detachable from one another, containing the semimoist animal feed are provided.

A lower carbohydrate soup product is produced by preparing a mixture of soup ingredients, native xanthan gum, particulate xanthan gum and water to form a suspension in a high-speed mixer at a high sheer rate. The native xanthan gum and particulate xanthan gum cooperate to provide a viscosity necessary for successfully retorting a lower carbohydrate soup. The suspension is heated with steam injection until a viscosity sufficient to maintain the soup ingredients and particulate xanthan gum in a suspension. The suspension is then injected into a retort container and undergoes a retort process, thereby producing the lower carbohydrate soup product.

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.

A sterilizer according to the present invention comprises: a temperature-raising module for heating a carriage introduced thereinto; a sterilization module for sterilizing the carriage transferred from the temperature-raising module; a cooling module for cooling the carriage transferred from the sterilization module; and an opening-closing module connected to the temperature-raising module, the sterilization module, or the cooling module, to selectively open or close at least one module, and the sterilizer independently heat-treats a space separated by the opening-closing module.

An opening/closing module according to the present invention comprises a middle door part having a curved shape that is located at an entrance of a sterilization module to separate, from the outside, the sterilization module that provides a sterilization space for accommodating a hand truck, and selectively opens/closes the entrance of the sterilization module by including a sliding part.