METHOD FOR CONSERVING A MEAL PREPARED BY HEATING, AND FOR PROVIDING COMMUNAL CATERING

Abstract

A method for the provision and conservation of communal meals is provided, in which a plurality of foodstuff and meal components are brought into packaging units and sealed therein following the preparation of said food by heating at a temperature of at least 75° C. A water bath at a temperature of less than 3° C. is used to cool the sealed packaging units in order to bring the meal component from a core temperature of 65° C. or higher to a core temperature of 3° C. or lower within no more than 90 min. Methods for regenerating the cooled packaging units for consumption are also provided, in a water bath having a temperature of 80°-90° C.

Claims

1. A method for preserving a hot prepared food component comprising the following steps hot preparation of a quantity of the food component for a plurality of consumption portions, filling of the hot-prepared food component at a temperature of at least 75° C. into a plurality of packaging units and subsequent sealing of the packaging units, cooling the packaging units from a core temperature of at least 65° C. to a core temperature of less than 3° C. within 90 min or less, characterized in that the cooling of the packaging units takes place in a water bath, the temperature of which is 3° C. or less.

2. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that at least two or more food components of a food menu are prepared, filled, and cooled.

3. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the hot preparation comprises heating the food component to the point of cooking.

4. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the amount of a prepared food component comprises a weight of more than 5 kg.

5. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the packaging units have a capacity of between 200 ml and 10 liters.

6. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the water bath for cooling the packaging units is equipped with one or more immersion baskets with compartments for the packaging units and a circulating cooler is connected to the water bath to ensure a temperature of 3° C. or less during cooling.

7. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the filling is carried out with the aid of an automatic thermoforming machine which carries embossing of packaging units in tray form, filling of the food components at a temperature of at least 75° C. into the packaging units, steam rinsing of the packaging units with steam of a temperature of 100° C. or more, sealing of the packaging units.

8. The method according to claim 1 additionally comprising storage of the packaging units at a core temperature of 8° C. or less, reheating the packaging units, from a core temperature of less than 8° C., to a core temperature of more than 65° C.

9. The method according to claim 8 characterized in that the heating of the packaging units takes place in a period of 35 min to 55 min.

10. The method according to claim 9 characterized in that a device is used for heating the packaging units, comprising a housing, a water tank for holding water and a lid for closing the water tank (7), an immersion basket with compartments for packaging units of refrigerated preserved food components to be placed in the water tank, at least one electric heating element for heating the water, a pump for circulating the water, a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to regulate the power supply to the electric heating element during a reheating process such that the water temperature is maintained at a reheating temperature of 80°-90° C. for a predetermined reheating time.

11. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the reheating temperature for the device (1) is fixed and the device (1) does not provide for a possibility of changing or selecting the reheating temperature by a user.

12. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the device comprises a thermostat for a fixed setting of the reheating temperature, with a fixed temperature from a range between 80° C. and 90° C.

13. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the device comprises a temperature sensor for monitoring the water temperature.

14. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the reheating time is 35 min to 55 min and/or is fixedly set by means of a time relay.

15. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the compartments of the immersion basket are grid compartments and the immersion basket comprises between 2 and 10.

16. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the water tank exhibits a width of 30 to 40 cm, a depth of 20 to 30 cm and a height of 45 to 60 cm.

17. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the device comprises two heating elements, which are enclosed in cladding tubes and are present in the lower fifth of the water tank above the bottom of the water tank in a horizontally aligned manner, one or more storage rails being installed above the two heating elements for receiving the immersion basket.

18. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the water tank comprises an outlet opening in the bottom and comprises an inlet opening in an upper third, which are connected to one another via a water line and the pump, the pump being configured to draw the water out of the outlet opening in the bottom of the water tank and feed it into the inlet opening in the upper third of the water tank.

19. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the water tank has an outlet opening in the bottom and the housing has a discharge opening, which are connected to one another via a water line and the pump or can be connected in a valve position, the pump being configured to draw the water out of the outlet opening in the bottom of the water tank and to discharge the water via the discharge opening.

20. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the device comprises locking means for the lid (3) and the control unit (19) is configured to lock the lid (3) during the reheating process for the predetermined reheating time.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE IMAGES

[0176] FIG. 1 Schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of a device for heating the packaging units

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE IMAGES

[0177] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of a device 1 for heating packaging units, comprising a housing 5, a water tank 7 for holding water and a lid 3 for closing the water tank, an immersion basket (not shown) with compartments for packaging units of refrigerated preserved food components for insertion into the water tank 7, at least one electric heating element 21 for heating the water, a pump 9 for circulating the water, a control unit 19, wherein the control unit 19 is configured to regulate the power supply to the electric heating element 21 during a heating method such that the water temperature is maintained at a heating temperature of 80°-90° C. for a predetermined heating time.

[0178] The device 1 comprises a housing 5 in the form of a casing (preferred width=55.5 cm, depth 36.0 cm, height=72.5 cm) made of stainless steel sheet (preferred thickness 2 mm). In the upper part of the housing 5, there may be a pressed retaining plate or overlap plate to the water tank 7, which promotes the cohesion of the device and, in conjunction with two seals (one each to the device housing and to the water tank), protects the electrical components from water damage.

[0179] At the core of the device 1 is a rectangular water tank 7 (preferred dimensions: width=34.0 cm, depth 25.0 cm, height=52.0 cm) made of stainless steel sheet (preferred thickness: 2 mm thick). The water tank 7 is equipped with two electric heating elements 21 (preferred: electric heaters 1700W, 230V). These are located in the water tank 7, just above the bottom of the water tank 7, preferably in the lower fifth above the bottom of the water tank 7 and are oriented horizontally, i.e. parallel to the bottom of the water tank 7. The heating elements 21 are enclosed as cladding tubes, preferably in welded-in stainless steel tubes, and are thereby insulated from the water.

[0180] The heating elements 21 are used to heat the water. The water temperature is monitored and controlled by means of a temperature sensor, preferably in the form of a thermostat (preferably 4-pole, e.g. fixed at 85° C., sensor in the water flow). Above the electric heating elements 21 there are preferably welded-in storage rails for receiving the immersion basket (not shown). By means of a pump 9, which draws off the water via an outlet opening 17 in the bottom area of the water tank 7 and flushes it again via water pipes 11 into an inlet opening 15 in the upper third of the water tank in the lateral area, the heat transfer medium water is kept in motion so that the energy used achieves its maximum efficiency in the shortest possible time. Draining of the water can also be carried out by means of the pump via a drain opening 13. For this purpose, the device can provide for the adjustment of a valve.

[0181] The water tank 7 is equipped with a lid 3 (preferred dimensions: width=36.5 cm, depth 27.0 cm, height 52 cm) made of double-walled, thermally insulated stainless steel sheet (2 cm thick) and seals tightly to the water tank 7 by means of a circumferential seal.

[0182] The lid 3 is attached to the top cover with two hinges and can be opened with the heat-insulated handle, up to an angle of approx. 135°, ensuring easy handling.

[0183] The control unit 19 of the device is preferably located in an installation box with a power contactor for the electrical heating elements 21, a time relay (with a fixed process time: preferably 45 min), three auxiliary contactors, a 16 ampere (A) automatic circuit breaker four fine-wire fuse holders with fine-wire fuses for the pump 9, various connection terminals and cables.

[0184] A thermostat (preferably fixed at 85° C.) for temperature control is preferably integrated in the water pipe or water conducting system 11.

[0185] An immersion basket (not shown) specially designed for the device 1 preferably comprises four, particularly preferably six or more compartments for one packaging unit each. The compartments of the immersion basket are preferably designed in such a way that each of the four, preferably six or more packaging units can be accommodated therein horizontally and layered one above the other. Accordingly, the immersion basket can be loaded with four, six or more packaging units according to the number of compartments and can be placed in the water tank 3 for regeneration.

[0186] An exemplary regeneration method is shown below:

[0187] On the day of regeneration of individual food components, the packaging units are heated to a desired temperature, preferably of at least 72° C., in the device 1. The preferred regeneration of the packaging units takes place in the following method steps. [0188] 1. Filling 17 liters of warm tap water into the water tank 7 [0189] 2. Preheating of the water in the water tank 7 for approx. 45 minutes until a green LED control lamp is illuminated [0190] 3. Filling the immersion basket with the packing units [0191] 4. Loading the device 1 with the filled immersion basket [0192] 5. Closing the lid 3 [0193] 6. Starting the warm-up (or reheating) program (approx. 40-45 min) by means of a button [0194] 7. Opening the lid 3 and removing the immersion basket [0195] 8. Filling the food components into a gastronomy (GN) container

[0196] An example decommissioning of the device is outlined below: [0197] 1. Hanging a drain hose attached to the drain opening 13 in a sink or placing it on a floor drain. [0198] 2. Opening the ball valve at the drain or discharge opening 13. [0199] 3. Setting the main switch to PUMP OFF. [0200] 4. When the water has run out, turn the main switch to OFF. [0201] 5. Closing the ball valve, stowing the hose on the hook at the rear of the unit. [0202] 6. Pulling out the main plug, visual inspection, stowing away [0203] 7. Cleaning the water tank 7 and housing 5 [0204] 8. Leaving the lid 3 open to dry out

[0205] It is noted that various alternatives to the described embodiments of the invention may be used to carry out the invention and arrive at the solution according to the invention. Thus, the method according to the invention is not limited to the foregoing preferred embodiments. Rather, a large number of embodiments are conceivable, which may deviate from the solution presented. The aim of the claims is to define the scope of protection of the invention. The scope of protection of the claims is directed to covering the method according to the invention as well as equivalent embodiments thereof.

REFERENCE

[0206] 1 Device for heating packaging units [0207] 3 Lid [0208] 5 Housing [0209] 7 Water tank [0210] 9 Pump [0211] 11 Water pipes [0212] 13 Drain or discharge opening [0213] 15 Inlet opening [0214] 17 Outlet opening [0215] 19 Control unit [0216] 21 Electric heating elements