METHODS FOR PASTEURIZING AND/OR STERILIZING PARTICULATE GOODS

Abstract

Methods for pasteurizing and/or sterilizing particulate goods (1), containing the following steps: a) producing an electron beam (5), b) pasteurizing and/or sterilizing the goods (1) by the electron beam (5) in a treatment zone (3), wherein the electrons of the electron beam (5) have an energy that lies in the range of 80 keV to 300 keV, preferably from 140 keV to 280 keV, more preferably from 180 keV to 260 keV, the goods (1) being exposed to the electron beam (5) for a treatment time which lies in the range from 5 ms to 25 ms, and the electron beam (5) has a mean electron current density in the treatment zone (3) which lies in the range of 10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2 to 2.77.Math.10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2.

Claims

1.-6. (canceled)

7. A method for pasteurizing and/or sterilizing particulate material (1), containing the following steps: a) producing an electron beam (5), b) pasteurizing and/or sterilizing the material (1) by the electron beam (5) in a treatment zone (3), wherein the electrons of the electron beam (5) have energy that lies in a range of from 80 keV to 300 keV, the electron beam (5) in the treatment zone (3) has a mean electron current density that lies in a range of from 10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2 to 2.77.Math.10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2, the material (1) is exposed to the electron beam (5) for a treatment time that lies in a range of from 5 ms to 25 ms.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the electrons of the electron beam (5) have energy that lies in the range of from 140 keV to 280 keV.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the electrons of the electron beam (5) have energy that lies in the range of from 180 keV to 260 keV.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1), via the electron beam (5), is exposed to a dose of radiation that lies in a range of from 1 kGy to 45 kGy.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1), via the electron beam (5), is exposed to a dose of radiation that lies in a range of from 8 kGy to 30 kGy.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1), via the electron beam (5), is exposed to a dose of radiation that lies in a range of from 10 kGy to 16 kGy.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1) is separated prior to step b).

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the material (1) is separated prior to step b).

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1) falls freely through the treatment zone (3).

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the material (1) falls freely through the treatment zone (3).

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the material (1) falls freely through the treatment zone (3).

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the material (1) falls freely through the treatment zone (3).

19. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1) is moved through the treatment zone (3) at a speed (v) that lies in a range of from 1 m/s to 5 m/s.

20. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1) is moved through the treatment zone (3) at a speed (v) that lies in a range of from 2 m/s to 4 m/s.

21. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1) is moved through the treatment zone (3) at a speed (v) that lies in a range of from 2 m/s to 3 m/s.

22. The method according to claim 7, wherein the material (1) is selected from the group consisting of: foodstuffs, such as grains, for example soya, breakfast cereals, snacks, nuts, such as dried coconut, almonds, peanut butter, cocoa beans, chocolate, liquid chocolate, chocolate powder, chocolate chips, cocoa products, pulses, coffee, seeds, for example pumpkin seeds, spices (such as turmeric, in particular sliced), tea mixtures, dried fruits, pistachios, dried protein products, bakery products, sugar, potato products, pasta products, baby food, dried egg products, soya products, for example soya beans, thickeners, yeasts, yeast extracts, gelatins or enzymes; animal feed, such as pellets, food for ruminants, birds, aquatic species (in particular fish) or domestic pets, or compound feed; plastics, such as PET, for example in the form of flakes or pellets.

23. The method according to claim 10, wherein the material (1) is selected from the group consisting of: foodstuffs, such as grains, for example soya, breakfast cereals, snacks, nuts, such as dried coconut, almonds, peanut butter, cocoa beans, chocolate, liquid chocolate, chocolate powder, chocolate chips, cocoa products, pulses, coffee, seeds, for example pumpkin seeds, spices (such as turmeric, in particular sliced), tea mixtures, dried fruits, pistachios, dried protein products, bakery products, sugar, potato products, pasta products, baby food, dried egg products, soya products, for example soya beans, thickeners, yeasts, yeast extracts, gelatins or enzymes; animal feed, such as pellets, food for ruminants, birds, aquatic species (in particular fish) or domestic pets, or compound feed; plastics, such as PET, for example in the form of flakes or pellets.

24. The method according to claim 13, wherein the material (1) is selected from the group consisting of: foodstuffs, such as grains, for example soya, breakfast cereals, snacks, nuts, such as dried coconut, almonds, peanut butter, cocoa beans, chocolate, liquid chocolate, chocolate powder, chocolate chips, cocoa products, pulses, coffee, seeds, for example pumpkin seeds, spices (such as turmeric, in particular sliced), tea mixtures, dried fruits, pistachios, dried protein products, bakery products, sugar, potato products, pasta products, baby food, dried egg products, soya products, for example soya beans, thickeners, yeasts, yeast extracts, gelatins or enzymes; animal feed, such as pellets, food for ruminants, birds, aquatic species (in particular fish) or domestic pets, or compound feed; plastics, such as PET, for example in the form of flakes or pellets.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the material (1) is selected from the group consisting of: foodstuffs, such as grains, for example soya, breakfast cereals, snacks, nuts, such as dried coconut, almonds, peanut butter, cocoa beans, chocolate, liquid chocolate, chocolate powder, chocolate chips, cocoa products, pulses, coffee, seeds, for example pumpkin seeds, spices (such as turmeric, in particular sliced), tea mixtures, dried fruits, pistachios, dried protein products, bakery products, sugar, potato products, pasta products, baby food, dried egg products, soya products, for example soya beans, thickeners, yeasts, yeast extracts, gelatins or enzymes; animal feed, such as pellets, food for ruminants, birds, aquatic species (in particular fish) or domestic pets, or compound feed; plastics, such as PET, for example in the form of flakes or pellets.

Description

[0023] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail by way of specific embodiments and drawings.

[0024] FIG. 1: a schematic representation of a first method according to the invention;

[0025] FIG. 2: a schematic representation of a second method according to the invention.

[0026] In the first embodiment schematically shown in FIG. 1, a particulate, separated good 1, such as a spice, pistachios or almonds, falls freely through a treatment zone 3 at an increasing speed in the range from 1 m/s to 5 m/s. There it is pasteurized and/or sterilized by means of an electron beam generated by an electron source 4. The electron beam contains electrons of an energy in the range 80 keV to 300 keV and has an average electron current density in the treatment zone 3 in the range of 10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2 to 2.77.Math.10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2. The good 1 is subjected to this treatment for a treatment time in the range of 5 ms to 25 ms, whereby it is exposed to a radiation dose in the range 1 kGy to 45 kGy.

[0027] FIG. 2 schematically shows a second embodiment. A separated particulate good 1 is dosed onto a conveyor belt 2. The conveyor belt 2 transports the good 1 in a treatment zone 3 under an electron source 4. In treatment zone 3, the electron source 4 generates an electron beam with electrons of an energy in the range from 80 keV to 300 keV and an average electron current density in the range from 10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2 to 2.77.Math.10.sup.15 s.sup.1.Math.cm.sup.2. The good 1 is subjected to this treatment for a treatment time in the range from 5 ms to 25 ms, whereby it is exposed to a radiation dose in the range from 1 kGy to 45 kGy.

[0028] With these methods, the particulate good 1 can be pasteurized and/or sterilized effectively and reliably, but still as simply, quickly and inexpensively as possible.