CONTINUOUS LOW TEMPERATURE FOOD PASTEURIZATION AND SOUS VIDE APPROACH COOKING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• Main Authors: STOCKARD, Richard, D, HOCKER, Jon, A, STRONG, John, R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 28.09.2022
• Subjects: BAKERS' OVENS; BAKING; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; EDIBLE DOUGHS; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR BAKING; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT,VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES

A continuous low temperature food pasteurization system (10) includes a conveyor system (20) for conveying food products (FP) through a pasteurization chamber (40). A pre heater (140) may be located upstream from the pasteurization chamber, and an optional post heater (160) may be located downstream from the pasteurization chamber. A chiller and/or freezer (100) rapidly chills and/or freezes the food product after pasteurization as the conveyor system conveys the food product through the freezer. A control system (250) controls the operation of the pasteurization system to ensure that a desired percentage of pathogenic microorganisms present on the surface and/or within the interior of the food product are killed.