CN111662820A

CN111662820A - Apparatus for cultivating plant material as food

Info

Publication number: CN111662820A
Application number: CN202010519946.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 冈特·普法夫
Original assignee: BETSY'S TEMPEH CONSULTING LLC
Current assignee: BETSY'S TEMPEH CONSULTING LLC
Priority date: 2014-04-09
Filing date: 2015-04-09
Publication date: 2020-09-15
Also published as: CN106455647B; CN106455647A; WO2015157562A1; EP3128845A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus suitable for preparing cultured food products, such as but not limited to tempeh, from plant material. The apparatus includes a housing, a container, and at least one heating element. The container holds a plant material, such as a soy matrix, and is incubated in a shell, thereby forming an incubated food product, such as tempeh. The housing further comprises a controlled airflow, wherein the housing is adapted to allow ambient air to flow into and out of the housing during the cultivation process.

Description

Apparatus for cultivating plant material as food

The application is a divisional application of the Chinese patent invention application 'equipment for culturing plant materials as food', which has the application date of 2015, 4, 9 and the application number of 201580030637.8.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for preparing cultured food products from plant material, such as but not limited to tempeh.

Background

Tempeh has been a valuable and important food product that has traditionally been prepared by fermenting and culturing whole dehulled soybeans or soybean kernels or flour with a culture of beneficial fungi or microorganisms. Although tempeh is made from soy, it has a unique taste and is itself bland in taste, unlike tofu, and also has different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. The fermentation process of tempeh and its retention throughout the soybean results in a higher protein, dietary fiber and vitamin content. It has a firm texture and earthy taste, which becomes more pronounced as the tempeh. Due to its nutritional value, tempeh is used in vegetarian cooking throughout the world; some consider it to be a meat analogue.

Traditionally, tempeh is prepared by first soaking whole soybeans in water. The soaked, wet soybeans are then dehulled and boiled in water to soften the soybeans and destroy any contaminating microorganisms. The cooked soybeans are then spread into a thin layer to allow water to drain and evaporate from the surface of the soybeans. The air-dried soybeans are then mixed with a starter comprising a portion of the old tempeh containing microorganisms of molds, bacteria and other microorganisms. The moist inoculated soybeans were then tightly wrapped and the material was allowed to incubate at room temperature until the soybeans completely mildewed. This product is called tempe and can be eaten directly or cut into slices, immersed in a salt solution and fried in vegetable oil. Presently, tempeh may be made by soaking soybeans or legumes, then boiling them until the soft and non-nutritive ingredients have been eliminated or reduced. It is then dried and sliced in a vegetable cutter (with a faceplate). The tempeh initiator culture is then added and mixed into the matrix, after which it is ready for culture. Typically, the tempeh is pasteurized after cultivation.

The cultivation of soybeans eliminates the bad odor and bad taste of soybeans by causing microorganisms to produce enzymes which act on the proteins, carbohydrates and oils in soybeans to make tempeh palatable and nutritious and to impart a satisfactory taste thereto. Examples of microorganisms used in the cultivation of tempeh are Rhizopus oryzae and Aspergillus oryzae; in most cases: rhizopus oligosporus. These microorganisms require aeration to grow and form enzymes. During the cultivation, the soybeans must be spread into a relatively shallow depth layer due to the microorganisms used in making tempeh aerobic. This therefore means that the area of the soybean layer must be large.

The use of large area trays is common to the commercial production of tempe. Martineli (Martinelli) and hersseling (hesselline) in 1964 in "food technology" volume 18, chapter 5, propose such findings: large metal trays are very good for commercial tempe production because they are more sanitary and allow easier removal of tempes from the container than wooden trays (unless the wooden trays are lined with a porous plastic sheet). These metal trays are referred to as preferably larger aluminum trays, rather than larger stainless steel trays. However, the use of aluminium in long-term contact with food is questionable in terms of its possible implications for causing diseases, such as alzheimer's disease. Stainless steel is not a very good thermal conductor, and its thermal conductivity is less than 10% of that of aluminum. In some cases, the use of stainless steel can result in heat build up in the center of the tray, which can lead to spoilage of tempe in the area around the center of the tray.

One convention in the preparation of tempeh is to cover the soy layer with a film. The use of banana leaves instead of films is a traditional method, but causes contamination and the banana leaves are not reusable. Other films that can be used are polyethylene films or waxed paper.

A general method of making tempeh comprises: soybeans were cultivated with a layer of flexible plastic sheet modified to have ventilation perforations. The cultivation process takes place in a cultivation room with a uniformly heated or cooled agitated air flow and with a uniform humidity. A disadvantage of this general method is that the agitation of the airflow typically creates a darkened area on the tempe where the airflow contacts the microorganisms at the perforations. This contact with the rapidly moving air stream causes the microorganisms to sporulate prematurely and produce undesirable black spores. The greater the agitation of the air stream to ensure that the air in the incubation chamber is not stratified, the greater the incidence of premature sporulation. Moreover, it is difficult to accurately control the humidity in the culture chamber. If the airflow is slightly drier than optimal, the black spore problem increases.

U.S. patent No. 3,228,773 to hersseltine et al describes a process for preparing tempeh by fermenting soybeans with certain algal fungi of the mucorales, rhizopus species. The soybeans are soaked overnight, the seed coats are removed and the whole soybeans can be cracked into large particles. The soybeans are then softened and moisturized by soaking in water and then boiling to disinfect and further soften the soybeans. Excess water was drained and the soybeans were cooled to below 104 ° F (40 ℃) and then inoculated with a spore suspension of rhizopus spores. Soybeans were grown in conventional non-toxic plastic bags that were modified by the presence of 0.02 inch diameter perforations (spaced no more than 0.5 inch apart). Soybeans are also described as being cultured in porous flexible plastic tubing having a diameter of 3.5 inches (9 cm). In either instance, the resulting tempeh must be removed from the plastic container and then cooked to prepare the tempeh as a consumable food.

U.S. patent No. 5,228,396 to Pfaff (Pfaff) describes an apparatus for growing plant material as a food product, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one container, such as a stainless steel tray, which receives plant material partially submerged in a water bath, and the apparatus comprises a lid covering the container. The heater heats the water bath such that the water bath evenly distributes heat to the container, thereby allowing for even cultivation of the plant material. The temperature of the water bath is regulated by increasing the heat of the heater, or by adding cold water to the water bath.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides various embodiments of an apparatus suitable for preparing cultured food products, such as, but not limited to, tempeh, from plant material. The present invention is configured to be effective, reliable, and cost effective, and can be used to prepare tempeh in large or small scale applications. Various embodiments include elements to alter or control the temperature during the culturing process. These elements may comprise many different materials or differently arranged devices, some of which include heating coils.

In one embodiment, as broadly described herein, an apparatus comprises: a housing comprising a chamber; a container received by the chamber; and at least one heating element. The apparatus also includes a plurality of inlet apertures through which air enters the chamber and a plurality of outlet apertures through which air exits the chamber. The at least one heating element is configured to regulate and vary the temperature inside the apparatus to ensure that the temperature inside the apparatus is at a desired level.

In another embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a housing comprising a top portion and a bottom portion; a support structure; a container received by the support structure; and at least one heating zone adjacent to the container. The apparatus may further comprise a control mechanism adapted to operate the apparatus during the cultivation of the food product. The housing comprises a plurality of inlet apertures, a plurality of outlet apertures and a drip screen, wherein the drip screen is adapted to prevent condensation or any contamination from falling onto the container.

These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the features of the invention.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 4A is a perspective view of the internal components of an apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4B is a close-up view of the internal components shown in fig. 4A.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the housing of the device shown in fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of one embodiment of an enclosure according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of one embodiment of an enclosure according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The invention described herein relates to various embodiments of an apparatus suitable for growing plant material to produce a cultured food product (such as, but not limited to, tempeh). The apparatus may comprise many different materials and may be used in many different applications, such as, but not limited to, from small scale production of tempei to industrial scale production of tempei. The device according to the invention can be arranged in many different ways with many different components. In some embodiments, the apparatus may comprise: a housing comprising an insulating chamber; a container adapted to receive plant material; and at least one heating element. The apparatus also includes a plurality of inlet apertures and a plurality of outlet apertures to allow air to flow through the housing. This arrangement allows air to circulate within the housing by natural convection.

In one embodiment, as broadly described herein, an apparatus comprises: a housing comprising an insulating chamber; a container received by the housing; and at least one heating element. The apparatus also includes a plurality of inlet apertures through which air enters the insulating chamber and a plurality of outlet apertures through which air exits the insulating chamber. The at least one heating element is configured to regulate and vary the temperature to ensure that the temperature within the apparatus is at a desired level.

Culturing plant material to produce tempeh is generally known in the art. Traditional methods of manufacturing tempeh require soaking, peeling, cooking and inoculating a plant material (typically soy) with a tempeh starter, such as a portion of old tempeh and/or a mixture of molds, bacteria and other microorganisms. The soy substrate is then cultured, whereby the soy substrate is subjected to a culturing and fermentation process that produces tempeh. In conventional methods, the device typically used to receive the soy substrate during the cultivation process is a plastic storage bag or plastic film. The plastic bag also needs to be perforated to allow for the release of excess gas during the culturing process. The used plastic bag and plastic film are not reusable after the tempeh has been manufactured, so that a new plastic bag/plastic film must be used each time the tempeh is manufactured. Moreover, the production of tempe is limited by the size of the plastic bags/films, which can be an obstacle to the large-scale or industrial-scale production of tempe. Other methods require banana leaves or grape leaves to receive the soy substrate during the cultivation process. However, it is not always feasible to wrap the soybean substrate with leaves if the leaves are not readily available, or for large-scale production of tempeh. Still other devices for receiving soy substrates are stainless steel trays, as discussed above in US 5,228,396 to prafff. However, the device in 5,228,396 to pf (Pfaff) requires that a stainless steel tray be submerged in a water bath due to the low thermal conductivity of stainless steel.

The apparatus of the present invention may provide a number of advantages over those described above. For example, in some embodiments, the container portion holding the soy substrate may be made of stainless steel, and the apparatus is configured such that the soy substrate may be properly incubated without having to submerge the container portion in a water bath. Such an embodiment does not require a water bath, which results in easier production of tempe and reduced costs for manufacturing tempe. Additionally, in some embodiments, the device is configured to be modular such that one device can be stacked on top of and received by another device. In other embodiments, the device may be stacked with external grids that would alleviate the need to use particularly heavy and strong materials.

The invention has been described herein with reference to certain embodiments, but it should be understood that the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In particular, the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments in which the container is placed within or attached to a housing, but in other embodiments this structure may be modified. The present invention can also be used with different types of plant material to make cultured foods and is not limited to the use of soy substrates to make tempeh.

It will be understood that when an element or component is referred to as being "on" another element or component, it can be directly on the other element or component or intervening elements may also be present. Also, relational terms, such as "between," "inner," "adjacent," "below," "adjacent," and the like may be used herein to describe one element or component's relationship to another element or component. It will be understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.

Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another element or component. Thus, a first element discussed herein may be termed a second element without departing from the teachings of the present application. It will be appreciated that the actual system or fixture embodying the invention may be arranged in many different ways to have many more features and elements than those shown in the figures.

Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the drawings, which are schematic illustrations. As such, the actual thicknesses of the components and features may vary, and variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. Elements shown or described as square or rectangular will typically have rounded or curved features due to normal manufacturing tolerances. Thus, the elements shown in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a feature of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 1-4A, an exemplary device 10 is shown. In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 includes a housing 12 including a top surface 14 and a bottom surface 16 opposite the top surface 14, wherein the housing 12 is adapted to receive a container 31 including a bottom portion 30 and a top portion 32. The bottom portion 30 is adapted to hold plant material to form a cultured food product. The apparatus 10 also includes a plurality of inlet apertures 36, a plurality of outlet apertures 38, and at least one heating element 40. The plurality of inlet apertures 36 are configured to allow air to flow into the housing 12, while the plurality of outlet apertures 38 are configured to allow air to flow out of the housing 12.

The housing 12 also includes a plurality of side walls 15 attached to the top and

bottom surfaces

14, 16 such that the top and

bottom surfaces

14, 16 are spaced from each other by the plurality of side walls 15. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the housing 12 is rectangular in shape, with one side wall 15 configured as an access panel 22 having an airtight seal and allowing access to the interior of the housing 12. However, in other embodiments, the housing 12 may be in the form of a different shape, such as, but not limited to, quadrilateral, circular, or triangular. In still other embodiments, the top and

bottom surfaces

14, 16 of the housing 12 are hingedly attached to allow access to the interior of the housing 12. The housing 12 also includes an upper portion 24, a chamber 25, and a lower portion 26. The upper portion 24 includes the plurality of side walls 15 and the top surface 14. In some embodiments, the upper portion 24 may be formed of an insulating material 28 such that the temperature within the housing 12 may be regulated or maintained at a desired temperature; the insulation also prevents heat loss.

The lower portion 26 of the housing 12 includes a bottom surface 16 and at least one heating element 40 such that the at least one heating element 40 is located within the lower portion 26 and extends along the length of the bottom surface 16 such that the at least one heating element 40 provides a uniform heat source to the lower portion 26. In one embodiment, lower portion 26 includes a plurality of heating elements 40 that are similar in size and shape and are equidistant from one another. The at least one heating element 40 may be configured in a number of different ways. For example, the lower portion 26 may include a heating element 40 extending along the perimeter of the rectangular form of the bottom surface 16, with one or more heating elements 40 extending along the length of the bottom surface 16. In still other embodiments, the at least one heating element 40 may have a number of different configurations, such as a zig-zag configuration, a serpentine configuration, a concentric configuration, a grid configuration, and so forth. These are non-limiting examples of how the at least one heating element 40 may be configured and are not intended to be limited to the examples discussed herein.

The chamber 25 of the housing 12 is adapted to receive the container 31 such that the container 31 is located on the lower portion 26 or at a distance from the lower portion 26. In some embodiments, chamber 25 includes a support structure 44 that receives container 31 and is adapted to retain container 31 within chamber 25. For example, the support structure 44 may include a slot 46 adapted to receive the container 31 such that the container 31 may be slid into the slot 46 of the chamber 25. In other embodiments, container 31 may have an extension extending around the perimeter of container 31, where the extension is located on slot 46 within chamber 25. In other embodiments, as shown in fig. 4A-4B, the support structure 44 is a separately formed frame 45 that receives the container 31 such that the frame 45 and container 31 can be placed into and removed from the chamber 25. This arrangement allows the frame 45 to be removed so that the chamber 25 can be cleaned simply by the lack of an obstruction that would prevent proper cleaning of the chamber 25. In the embodiment shown in fig. 4B, the separately formed structure is a frame 45 that includes a frame body 43 (which includes at least one channel 47) and a plurality of support extensions 49, the support extensions 49 being coupled to the frame body 43 such that the at least one channel 47 receives the container 31 such that the container can be slid into the at least one channel 47. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4B, the frame 45 includes a plurality of channels 47 on opposing portions of the frame body 43, but at least one channel 47 can be configured in a number of different ways. In still other embodiments, a container extension may be placed over at least one channel 47.

The container 31 is configured to receive plant material to be cultured to form a food product, such as, but not limited to, tempeh. The container 31 includes a bottom portion 30 and a top portion 32 opposite the bottom portion 30. The bottom portion 30 includes a bottom plate 51 coupled to a bottom sidewall 53 and a bottom extension portion 48 coupled to the bottom sidewall 53 opposite the bottom plate 51. The bottom extension 48 extends substantially perpendicularly from the bottom sidewall 53. The top portion 32 includes a perforated top 34 coupled to the top sidewall 35 and a top extension 37 coupled to the top sidewall 35 opposite the perforated top 34. A top extension 37 extends substantially perpendicularly from the top side wall 35. The bottom portion 30 and the top portion 32 are two separate pieces that may be used together to form the container 31. In other embodiments, the bottom portion 30 and the top portion 32 have similar shapes, while in other embodiments, the bottom portion 30 and the top portion 32 have different shapes.

The container 31 is configured such that the top portion 32 can be placed on the bottom portion 30 to form an airtight seal around the bottom extension 48 and the top extension 37 such that only airflow passes through the perforated top 34 of the top portion 32. The airtight seal prevents air from flowing in and/or out between top extension 37 and bottom extension 48. In some embodiments, gaskets may be used between top extension 37 and bottom extension 48, while in other embodiments, support structure 44 or frame 45 of receiving container 31 may be configured to form an airtight seal between bottom portion 30 and top portion 32 through the use of gaskets or the like. In still other embodiments, bottom portion 30 may be attached to top portion 32 with screws, rivets, or the like to obtain an airtight seal. One advantage of the present invention is that by preventing air flow between the top extension 37 and the bottom extension 48, the air flow will only pass through the perforated top 34, which maintains the moisture needed for proper mycelium growth during cultivation of the plant material. Failure to control the airflow within the chamber typically creates blackened areas on the cultured food product. This darkened area is a result of airflow that causes the microorganisms to sporulate prematurely and produce undesirable black spores. The black spores are edible and do not adversely affect the cultured food product. Properly controlling the air entering the container 31 prevents the formation of blackened areas on the cultured food product.

The container 31 may be constructed in many different ways and is not intended to be limited to the embodiments discussed herein. For example, the bottom portion 30 and the top portion 32 may be hingedly attached to each other. In yet another embodiment, the top portion 32 includes a perforated top 34 and a top extension 37 such that the perforated top 34 is a planar or substantially planar structure that is received by the support structure 44 or the frame 45. In other embodiments, the planar top portion 32 may be mounted to the housing 12 within the chamber 25 such that the bottom 32 is aligned with the perforated top 34 within the chamber 25. The container 31 and the interior of the housing 12 may be made of any food grade quality material known in the art, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel.

At least one heating element 40 may be actuated to heat the air within the chamber 25 to grow plant material, such as the soy substrate 50, in the bottom portion 30. The first part of the incubation process comprises an endothermic process, wherein at least one heating element 40 heats the air within the chamber 25 of the housing 12. In some embodiments, the temperature within chamber 25 is approximately 86-88F. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the apparatus comprises a plurality of heating elements 40 forming two heating zones, a first heating zone consisting of the heating elements 40 in the bottom 26 of the housing 12 and a second heating zone consisting of the heating elements 40 in the bottom 26 of the housing 12 and adjacent to the side wall 15. The first and second heating zones may be independently controlled by a control module 41. In this embodiment, the primary heating zone is configured to provide uniform heat below the bottom portion 30 of the container 31. One example of a temperature below the bottom portion 30 is 86-87 ° F. The second heating zone is configured to heat the air surrounding the container 31 within the chamber 25. One example of the temperature around container 31 within chamber 25 is 88 ° F. However, the temperatures provided by the first and second heating zones may be higher or lower than discussed herein. In addition, the heating elements 40 of the primary and secondary heating zones may be arranged in a number of different configurations, as discussed herein. The apparatus may also be configured to have multiple heating zones.

The second part of the culturing process includes an exothermic process wherein the soy substrate 50 generates heat and releases the generated heat into the chamber 25 of the housing 12. To ensure that the proper temperature is set within chamber 25, apparatus 10 may include a control module 41. Control module 41 is configured to sense the temperature within housing 12 and to control at least one heating element 40 to adjust the heat output of at least one heating element 40 to maintain the temperature within housing 12 at a predetermined temperature during the incubation process. For example, during the exothermic portion of the culturing process, the control module 41 may reduce the heat output or deactivate the at least one heating element 40 due to heat generated by the soy substrate 50. In embodiments including heating zones, the control module 41 may independently control the heat output of each heating zone. The apparatus 10 may also include a fan 42, which may also be actuated by the control module 41, to reduce or maintain the temperature of the soy substrate 50 and/or the temperature within the housing 12. Air blown by the fan 42 may be exhausted from the lower portion 26 of the housing 12 through at least one fan exhaust 54. In some embodiments, the fan 42 may be manually actuated and/or the heat output of the at least one heating element 40 may be adjusted, while in other embodiments, the fan 42 and the at least one heating element 40 are automatically controlled.

In order to provide a suitable environment for the cultivation process, fresh air will be admitted into the apparatus 10. The housing 12 includes a plurality of inlet apertures 36 disposed on the opposing sidewalls 15 of the housing 12 and adjacent the bottom surface 16 of the housing 12. It will also allow air to leave the apparatus by natural convection via a plurality of outlet holes 38 provided on the opposite side wall 15 of the housing, wherein the plurality of outlet holes 38 are provided on the opposite side wall 15 which does not have the inlet holes 36. The plurality of outlet apertures 38 are adjacent the top surface 14 of the housing and may be configured such that the outlet apertures 38 form an angled channel such that the channel opening in the housing 12 is located lower than the channel opening at the side wall 15 of the housing. One advantage of the present invention is that the angled passages utilize natural convection to allow heated air to exit the housing 12. In other embodiments, the inlet aperture 36 and/or the outlet aperture 38 may be configured such that they are substantially perpendicular to the sidewall 15, angled, or a combination thereof. In still other embodiments, the inlet aperture 36 and the outlet aperture 38 may be disposed on the same sidewall 15.

During the culturing process, condensation may form within the housing 12, particularly near the plurality of outlet holes 38 and/or on the upper surface 55 of the housing. The collection of condensate within the housing 12 collects on the upper surface 55 of the chamber 25 and may cause water droplets to fall onto the soy substrate 50 within the container 31. The water that contacts the soy substrate 50 during the cultivation process may negatively affect the soy substrate 50 and even kill the beneficial microorganisms that have increased to the soy substrate 50, thereby hindering or stopping the growth of the tempeh. To prevent water from contacting the soy substrate 50, the housing 12 may include a drip screen 52 adjacent the upper surface 55 of the chamber 25, wherein the drip screen 52 captures any condensate that may fall from within the chamber 25 and/or the plurality of outlet apertures 38. In yet another embodiment, the drip screen 52 may be adapted to direct the received condensate away from the perforated top 34 of the container 31 and/or to discard the received condensate. The drip screen 52 may be shaped such that the received condensate flows toward the chamber sidewall 57 such that the condensate may drip toward the chamber bottom 59 and below the chamber sidewall 57. The upper surface 55 of the chamber 25 may have a curved shape to direct condensate toward the chamber sidewalls 57. The upper surface 55 may be arranged in many different shapes and is not intended to be limited to a curved shape. One advantage of the present invention is that the condensate collected on the chamber bottom 59 helps maintain the proper humidity level within the housing 12.

Upon determining that the incubation process is complete, the control module 41 may be configured to actuate the at least one heating element 40 to pasteurize the incubated food product. In some embodiments, the temperature used to pasteurize the cultured food product is 160 ° F, thereby killing beneficial microorganisms added to the soy substrate 50. In some embodiments, the cultured food product may be pasteurized automatically, while in other embodiments, the at least one heating element 40 may be actuated manually. The automation of the apparatus 10 may be governed by a number of factors such as, but not limited to, temperature, humidity, time, and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a period of time may trigger an automatic event, such as turning off the at least one heating element 40, to coincide with the heat sink portion of the incubation process. In still other embodiments, the control module 41 also monitors the conditions within the housing 12 to ensure that the triggered event occurs properly due to the passage of time.

Fig. 5 discloses another embodiment of the device 100. The same reference numerals will be used in this application for the same or similar features. Fig. 5 shows an apparatus 100 that is also suitable for preparing cultured food products, similar to that discussed above. The apparatus 100 includes a housing 102 including a top surface 14 and a bottom surface 16 opposite the top surface 14, wherein the housing 102 is adapted to receive a container 130. The container 130 is adapted to hold plant material to form a cultured food product, similar to that described above. The apparatus 100 further comprises at least one inlet aperture 112 and at least one outlet aperture 113. The at least one inlet aperture 112 is configured to allow air to flow into the housing 102 and the at least one outlet aperture 113 is configured to allow air to flow out of the housing 102.

The housing 102 also includes a plurality of sidewalls 15 attached to the top and

bottom surfaces

14, 16 such that the top and bottom surfaces are separated from each other by the plurality of sidewalls. The apparatus 100 is configured such that at least one of the plurality of side walls 15 is configured as an access panel 22 that provides access to the interior of the housing 102, similar to that discussed above. The plurality of side walls 15 are insulated within the insulation means 108 to maintain the temperature within the housing at a constant set point. The insulation means 108 may be an insulating material as known in the art. In some embodiments, at least one side wall 15 is hingedly attached to at least one adjacent side wall 15 and/or top and

bottom surfaces

14, 16 to form access panel 22 such that the access panel pivots about a pivot point to provide contact to the interior of housing 102. However, the access panel may be configured in many different ways, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to an access panel 22 that pivots about a pivot point. The access panel allows access to the interior of the housing 102 and also provides an air-tight seal when closed.

The housing 102 also includes an upper portion 104 and a lower portion 106. The lower portion 106 of the housing 102 includes at least one inlet aperture 112, at least one outlet aperture 113, at least one bottom heater 114, and a fan 118. The at least one inlet aperture 112 allows ambient air to enter the housing 102 and circulate within the housing 102. In one embodiment of the invention, the lower portion 106 includes a plurality of inlet apertures 112. At least one inlet aperture 112 is located to channel air to the central surface 107 of the housing 102. As shown in fig. 5, at least one inlet aperture 112 is connected to a duct 111 that allows ambient air to enter the upper portion 104. This configuration prevents air within the lower portion 106 from mixing with ambient air routed to the upper portion 104. In another embodiment, air is allowed to enter the housing 102 from the side through the inlet holes 112 at the plane of the central surface 107, and air that would allow natural mixing with warmer air, provides oxygen to the plant material, and eventually exits the housing 102 at the at least one outlet hole 113. As shown in fig. 7, one exemplary configuration of the apparatus 100 includes at least one inlet aperture 112 in the middle of a side wall 15 of the housing 102 and exits the housing 102 at the top surface 14 through an outlet aperture 113 located near the opposite side wall 15.

The fan 118 is adapted to circulate air within the lower portion 106. The fan 118 includes at least one fan outlet aperture 119 that allows the fan 118 to blow into ambient air when the fan 118 is activated. The fan 118 may be actuated by the control module 132 to reduce or maintain the temperature within the lower portion 106. Air within the lower portion 106 may be expelled from the at least one outlet aperture 113. In one embodiment, at least one outlet aperture 113 is provided at the sidewall 15. In other embodiments, the housing includes a plurality of outlet apertures 113, wherein the outlet apertures 113 are disposed on the opposing sidewalls 15. In still other embodiments, the outlet apertures 113 may be provided on adjacent sidewalls 15, or on the same sidewall 15. The invention may be arranged in a number of different configurations and is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. The at least one outlet hole 113 allows air within the lower portion 106 to be expelled as desired. However, when the fan 118 is not activated, air may enter the lower portion 106 via the at least one fan inlet aperture 119 and/or the at least one outlet aperture 113.

At least one bottom heater 114 in the lower portion 106 of the housing is configured to regulate and vary the temperature within the lower portion 106 to ensure that the temperature within the housing 102 is at a desired level. The at least one bottom heater 114 may be configured similarly to the at least one heating element 40 as described above. In some embodiments, at least one bottom heater 114 is located within the lower portion 106 and extends substantially along the length of the bottom surface 16 such that the at least one bottom heater 114 is adapted to provide a uniform heat source to the lower portion 106. In other embodiments, the lower portion 106 may include a plurality of bottom heaters 114.

The lower portion 106 also includes at least one baffle 124 to assist in the circulation of air within the lower portion 106. The baffle 124 helps to keep the air within the lower portion 106 to ensure that the heat within the lower portion is substantially uniform and the lower portion 106 is free of hot and/or cold spots and to ensure that warm air within the lower portion does not escape. In one embodiment, the baffle 124 is adjacent to at least one of the bottom heater 114 and the conduit 111. In this arrangement, the baffle 124 is coupled to the central surface 107 such that the baffle extends from the central surface 107 toward, but does not contact, the bottom surface 16 and forms a gap 109 between the baffle and the bottom surface 16 such that air within the lower portion 106 can exit the lower portion 106 through the gap 109 and through the at least one outlet aperture 113. The baffle 124 may also extend along the perimeter of the lower portion 106 and along the central surface 107, and may be arranged substantially parallel to the sidewall 15 such that the baffle 124 has a shape similar to the shape of the housing 102 formed by the sidewall 15. The baffles 124 may be arranged in many different configurations and are not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. In other embodiments, the baffle 124 may extend from and along the central surface 107 while having a shape that is different from the shape of the housing 102. While in other embodiments, the baffle may extend along a portion of the central surface 107. In still other embodiments, the partitions may extend along portions of the central surfaces adjacent the opposing sidewalls 15 such that the partitions include opposing partitions adjacent the opposing sidewalls. The fan 118 may also be located elsewhere, for example on the outer surface of the side wall 15, and arranged so that the fan blows across the lower portion 106 to exhaust air at the at least one outlet aperture 113 in the lower portion.

The lower portion 106 also includes a thermocouple (thermocouple) 120. Thermocouples are known in the art and are briefly discussed herein. Thermocouple 120 measures the temperature of lower portion 106 and forwards the measurement to control module 132. The control module 132 monitors the conditions within the housing 102 to ensure that optimal and/or desired conditions are present to properly incubate the food product within the housing 102. The measurements from the thermocouple 120 to the control module 132 help allow the control module to independently control the heat output of the at least one bottom heater 114 and/or the operation of the fan 118 to provide a desired temperature within the lower section 106. As shown in FIG. 5, a thermocouple 120 is located within the lower portion 106 and adjacent to the central surface 107. However, the thermocouple 120 may be located at different locations within the lower portion 106 and is not intended to be limited to the examples discussed herein. In other embodiments, thermocouples may also be provided within the chamber 145 discussed below such that the control module 132 may be provided with measurements of the temperature within the chamber 145 and/or the temperature of the plant material. Moreover, the present invention is not limited to the use of thermocouples. In other embodiments, infrared probes and/or other sensors may be used in addition to and/or in place of thermocouples.

The upper portion 104 of the housing 102 includes at least one upper heater 116, at least one upper outlet aperture 113, and a housing 127. An outer shroud 127 is located on the central surface 107, which separates the upper portion 104 from the lower portion 106. The housing 127 includes at least one housing sidewall 125, a housing top 129, at least one perforation 128, and a ridge 131. In the embodiment of fig. 5, the housing 127 includes two housing sidewalls 125 extending from the central surface 107. The housing top 129 includes two ramps 133 coupled at one end to the respective housing sidewalls 125, the ramps 133 being coupled to each other opposite the housing sidewalls 125 forming the ridge 131. The housing top 129 and housing sidewalls 125 of the housing are configured in an a-frame configuration. In other embodiments, the outer cover 127 can be configured to have many different shapes and is not intended to be limited to an A-frame structure. In other embodiments, the housing top 129 may be a multi-faceted surface, include one or more beveled surfaces, or include one or more curved surfaces, or a combination thereof. The enclosure 127 extends along the length of the central surface 107 from the side wall 15 of the housing 102 configured as the access panel 22 toward the side wall 15 opposite the access panel. The enclosure 127 forms a chamber 145 adapted to receive the container 130 such that the container is located on the central surface 107 and enclosed within the enclosure 127. When access panel 22 of housing 102 is closed, access panel 22 and sidewall 15 opposite access panel 22 contact enclosure 127 to form chamber 145. The chamber 145 is arranged to be substantially airtight and arranged to so control the air entering the chamber 145. In other embodiments, the enclosure 127 may be configured such that one or both ends thereof are closed, while still being adapted to receive the container 130. For example, the outer cover 127 may be lifted within the upper portion 104 to receive and/or access the container 130. In still other embodiments, as shown in fig. 8A-8B, the housing 127 may include a U-shaped channel 151 near the side wall 125 to collect condensate. The groove 151 may be part of the housing 127 or it may be a separate structure.

The housing 127 includes at least one perforation 128 on each ramp 133 of the housing top 129. FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the housing 127 that includes a plurality of perforations 128 on each ramp 133 of the housing top 129. Perforations 128 allow air to enter and exit enclosure 127. The perforations 128 are the only passages that allow air to enter and exit from the enclosure 127, which ensures that the desired environment exists within the enclosure. Perforations 128 allow for proper venting of the food product during incubation.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 5 and 6, perforations 128 are disposed about 4 inches from ridge 131. However, in other embodiments, the perforations 128 may be disposed at any distance from the spine 131, and not all need be equidistant from the spine. In other embodiments, the perforations 128 may each be located at different distances from the ridge 131. The housing 127 may be formed from multiple components coupled together. In other embodiments, the enclosure 127 may be formed from a single piece of material molded into the shape of an A-frame as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

At least one advantage of the present invention is that the A-frame shape of the housing 127 allows condensate to flow away from the sloped surface 133 of the housing top 129 and/or the housing side walls 125. The configuration of the enclosure 127 substantially prevents condensate from contacting the food product during the incubation process, which could contaminate the food product during the incubation process.

At least one upper heater 116 is located within the upper portion 104, but outside of the enclosure 127. In the embodiment of fig. 5, the apparatus 100 includes two upper heaters 116 in the upper portion 104. However, in other embodiments, the apparatus may include more than two upper heaters 116. The at least one upper heater 116 is configured to regulate and vary the temperature within the upper portion 104 to ensure that the temperature within the housing 102 is at a desired level. The at least one upper heater 116 may be configured similar to the at least one heating element 40 and the at least one bottom heater 114 discussed above. In some embodiments, at least one upper heater 116 is located within the upper portion 104 and extends substantially along the length of the sidewall 15 such that the at least one upper heater is adapted to provide a uniform heat source to the upper portion 104.

The at least one upper outlet aperture 113 is arranged to allow air within the upper portion 104 to exit the housing 102 by natural convection. At least one upper outlet aperture 113 is provided in the opposite side wall 15 of the housing 102. In the embodiment of fig. 5, the apparatus 100 comprises two upper outlet apertures 113, one of which is provided in the access panel 22 (not shown) and the other of which is provided in the side wall 15 opposite the access panel. In the embodiment of fig. 5 and 7, the position of the upper outlet hole 113 on the access panel 22 is shown, but the access panel is not shown, since fig. 5 and 7 are sectional views of the respective apparatuses. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. In other embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include more than two upper outlet apertures 113 and may be located on any of the side walls 15 or on the upper surface 14 of the housing 102. The at least one upper outlet aperture 113 may be configured in a similar manner to the outlet apertures 38 discussed above.

The upper portion 104 also includes a thermocouple 122, which is similar to the thermocouple 120 in the lower portion 106. The thermocouple 122 measures the temperature of the upper portion 104 and forwards the measurement to the control module 132. The control module 132 monitors the conditions within the housing 102 to ensure that optimal and/or desired conditions are present to properly incubate the food product within the housing 102. The measurements from the thermocouple 122 to the control module 132 help allow the control module to independently control the heat output of the at least one upper heater 116 to provide a desired temperature within the upper portion 104. As shown in FIG. 5, a thermocouple 122 is located within the upper portion 104 and adjacent the sidewall 15. However, the thermocouple 122 may be located at different locations within the upper portion 104 and is not intended to be limited to the examples discussed herein. Ambient air enters the upper portion 104 of the housing 102 through at least one inlet aperture 112, wherein the ambient air flows into the upper portion 104. The air is then heated by the at least one upper heater 116, if necessary. The control module 132 is configured to independently control the operation of at least one upper heater 116 to ensure that a desired temperature exists in the upper portion 104.

The chamber 145 is adapted to receive a container 130, wherein the container is located on the central surface 107 and enclosed within the enclosure 127. The container 130 includes a floor 140 and container sidewalls 142. The container 130 is similar to the container 31 discussed above in that the container 130 receives plant material that is to be cultured to form a food product, such as, but not limited to, tempeh. The container 130 is adapted to be removable from the chamber 145 by opening the access panel 22 of the housing 102.

The apparatus 100 operates similarly to the apparatus 10 in that at least one bottom heater 114 and at least one upper heater 116 can be actuated to heat air within the respective lower and

upper portions

106, 104 to cultivate the plant material in the container 130. The first part of the incubation process includes an endothermic process, wherein at least one upper heater and at least one bottom heater heat the air within their respective portions of the housing 102. In some embodiments, the temperature within the upper portion 104 and the lower portion 106 may be approximately 86-90 ° F. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the apparatus includes a plurality of upper heaters 116 and bottom heaters 114 that form two heating zones, a first heating zone consisting of the upper heaters 116 within the upper portion 104 of the housing 102 and a second heating zone consisting of the bottom heaters 114 within the lower portion 106 of the housing 102. The first and second heating zones may be independently controlled by the control module 132. In this embodiment, the secondary heating zone is configured to provide uniform heat below the bottom 140 of the vessel 130. An example of a temperature below the bottom 140 may be approximately 86-90 ° F. The primary heating zone is configured to heat air within the upper portion 104, wherein the heated air enters the chamber 145 through the at least one perforation 128 of the enclosure 127. One example of the temperature around the vessel 130 within the chamber 145 is approximately 88 ° F. However, the temperatures provided by the first and second heating zones may be higher or lower than discussed herein. Additionally, the at least one upper heater 116 and the at least one bottom heater 114 of the first and second heating zones may be arranged in a number of different configurations, as discussed herein.

The second part of the cultivation process comprises an exothermic process, wherein the plant material generates heat and releases the generated heat into the chamber 145. To ensure that the proper temperature is set within chamber 145, control module 132 is configured to sense the temperature within housing 102 and may control at least one of upper heater 116 and bottom heater 114 to adjust the heat output of the upper and/or bottom heaters to maintain the temperature within housing 102 at a predetermined temperature during the incubation process. For example, during the exothermic portion of the cultivation process, the control module 132 may reduce the heat output or deactivate either or both of the upper and/or bottom heaters due to the plant material generating heat. In embodiments including heating zones, the control module 132 may independently control the heat output of each heating zone. The fan 118 may also be actuated by the control module 132 to reduce or maintain the temperature of the plant material and/or the temperature within the enclosure 102. Air blown by the fan 118 may be discharged from the lower portion 106 of the housing 102 through the at least one outlet aperture 113. In some embodiments, the fan 118 may be manually actuated and/or the heat output of the at least one upper heater 116 and/or the bottom heater 114 may be adjusted, while in other embodiments, the fan 118 and the at least one upper heater 116 and/or the bottom heater 114 are automatically controlled.

Upon determining that the incubation process is complete, control module 132 may be configured to actuate at least one upper heater 116 and/or bottom heater 114 to pasteurize the incubated food product. In some embodiments, the temperature used to pasteurize the cultured food product is 160 ° F, thereby killing beneficial microorganisms added to the plant material. In some embodiments, the cultured food product may be pasteurized automatically, while in other embodiments, at least one upper heater 116 and/or bottom heater 114 may be manually actuated. The automation of the apparatus 100 may be governed by a number of factors such as, but not limited to, temperature, humidity, time, and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a period of time may trigger an automatic event, such as turning off at least one of upper heater 116 and/or bottom heater 114, to coincide with the heat sink portion of the incubation process. In still other embodiments, the control module 132 also monitors the conditions within the housing 102 to ensure that the triggered event occurs properly due to the passage of time. The control module may be constructed in many different ways and is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. In some embodiments, control module 132 may be a separate structure from device 100 that is electrically connected to the device. In still other embodiments, control module 132 may be arranged to electrically connect to multiple devices 100 that may operate simultaneously or independently.

The present invention has been described herein with reference to certain embodiments, but it should be understood that the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. For example, the examples herein disclose a separate apparatus for growing a soy substrate. However, multiple devices may be used, mounted one above the other or in side-by-side spatial relationship. The housing may include a plurality of extensions coupled to a lower portion of the housing and configured to be received by a respective one of a plurality of recesses on a top surface of the housing. In this way, the soybean substrate can be cultured on an industrial scale. In still other embodiments, the heat within the device may be regulated by a single heating element. However, the heating element may be an electric heating coil, or the like. Furthermore, in addition to fungi of the Rhizopus species, other beneficial microorganisms may be used. While various implementations of the present application have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for growing plant material as a food product, comprising:

a housing comprising a plurality of sidewalls and comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a central surface, wherein the central surface separates the upper portion from the lower portion;

a housing positioned within the upper portion, the housing comprising housing sidewalls and a housing top, wherein the housing top comprises at least one perforation;

at least one upper heater located within the upper section;

at least one bottom heater located within the lower section; and is

The housing comprises at least one inlet aperture adapted to allow air to enter the upper portion and at least one outlet aperture adapted to allow air to exit the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure forms a chamber within the upper portion of the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing is adapted to receive a container.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the container is disposed on the central surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one bottom heater is adapted to provide uniform heat to the lower portion of the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one upper heater is adapted to provide uniform heat to the upper portion of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one upper heater heats air within the chamber adjacent the container.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air entering the housing through the at least one inlet aperture is ambient air and the air exiting the housing through the at least one outlet aperture is heated air.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the housing top comprises a chamfer such that the housing top is adapted to prevent condensate from entering the container.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, the housing including an access panel to allow access to an interior of the upper portion of the housing.