Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/001—Packaging other articles presenting special problems of foodstuffs, combined with their conservation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/003—Control or safety devices for sterilisation or pasteurisation systems
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/02—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating materials in packages which are progressively transported, continuously or stepwise, through the apparatus
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/10—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating materials in packages which are not progressively transported through the apparatus

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method of preserving and packaging perishable food products, without adding preservative chemicals, consisting in carrying out the following successive steps:
• the packaged products to a heat treatment by heating to a predetermined temperature, followed by rapid cooling to the core.
• the heating phase for pasteurization or sterilization is generally carried out at a temperature of 95 ° C for a certain time.
• the sealed container if it is made of plastic, may be subject to swelling under certain conditions, due to the expansion of the air occurring inside the container during the rise in temperature. swelling can cause bursting if the pressure difference becomes too large. This drawback can be remedied by providing back pressure inside the autoclave, so as to limit the swelling effect of the container.
• the implementation of such a device is complicated, and the temperature of 95 ° C may also cause partial destruction of vitamins, trace elements, mineral salts enzymes. present in the products.
• Document FR-A-2326869 relates to a process for preparing frozen molds.
• the preservation method used in this process is freezing, and the partial vacuum in the sachet after placing the cleaned molds, only allows the opening of the molds during the pre-cooking phase.
• the partial vacuum is established in the range of 600 to 650 Torr of residual vacuum.
• the flexible bag is then closed, then heated in order to precook the molds by soaking in boiling water for ten to twenty minutes. Subsequently, the mussels are frozen in the same bag.
• the method according to document FR-A-1525884 makes use of a non-hermetic cover to allow the passage of gases to the outside during conventional cooking in an autoclave.
• a neutral gas is introduced into the autoclave to establish a back pressure.
• the vacuum is very high inside the sachets, so as to eliminate all traces of air in the sachets.
• Such a process is used for packaging foodstuffs, in particular previously cooked products, and the vacuum is mainly used to prevent oxidation.
• the object of the invention is to carry out a reliable preservation and packaging process, preserving the vitamins and enzymes as well as the physical appearance of the products, and on the other hand avoiding any risk of the container bursting during the treatment. thermal.
• the method according to the invention is characterized in that the interior of the container is subjected to a partial vacuum before sealing, the vacuum serving to lower the boiling and / or melting point of the products to a predetermined value during the heating phase of the heat treatment, and a flexible or semi-rigid plastic material is used to constitute the container, the volume of air remaining inside the sealed volume allowing a slight deformation of the container to balancing of internal and external pressures during the heat treatment temperature rise.
• the container has an oval or curvilinear shape favoring an optimum distribution of the expansion or retraction forces applied to the deformable walls during the heat treatment, the sealing being effected by means of a flexible film of conjugated shape. to that of the container. Maintaining a balance of internal and external pressures promotes non-deformability of the container and of the sealing film.
• the film coating is favored by means of a projecting tab, placed at one end of the rim where the radius of curvature R1 is less than that R2 in the central area.
• FIG. 6 shows the pressure diagram as a function of the boiling temperature for drinking water
• FIG. 7 is a plan view of the container sealed with the film; - Figure 8 shows two stackable modules of a storage device for sealed containers after heat treatment.
• FIG. 9 illustrates a first embodiment of a variable volume container depending on the temperature, the tray being shown in the closed position of the bellows;
• FIG. 10 is an identical view to Figure 9 in the deployed position of the bellows
• FIG. 11 shows a plan view of the tray according to Figure 9;
• the preservation and packaging process begins with a first phase of preparation of the products or foodstuffs so as to guarantee the minimum of microbial proliferation before their introduction into the container.
• This preparation is carried out with the use of chemically untreated drinking water, and can involve various washing and filtration operations, for example by means of an electrostatic filtration and sterilization device operating by ionization. This results in a total cleaning of the products after removal of all kinds of dust and other foreign bodies, and destruction of microorganisms, yeasts, etc.
• the cleaned products can remain cold in the raw state, or be subjected to a prior cooking, the temperature of which depends on the nature and / or the combination of the constituents of the products.
• the precooked products are then cooled to the core at a temperature of the order of 10 ° C.
• the container used consists of a container or film made from a flexible or semi-rigid plastic material which can deform as a function of pressure and temperature conditions.
• the container 10 of FIG. 1 is formed by a tray having a bottom 12, a lateral surface 14 and a flat peripheral rim 16. It is clear that any other type of container, for example sachets, doses, boxes, etc., can be used for packaging and preserving the products.
• the shape of the container can be arbitrary, but an optimum effect has been found for round or oval shapes.
• the second phase of the process then continues with the introduction of the products 18 to be stored in the container 10 (FIG. 2).
• a flexible film 20 is placed on the rim 16 of the container 10, and the volume 22 remaining between the products 18 and the film 20 is subjected to a partial vacuum by means of a vacuum pump 21.
• the value of the vacuum in volume 22 is a function of the nature of the materials to be treated, and of their molecular compositions, in particular of the liquid or solid structures of the products 18, the thermal expansion of the liquids being greater than that of solids.
• a sealing device then heats the film 20 locally, and the plate on the flange 16 with a predetermined application pressure, in order to seal the container 10 under partial vacuum (FIG. 4).
• the products 18 inside the sealed container 10 do not undergo any significant increase in temperature during the closing operation by the film 20, and remain substantially at room temperature.
• the melting and boiling points of a given body vary depending on the pressure.
• the diagram in Figure 6 shows the possibility of lowering the melting and boiling points when the pressure decreases.
• the vacuum in volume 22 can be adjusted during the partial vacuum operation, to a predetermined value depending on the water content of the products 18.
• the vacuum may therefore vary between the extreme limits of 0.5 bar and 0.04 bar depending on whether the products are solids or liquids.
• a vacuum of 0.5 bar corresponds to a boiling point of 80 ° C which is ideal for solids.
• the boiling point for liquids can drop to 20 ° C for a vacuum of 0.04 bar.
• the container 10 sealed under partial vacuum is introduced into an autoclave 24, which generates a specific heat treatment of the products 18.
• the heat treatment consists first of all in heating the products 18 to a predetermined temperature below 100 ° C. depending on the vacuum chosen.
• the duration of the heating will depend on the mode of subsequent conservation (room or controlled temperature), and of the mass and nature of the products 18.
• the container 10 is subjected to a rapid lowering of its temperature within an adjustment range of between 10 ° C and 35 ° C. This core cooling must take place in less than an hour, keeping the pressures in equilibrium, or in some cases by slightly increasing the pressure outside the container 10 to accelerate the cooling phase.
• the vacuum prevailing in the volume 22 of the container 10 allows on the one hand the lowering of the boiling point of the products 18, and the remaining volume of air allows on the other hand a slight deformation of the plastic container for balancing internal and external pressures during the temperature rise during the heating phase in the autoclave 24.
• the tightness of the container 10 is not altered by the heat treatment, the film 20 remaining well bonded and stretched on the rim 16, and not undergoing any formation of folds or undulations.
• the oval or curvilinear shape of the container 10 (FIG. 7) allows optimum distribution of the forces exerted on the walls of the container 10, and also promotes the shoveling of the film 20 of conjugate shape, when the film removal tab 26 is placed at one end of the rim 16 where the radius of curvature R1 is less than that R2 in the central zone.
• the positioning of the tongue 26 at this location of the container allows a regular progression of the area of separation of the film 20 from the rim 16, and prevents any tearing when the user wishes to remove the film following a pulling action exerted on the tongue 26.
• FIG. 8 shows a storage device with stackable modules 28A, 28B for housing the sealed containers 10 after the heat treatment.
• Each module 28A, 28B consists of a preformed hollow support 30, comprising a plurality of cells 32 (only one being shown in FIG. 8), having shapes conjugated to those of the containers 10, and two lateral edges 34, 36 intended coming into contact with the upper face of the lower adjacent module in the direction F of the stack, while the bottom of the cells 32 remains apart by an interval.
• This storage device avoids any stress exerted on the containers of the different levels of the stack, and makes it possible to strengthen the mechanical strength by reversing the arrangement of two modules 28A, 28B consecutive by 180 °.
• Such a storage device is very light and stable, and guarantees the hermeticity and the conservation of the products in the containers 10 according to the determinations and the choice of conservation.
• the various modules 28A, 28B allow either an almost immediate use of the products in the case of catering, or an easy use in the case of assembly for professionals with a view to subsequent marketing, or an extension of the lifespan of the products by preserving the vitamins, the trace elements, the minerals, the alkaloids, the enzymes in order, to extract the components to manufacture all products derived from these components.
• the method according to the invention is applicable to all solid or perishable liquid food products, in particular vegetable or meat products, and perfectly preserves food at room temperature or at controlled temperature, while preserving all the vitamins constituting the products before treatment, without intake conservation chemicals.
• the shape of the storage support allows the transport of products over long periods, in particular slow transport of the boat type instead of rapid transport by aircraft, as well as palletization without overpacking in cardboard.
• the method can also be used in the pharmaceutical field, in particular for the conservation of vaccines and sera, as well as in pharmacology, and the conservation of plants and plants.
• Figures 9 to 11 show a first embodiment of a container 40 constituted by a bellows tray 42, having a variable volume depending on the temperature.
• the tray 42 of plastic material has an oblong or oval shape, and is designed to contain individual or collective portions.
• the side wall of the tray 42 includes articulation means 44 playing the role of hinges, and the bottom is provided with a series of corrugated corrugations 46 forming a bellows.
• tray 42 according to Figures 9 to 11 is particularly suitable for the method according to the invention, since the increase in volume following the expansion of the bellows by the temperature causes a decrease in the pressure inside of the tray 42. It follows that the pressure in the autoclave does not need to be increased during the heating phase, which allows a very rapid rise in temperature.
• An intermediate wall 50 pierced with holes 52, is arranged at the bottom of the tray 42 to maintain a vacuum in the vicinity of the bellows after filling the tray 42 with the products to be preserved.
• the middle part of the wall 50 is supported on a spacer 54 which maintains the spacing during the deformation of the bellows.
• the principle consists in having a tray 42 with variable volume so as to have shorter cooking cycles of 15% to 30% compared to cycles obtained with trays with constant volumes.
• the articulation means 44 and the corrugations 46 are advantageously formed by narrowed sections of the molded wall of the tray 42 so as to move apart under the effect of the pressure. This results in an increase in volume, and a progressive lowering of the internal pressure of the tray 42.
• FIG. 10 shows the complete opening of the bellows.
• FIG. 12 represents a second embodiment of a tray 56 with variable volume, the corrugations 58 of the bellows being provided in this case on the side wall.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
• General Preparation And Processing Of Foods (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9481809

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (4)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1995
  • 1995-08-03 FR FR9509641A patent/FR2737467B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1996
  • 1996-08-02 CA CA002225545A patent/CA2225545A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-08-02 JP JP9508178A patent/JPH11510460A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 1996-08-02 WO PCT/FR1996/001243 patent/WO1997006063A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-08-02 EP EP96927742A patent/EP0842088A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1996-08-02 AU AU67451/96A patent/AU6745196A/en not_active Abandoned
• 1998
  • 1998-02-03 NO NO980470A patent/NO980470L/no unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events