Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
  • A61L2/02—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using physical phenomena
  • A61L2/04—Heat
  • A61L2/06—Hot gas
  • A61L2/07—Steam
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
  • A23B9/00—Preservation of edible seeds, e.g. cereals
  • A23B9/005—Processes or apparatus using pressure variation or mechanical force, e.g. shock, acceleration, shear stress, contortion
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
  • A23B9/00—Preservation of edible seeds, e.g. cereals
  • A23B9/02—Preserving by heating
  • A23B9/025—Preserving by heating with use of gases
• • 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
  • A23L3/015—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation
  • A23L3/0155—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation using sub- or super-atmospheric pressures, or pressure variations transmitted by a liquid or gas
• • 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
  • A23L3/16—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials
  • A23L3/165—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials in solid state
• • 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
  • A23L5/00—Preparation or treatment of foods or foodstuffs, in general; Food or foodstuffs obtained thereby; Materials therefor
  • A23L5/10—General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
  • A23L5/17—General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure
• • 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
  • A23L7/00—Cereal-derived products; Malt products; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L7/10—Cereal-derived products
  • A23L7/197—Treatment of whole grains not provided for in groups A23L7/117 - A23L7/196
  • A23L7/1975—Cooking or roasting
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23P—SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS
  • A23P30/00—Shaping or working of foodstuffs characterised by the process or apparatus
  • A23P30/30—Puffing or expanding
  • A23P30/32—Puffing or expanding by pressure release, e.g. explosion puffing; by vacuum treatment
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
  • A61L2/02—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using physical phenomena
  • A61L2/04—Heat
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
  • A61L2/02—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using physical phenomena
  • A61L2/08—Radiation
  • A61L2/12—Microwaves

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a process for thermal, thermo-mechanical or hydro-thermomechanical treatment of various natural or processed products, food, cosmetic, chemical or pharmaceutical, solid, in pieces, pulverulent, pasty or liquid, mixtures of liquids, miscible or not, etc. by application of a pressure, temperature and / or humidity variation cycle in a treatment enclosure.
• the effects of the treatment are multiple, and the main effect achieved by the process according to the invention depends on the nature of the initial product introduced into the treatment enclosure, the operating conditions adopted and the final product targeted.
• This invention ensures the control of several conventional thermal processes, accelerates their kinetics, improves the quality of finished products and reduces energy consumption and waste. These processes generally relate to pasteurization, sterilization and / or packaging of solid products in pieces or in powder form, thermal modification of materials
• This treatment improves the quality of the product, in particular by the concentration of certain compounds compared to other constituents. It can facilitate the peeling of fruits and vegetables, improve their pressing, enhance the by-products or reduce the technical stages of operations, etc.
• the present invention relates to the control of these operations through the control of the temperature and the duration of treatment.
• the invention also relates to installations for implementing such a method.
• the level of the temperature used remains systematically limited by the fact that in order to achieve the objective in question while coupling it to the preservation of quality, it is all the more necessary to reduce and better control the duration of the treatment that the temperature used is high.
• the higher the temperature level the lower the processing time required.
• the difficulties of controlling the short treatment times and the importance of the relative errors resulting from the heating and cooling times considerably reduce the use of relatively high temperature levels.
• HTST High Temperature - Short Duration operations therefore generally remain a particularly difficult objective to achieve outside of the case of liquid or liquid carrier matrix products.
• the present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing, in the case of each of the operations and of each of the products envisaged, very high control over the temperature / treatment time couple capable of carrying out the operation, accelerating its kinetics and preserving the desired quality. of the finished product.
• the use of high temperature is coupled with very good control of the treatment time thanks to a very rapid rise in temperature and also rapid cooling by controlled instantaneous expansion towards a determined level of generally reduced pressure. Cooling is thus obtained by autovaporization of the water and volatile compounds contained in the product due to passage to vacuum.
• the final temperature level depends mainly on the final pressure in the case of a given product.
• the mechanical effect is a function of the pressure and temperature difference before and after expansion and is mainly induced by the quantity of vapor generated by self-vaporization of water and other volatile compounds. initially present in the product. Its impact which also depends on the specific thermo-hydro-rheological behavior of the product can often make it possible to speed up many targeted operations and thus reduce the treatment time. Controlling its impact is just as easy through controlling the initial pressure and temperature, the final pressure and above all the time of expansion.
• the present invention consists in ensuring very rapid heating of the product, by specific methods which depend on the product in question, its shape, its structure and the desired objective coupled with the establishment of a total pressure Po.
• two heating and pressurizing operations can be obtained in a coupled manner by injection of dry or wet steam. They can also be obtained separately by using other heating sources (microwave, IR, conduction, convection, etc.) coupled with the injection of a suitable gas capable of ensuring the required high pressure. .
• the invention is characterized in that a subsequent step of expansion is then carried out towards a lower pressure.
• the sudden expansion towards the vacuum can be controlled between two limits: the most instantaneous expansion possible in order to reduce the cooling time tr of the product; and, possibly, a fairly long relaxation time in order to reduce the phenomena of expansion to a level less than 1.5.
• the duration of the sudden expansion is a function of the product to be treated, its shape, its dimensions and the quality targeted. It is systematically between - 4 - WO 99/42003 PCT / FR99 / 00369
• the transition to reduced pressure can be obtained by establishing a vacuum in the enclosure in question by connection to a relatively large vacuum tank, or by mechanical passage of the product in a medium at reduced pressure; both possibilities can also be realized simultaneously.
• the process which is the subject of the present invention relates precisely to the replacement of the steam entrainment operation by heating followed by a particularly abrupt expansion in order to lead to an autovaporization operation of various volatile compounds at reduced pressure. final.
• the self-vaporization of the compounds present according to their thermodynamic properties forms a marked acceleration of the steam entrainment by the use of the adiabatic and isentropic transformation of expansion towards the reduced pressure.
• the process which is the subject of the present invention is therefore not linked to the destructuring of the material and also treats mixtures of liquids, miscible or not, as well as plants. There, several heating and expansion cycles to the vacuum are thus often necessary in order to carry out the self-vaporization of the mixture of liquids according to their thermodynamic characteristics and their respective vapor pressures at the treatment temperature.
• the applications of the process according to the invention generally relate to debacterization, pasteurization and sterilization, modification of the structure of the treated materials, separation of their compounds, preparation of fruits or vegetables in order to facilitate their peeling and / or their pressing and the quality of the finished or extracted product, enhancing the by-products or reducing the technical stages of operations, etc.
• the present invention relates to the control of these treatments through the control of the temperature and the duration of thermal, hydro-thermal, thermo-mechanical and hydro-thermo-mechanical treatments.
• the present invention in its most general form relates to a process for the treatment of solid products, in particular biological products in pieces, pulverulent or pasty form, of miscible or immiscible liquid products comprising a step of pressure heating of the products during a time tr characterized in that the method comprises after the heating step a cooling step by expansion to the vacuum.
• the heating step is carried out under a pressure greater than or equal to 0.8 bar.
• the heating step is carried out by injection of humid or superheated steam.
• the heating step is preceded by a step of placing the treatment chamber under vacuum, the pressure before heating being less than 0.2 bar.
• the cooling step is carried out by expansion to a pressure less than or equal to 0.5 bar.
• an initial step is carried out for adjusting the operating parameters such as the heating temperature level, the duration of the heating, the speed of expansion to vacuum, the value of various other operating parameters. and the temperature and pressure of water vapor, depending on the product to be treated, the organisms and micro-organisms to be eliminated and the quality to be preserved and ensured.
• the operating parameters such as the heating temperature level, the duration of the heating, the speed of expansion to vacuum, the value of various other operating parameters. and the temperature and pressure of water vapor, depending on the product to be treated, the organisms and micro-organisms to be eliminated and the quality to be preserved and ensured.
• the operating conditions are determined so as to cause an expansion rate of the treated products of less than 1.5 and only induce a very slight alteration in their texture.
• the treatment is localized on the surface of the products in pieces, optionally coupled with a reduction of free water from the surface of the product.
• the product is subsequently packaged under vacuum or under neutral gas with a view to its preservation.
• One of the applications relates to the pasteurization, sterilization or debacterization of various biological products, food or pharmaceutical solid in pieces, pulverulent or liquid.
• heat treatment methods methods using radiation, such as gamma radiation, ultraviolet, or even intense light, and / or other methods requiring the use of ultrasound.
• the choice of one or the other of these pasteurization or sterilization methods is made according to the type of flora or micro-organisms to destroy.
• the heat treatment methods systematically imply a more or less significant alteration of the product to be treated and the destruction of numerous molecules (proteins, vitamins, etc.).
• the present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a process for thermal destruction of microorganisms capable of preserving as much as possible the quality and the state of the medium treated.
• the use of high temperature is coupled with very good control of the treatment time thanks to a very rapid rise in temperature and also rapid cooling.
• One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a method of pasteurization and / or sterilization, in volume or in surface, consisting of heating under pressure the product to be treated preferably by injection of dry or wet steam, to reach the pressure Po, characterized in that one then proceeds to a subsequent cooling step by expansion to vacuum.
• the expansion to vacuum must be controlled between two limits: as instantaneous as possible in order to reduce the cooling time tr of the product; and possibly quite large in order to reduce the phenomena of expansion, texturing or extraction. Indeed, it is desirable for many food or organic applications, in particular for the treatment of fresh products or cooked dishes, not to modify the texture of the products, and not to cause the extraction of the flavors and the juices.
• the duration of the sudden expansion is a function of the product to be treated, its shape, its dimensions and the quality targeted. It is systematically between 1 instantaneousness and 5 seconds.
• the initial pressure Pi in the treatment enclosure before the injection of steam must be reduced (Pi ⁇ 0.2 bar) in order to reduce the heating rise time tm of the products to be treated.
• the treatment pressure Po is between 0.8 and 10 bar.
• the pressure after the sudden expansion phase is between 1 millibar and 0.6 bar.
• any heating in volume of the pieces of the solid product is avoided or reduced in order to localize the heat treatment on the surface. There is then a tendency to use a humid vapor at high pressure Po during a relatively short treatment time.
• the initial vacuuming by the passage of atmospheric or higher pressure of air or a gas towards the pressure Pi is carried out in a rather abrupt manner in order to reinforce the mechanical effects.
• This treatment concerns various biological products, powder or solid, whole or in pieces, raw, cut or crushed, raw, cooked, completely or partially dehydrated, etc.
• the complete or partial elimination of microorganisms is often coupled with a partial elimination of free water from the surface of the lump products.
• One of the other applications cited here by way of example relates to the hydro-thermo-mechanical treatment of plant, cereal or starch-based products, natural in grains or transformed into powders or in the form of pasta, etc.
• the products to be treated and the finished products are also solid (grains or pieces), powdery or pasty.
• This treatment then aims at modifying the structure, the physico-chemical characteristics and / or the functional properties. It intervenes in a single operation or in a process including phases of drying, humidification, resuration, abrasion, etc. The operation may therefore take place as pre-treatment, treatment or post-treatment of the products in question.
• blowing operations which mainly aim at modifying the texture through a hydrothermal treatment followed by an instantaneous expansion towards atmospheric pressure (Puffing) or towards vacuum (Controlled Instant Relaxation DIC) generating in the two cases a blowing of the products determined by an expansion rate defined by a volume ratio between the two final and initial states greater than 1.5.
• Puffing atmospheric pressure
• DIC Controlled Instant Relaxation DIC
• the present invention relates to the carrying out of hydro-thermo-mechanical treatment operations, aiming at steaming, cooking or precooking and / or a partial or complete gelatinization of cereal products in grains, powders, in dough or in pieces, allowing perfect control of treatment time and therefore the use of high temperature levels.
• the use of high temperature is coupled with very good control of the treatment time thanks to a very rapid rise in temperature and also rapid cooling.
• This invention allows the microtexturing of the products in question, defined by a maintained expansion of less than 1.5, to be combined with the steaming process.
• the treated products are finally conditioned immediately or following a partial or complete drying operation.
• the finished product has, in an irreversible and well controlled manner, a modified structure, a particular composition in partially or completely gelatinized starch, modified mechanical, textural, functional (diffusion) properties, inducing, for example, a fairly short subsequent cooking time.
• the process proposed in the present invention is capable of acting on the product in a rapid, precise and perfectly controlled manner with good preservation of the quality.
• cereals indica rice, Basmati, Thai, Japonica, etc. hard or soft wheat, etc.
• the products concerned are whole grains, semi-husked or husked.
• This also relates to pasta made from semolina or cereal flour, with or without various additives (eggs, butter, etc.), flours, etc.
• the hydro-thermo-mechanical treatment aimed at the steaming of the product, its micro-texturing and more particularly the gelatinization of starch, the modification of proteins, etc. involves the following steps:
• the humidity of the product is fixed either by prior humidification or by keeping it at its natural level around 10% or at its manufacturing level
• the treatment object of the present invention makes it possible to reduce the shrinkage of the dough during drying and to reduce the duration of the operation as well as the energy expenditure.
• the present invention therefore induces, after treatment, better controlled drying.
• the products obtained grains, flour, pasta, etc.
• have new structures micro- - 12 - WO 99/42003 PCT / FR99 / 00369
• the macromolecular constituents (proteins, starch, etc.) undergo significant modifications of the hydrothermal type (example: a controlled gelatinization rate of the starch, formation of a new network of gluten, etc.).
• the products obtained thus have new functional qualities. They are better rehydratable and have a short cooking time.
• Another application also cited here by way of example relates to the thermal, thermo-mechanical or hydro-thermo-mechanical treatment of mixtures, miscible or not, of liquids, of plant products (aromatic herbs, etc., whole or pieces of fruit and vegetables ), in order to separate or facilitate the separation of their components and compounds, modify their structure and / or their thermo-physico-chemical behavior, recover solid residues or the skin, etc.
• this treatment induces an immediate separation of the oils or will facilitate the pressing of the products and will improve the extraction of the oils and lipids.
• the invention also relates to installations for thermal, thermo-mechanical and hydro-thermo-mechanical treatment, in particular with a view to controlled pasteurization and / or sterilization, the extraction of essential oils or aromatic compounds, the preparation of the material for extraction of lipids and other compounds by pressing or solvents, of the type comprising a zone intended to receive the products to be treated, means for depressurization and for establishing vapor pressure in said zone.
• the installations according to the invention comprise a vacuum tank with a capacity preferably at least 20 times greater than the treatment enclosure, a connection system such as a rapid control valve being interposed between the treatment area and the vacuum tank. Vacuum is ensured by a vacuum pump and the condensation systems of vapors and condensates.
• the flow rate of the connection system is determined according to the product and the objective to be achieved so as to allow pressure balancing between the enclosure and the vacuum tank within a period ranging from possible instantaneousness to 5 seconds.
• two airlock systems ensure the first the passage of the product from the outside to the inside of the chamber or treatment area and the second the passage of the product from the chamber or treatment area to the outside for its recovery and its conditioning.
• the operation of the installation can thus be relatively continuous.
• the invention also relates to products directly obtained by implementing the above-mentioned treatment method.
• It relates in particular to debacterized biological products resulting from a treatment according to a controlled thermal treatment process comprising a step of introducing the products into an airtight treatment chamber, a step of heating the products placed in the treatment chamber, and a step heating a cooling step by expansion to vacuum.
• aromatics obtained by extraction from a product treated according to the process according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first alternative embodiment of the treatment installation according to the invention
• FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a second alternative embodiment of the treatment installation according to the invention
• FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a third alternative embodiment of the treatment installation according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 represents a schematic view of a treatment installation according to the invention.
• the first alternative embodiment of the installation shown in FIG. 1 consists of a sealed enclosure (1) connected to a vacuum tank (2) with a capacity at least twenty times greater than the capacity of the treatment enclosure ( 1).
• the treatment enclosure (1) is surrounded by a double envelope (3).
• the annular space between the two envelopes has connections (4, 5) for the injection and evacuation of water vapor.
• the circulation of water vapor in the double jacket ensures heating of the treatment chamber (1) to a temperature of 150 ° C.
• a connection allows the injection of air or gas into the enclosure.
• the treatment enclosure (1) also has a connector (8) for injecting water vapor inside the enclosure, on the products to be treated.
• the enclosure is circular or elongated, of pseudo-rectangular or elliptical section.
• a variant of this treatment enclosure has a cover (6) for ensuring closure - 15 - WO 99/42003 PCT / FR99 / 00369
• a second variant of this same enclosure has two watertight and quick-opening entry and exit doors. These doors are either straight or inclined relative to the axis. They can then possibly be circular.
• the bottom of the enclosure (2) has a valve (9) controlling the communication with the vacuum tank (2).
• the connection between the treatment chamber (1) and the vacuum tank (2) is made by a duct of large section to guarantee a high flow rate.
• the vacuum tank (2) is connected to a vacuum pump.
• the products to be treated are introduced by a single tray or several trays superimposed in the treatment enclosure (1). They are heated by steam injected into the overpressure enclosure. After a certain time of heating, the valve controlling the communication between the vacuum tank (2) and the enclosure (1) is then opened, and the pressure drops by approximately 4 bars in less than 5 seconds.
• FIG. 2 represents another variant embodiment more particularly suited to the extraction of essential oils and aromatic compounds. It has the following main parts:
• the two loading and processing chambers (100, 200) have a similar volume (for example 70 liters).
• the loading chamber (100) present in the example describes a diameter of 35 cm and a height of 60 cm.
• the installation also comprises an intermediate damping basket (300) of cyclonic or cylindrical shape connected to a recovery basket (301) of certain extracts of the treated product.
• a vacuum tank (400) with a volume here of approximately 100 times that of the treatment chamber (200), ie 7 m.
• the definition of the intermediate damping basket (300), of the recovery basket (301) and of the vacuum tank (400), their dimensions and their geometric shapes as well as the position of the cylinder of the chambers (100 and 200) (angle ⁇ ) depend on the products to be treated, the operating conditions to be adopted and the quality sought.
• the installation also includes a plurality of solenoid valves:
• the valve (130) is a quick opening valve.
• the installation also includes various electric control valves:
• the treatment chamber (200) has a diameter of 35 cm and is here provided with a central pipe (210) with a porous wall 15 cm in diameter. Its height is 75 cm.
• the central pipe (210) handles the treatment of a layer with a smaller thickness of product, here 10 cm thick.
• FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an alternative embodiment.
• the vacuum tank (2) is formed by a double-walled metal cylinder (500), here with a volume 100 times greater than the treatment chamber, ie 7 m3.
• the lower part is formed by a conical surface and a recuperator (501) of condensed liquids.
• This liquid recuperator (501) is separated from the vacuum tank (2) by a solenoid valve (502) and from the external environment by a solenoid valve (503).
• a tap (503) is used to pressurize the recuperator (501) after closing the solenoid valve (502) and before opening the solenoid valve (502).
• a condensation system can also facilitate the recovery of vapors and condensable products and will thus facilitate the creation of a vacuum in the tank.
• a vacuum pump (504) of known type contributes to the creation and maintenance of the vacuum in the tank.
• the vacuum chamber (2) is connected to the treatment chamber (200) by conduits (506, 507).
• the installation is equipped with pressure and temperature sensors ensuring the possibility of controlling it using a microcomputer controlling the pressurization and depressurization sequences and controlling the duration and the temperature inside the pregnant.
• the treatment protocol can be 18 -
• Table la Main phases of treatment.
• a system of micro-injection of air or gas into the chamber (505) must make it possible to cool the product even better after its treatment.
• the installation is just as adaptable to pre-packaged products as to bulk products. It thus includes a loading and unloading system in simple or stacked trays.
• the treatment chamber of elongated shape and of rectangular or elliptical section ensuring the admission of the product into the enclosure then its extraction towards the external atmosphere by means of suitable trays, through two straight doors of also rectangular or elliptical or, optionally, inclined and circular in shape.
• a system T for carrying, guiding and setting in motion the trays ensures the introduction of the trays of the products to be treated towards the interior of the treatment chamber and the exit of the trays of the treated product towards the exterior by an adequate system such as a set of drive and guide wheels or a mat.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
• General Preparation And Processing Of Foods (AREA)

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• 1998
  • 1998-09-04 FR FR9811106A patent/FR2774911B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-02-18 JP JP2000532029A patent/JP2002503493A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-02-18 EP EP99903783A patent/EP1069836A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-02-18 WO PCT/FR1999/000369 patent/WO1999042003A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 1999-02-18 AU AU24309/99A patent/AU2430999A/en not_active Abandoned
• 2000
  • 2000-08-15 US US09/638,767 patent/US6551644B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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