FR2575042A1 - ADAPTABLE PRODUCTION UNIT FOR HYDRATED AND CONDITIONED RAW CEREALS AND RICE IN PARTICULAR - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Production unit adaptable for hydrated and conditioned raw cereals and rice in particular, characterized in that it consists essentially of three parts, namely the first sterilization part, the second conditionning part and the third cooling and packing part ; said first part comprising a horizontal type autoclave (2) with sliding doors (2a, 2b) equipped with rails (24a, 24b), emergent and interrupted at the doors, a storage silo (7) for the raw product (20), a roller carriage (23), a device for charging into and discharging from the autoclave the carriage processing the raw product, a humidifier (1) and a carriage raising device (13) ; said second part comprising a conditioning unit (5) together with its plastic sheet feeding device (15-19), its thermal conforming unit (22), its supply chute (16), its heatwelding station (18), a storage hopper (14) together with its metering device, a device (4) for charging into and discharging from the autoclave the carriage processing the sterile product, a system for wetting with hot sterile water (17) together with its generator (6) ; said third part comprising a cooling unit (8) evacuating the conditioned product (21), implementing the cooling law adapted to the product, together with a packing unit (9) ; first and second parts also being equipped with a hermetic chamber (11) in which a pressure booster (29) maintains an overpressure of sterile air by means of cartridges, all these elements being arranged and fitted out in such a way that the product is humidified and then biologically sterilized, and lastly hydrated for conditioning in the sterile state in hermetically sealed packing before undergoing controlled cooling, with the humidification and sterilization operations so arranged that the product is subjected to prior humidification to a maximum of 36 %, defining the critical gelling point, and with the hydration operation determined with sterile water so that the wetting water is fully absorbed on completion of hydration.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of cereals and applies to

  particular case of cereals presented to the

consumption in the wet raw state.

  We have known for a very long time many methods

  wet cereals, in particular by appertizing

  where cooking and sterilization are jointly carried out

  most of the product in conventional canning factories.

  All this is well known and does not concern the invention.

  This is characterized by a special process of preparation of cereals grasses and rice in particular in the state

  wet and reduces the cooking time.

  This process has been described in the French patent application NC 82 20697 (2,537,404) of December 10, 1982 filed in the name of

Dr. Albert COHEN.

  According to this method, the preparation consists essentially of

  to hydrolyze the outer superficial layer of the

  made sterile and then dispose of the sterile wet product thus obtained in sealed sterile packaging and then

  continue hydration in the packaging even without

complementary age.

  such a method of preparation which has appeared new in itself, requires means of implementation which are particular to it. Among these means, the present invention proposes a unit

  adaptable production that includes the sense of mobility.

  It is known that the conventional treatment of cereals such as conventional steaming rice prior to drying, is carried out in production plants capable of very large quantities distributed on the premises of consumption

  by appropriate means of transport.

2 -257S042

  1 If such an installation is perfectly suitable for cereals presented in the dry state, this is not the case in the case of the application of the present invention, where the final product is proposed in the raw wet state snus hermetically sealed packaging. The originality of such a process makes it possible to apply it from smaller units which are possibly mobile and which can therefore be used on numerous sites that can be envisaged, such as the rice mill, for example, or the place of consumption, which may be a city or a center. finally a storage place that can

  to be a port or warehouse or any other suitable place.

  Although the constituent elements of the adaptable unit

  proposed in the present invention are not new to them.

  same, it follows from the following description that their

  functional is unique and original and never

  previously proposed, to the knowledge of the applicant.

  The invention will in any case be well understood in the rest of the text which will give, in support of the attached drawings, a

  characteristic embodiment.

  In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, the entire adaptable unit, according to one of the embodiments of the invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram defining the state of sterilization considered in the present invention;

  FIG. 3 is a diagram recalling the conditions of gelation;

starch.

  FIG. 4 is a functional diagram showing a complete cycle of treatment by the adaptable unit according to the invention. In the first place, it should be pointed out that so-called dry cereals, which do not have a moisture content generally greater than 15 % are the only ones that can be sterilized

  biological meaning of the term before any further treatment.

  These cereals contain an average proportion of wheat: 13% wheat, 14% barley, 13.3% oats, 14% rye, 13.4% rice 12.5%, 13% sorghum, 14% buckwheat and 13% % for the others

  Reactant products such as pasta for example.

  The condition of sterilization stems from the many works of biologists including those of: -A.AERS L, .JKATHRYNT i .. XETRON and BR.THOMPSON (1982)

  AIGELELOTTI R, J.H. MARYANSKIT.F BUTLER, J.T PEELER, CAJIPBELL (1968)

- BALL C.O, (1928)

- BENTEGAC (1982)

- BRUCH, C.I7 (1974)

- BYERS T (1982)

  - J. ECKBERG, W. FRIENBEN, IVR LEVIIE (1978)

- FOX.K and I.J PFLUG (1968)

L. GAIL, K. XTEHNX (1982)

- GAUTHIER C.A, SMITH G.M (1978)

  R.HAJJAR and A.CUINE (1982) - R.HAJJAR, X.JAijET, A.CUINE and J.P.DUCLOS (1982)

- N A S A (1968)

- PATASH-TIK (1955)

- PPLUG I.J (1973)

  - PFLUG IJ and RG HOLCOMB (1977) - PFILUJG IJ, SMITH G. MSCHEYER M and P. A CHAPNiAN (1976) - PHEIL CG, PFLUG IJ, RC NIICHOILAS and JoA.L AUGUSTIN (1967) - JH ROBERTSON, D.GLEASON and KIYOSHI TSUJI (1978)

- L.TAGLIAPIETRA (1982)

  - TSUJI and SJ HARISSON (1978) - TSUJI and JA BACH, JH ROBERTSON and B. J BRUCE (1978) - J.VAN ASTEN and JW DDRPEMS (1982) - '.ARDLE M.DY.IA BREVER and M.L1 PETERSON (1971) - W'ILKINSON RL and RA CAPUTO (1979) According to the synthesis of the work of these authors, a sterilization condition is obtained stricto-sensu only when the load to be sterilized has been exposed to a given temperature in steam.

  saturated for a perfectly determined minimum time.

  Thus, the duration of exposure of a polished charge to 121.11 C which is the so-called reference temperature in saturated vapor and which entails a sterilizing effect such as the contamination of the

4 2575042

  1 load is reduced by 9.0% or this contamination decreases

  with a power of 10, must be between 0.5 and 2 minutes.

  This so-called "decimal reduction time" has been determined, in the pharmaceutical field which is the most rigorous

  one minute after being established on BACILLUS STEREOTHEM.OPHI-

  LUS is the most resistant germ to moist heat.

  The sterilization quality of the cereals mentioned in the present application is at the level of these constraints or in other words, said processed cereals must be such that their contamination rate, which can be estimated at 103 seeds per unit initially in the usual storage conditions must be reduced by sterilization to less than 10-6 germs per unit, where there is then a one in a billion chance of encountering a non-sterile unit in the charge, thus causing 103 + 10-6 o

9 at 121.119C.

  As an indication, the injectable pharmaceutical products have a contamination rate of less than 10-9 germs per unit which corresponds to 1012 or. 12 mihnutes at 121,119Co This is explained in Figure 2 where the curve defines at A the criteria, either of sterilization (part sup.-ST.) or simple decontamination (part inf.-DE-.) Of a product exposed in saturated steam according to the temperatures and times

exposure.

  After the above sterilization considerations which involve a diautoclaving method, the conditions of non-gelling of the starchy products so treated should be examined. It is recalled in the VIRAKARTK thesis (USAMA of Visconsin University (dec.1981) repeating previous work that the moisture threshold for the total gelling of starch is about 36% and that below threshold, gelation

complete is impossible.

  This is explicit on the curves according to FIG. 3 from which a few characteristic points of gelatinization appear at 36%.

  for 50C (85) -60 (5) 709C (15 ') and 90QC (-71).

Z 2575042

  Thus, a starchy product can be autoclaved for later hydration as soon as the initial moisture is accumulated with the eventual humidification and moisture uptake resulting from the wet steam autoclaving does not exceed 36 ° C. %.

  It should be indicated that the possible humidification

  before autoclaving has the effect of making the

  it is more hydropexic and makes it easier to hydrate later.

  By repeating the preceding indications, it can therefore be envisaged without inconvenience sterilization quality up to -6 germs per unit by subjecting the load for a period of about 12 min. In this case, the adaptable unit according to the invention is in the form of a container parallelepipedic transport standards and having essentially three parts: a part of sterilization, a part of conditioning,

  - a part of thermal lowering and packaging.

  The sterilization part comprises according to FIG.

  autoclave rep.2 of horizontal type with two doors, a humidi-

  load indicator to be sterilized rep.l, a mechanical maintenance

  automatically repo3, an automatic diversion mechanism

  rep.4 and a supply silo rep.7 while a mechanism rep.13 ensures the elevation of a carriage rep.10 which will be spoken ciapréso The packaging part comprises according to this same Figurey automatic packaging machine rep. 5, a sterile water generator

  hot rep.6 and a buffer hopper 14 for weighing and distribution.

  The heat-lowering and packing part essentially comprises a heat-controlled discharge path 8 of the sterile product.

  bagged product and a rep.9 post packing cardboard sachets.

(not shown)

  i1 The whole is completed by a flexible decontamination chamber

  nation 11 put in slight overpressure of sterile air and it rests on the rigid base of the container 12 having, provided with its panels, parall61épipéde air-rail-road gauge of approximately: length B 5,90 m, width A 2 , -30 m and height C 2.20 m.An ancillary device

  constantly ensures sterility in the output chamber.

  By following the production process of the product between its entry in the raw state 20 in the silo 7 and its output in packaging

  sterile 21 in the heat sink 8, it is possible to make the chimney-

below.

  Considering the application of the method to rice for example through a processing unit capable of 10 tons / day taken second part of the silo 7 o a conventional distributor (not shown) has a given amount of raw rice in the carriage located in position 10a by the conventional lifting mechanism 13

(also not shown).

  After this first operation, the charge is wetted with water at room temperature using the device 1 and in conditions and proportions determined by the

  nature of the original product (rice cargo, blanched, parboiled .....). Lthumi-

  Dificatiou could be carried out upstream.

  After being humidified, the carriage is raised in a position ready for loading in the autoclave 2 equipped with two sliding doors alternately in the open or closed position. The reason for this asynchronous operation is related to the sterile environment to be kept inside. of the chamber 11 which is achieved by the fact that one of the two doors 2a or 2b is always closed by preventing the communication of the sterile area

with the outside.

  The carriage is then brought into the autoclave 2 worn 2b open.

  te, the door 2a being closed, using the charging mechanism 3 -o can then be effected, after closing the door 2b, the autoclaving sequence itselfo This sequence comprises automatic cycles controlled by microprocessor including the durations of previde, of sterilization

  cooling and decompression.

  The rest of the sequence then continues with a series of operations including the opening of the exit door 2a, the entry door 2b remaining closed and with the aid of the deflashing device 4 the carriage is brought into position 10 where it is emptied of its sterile content in a buffer hopper 14 whose landis position allows the feeding of the chute 16 of the bagger 5o The sterile rice output of the autoclave is contained in the state by the chamber 11 which can be flexible by use of material

  plastic sheets more transparent.

  The bagger of which it is mentioned can be, non-exclusive

  In this case, a sheet predisposed in roll passes into a thermal shaper 22 which presents said barqueitts formed in multirange in the corridor 16o. The filling operation of the trays is effected by means of trays. by dosing and / or weighing rice from the hopper 14 using a known dispenser (not shown)

  The movement being continuous, the filled trays are

  then feel at the hydration station or a juicing system 17 delivers the amount of sterile water needed in each tray from the hot sterile water generator 6o The end of the sequence is achieved by sealing the tray in a station heat-sealing 18 from a plastic mop delivered by the roller 19o The sterile product under waterproof tray 2l is finally

  resumed by a thermo-depressor 8 which realizes the law of cooling

  dissement depending on the nature of the treated product The trays 21 are then boxed by a conventional machine 9 well known. (Not shown.) It can thus be seen that by applying the treatment resulting from the unit according to the invention, the raw product stored in the dry state will be conditioned in the sterile state.

  raw hydrated in doses rations ready to be delivered to the consumer & -

  such as the trays 21 in this example.

  It has thus been demonstrated that such doses can be tasted after cooking for 3 to 4 minutes poured into a container after adding about 20 to 30% cold water or after about 1 minute as is in

  a microwave oven with the packaging.

  It should be noted that if the consumable product

  contained in package 21 is completely sterile in the biological sense

  Therefore, if its storage in hermetic packaging can thus be very long lasting at least the duration of the usual food preserves, the original product can withstand a significant polution such as sporulated type or molds of the fungicidal toxinosis type.

  penicillium islandicum producers of particular luteoskyrin

developed on rice.

  The three essential parts constituting the unit

  adaptable according to the invention and which comprise the part of

  the conditioning part and a lower part of

  thermal and packaging

  whose operation will now be described in more detail.

  Thus the autoclaving phase of the product is in the translation of a carriage 10 from a filling position to

an unloading position.

  This cart with an approximate capacity of 180 liters

  must be presented after vertical displacement in front of

  opening of the autoclave 2 then must come out to be

above the hopper 14.

  (1) Consistent with the Decree of February 10, 1955.

9 2575042

  I1 This is achieved by the fact that said carriage is provided with rollers 23 engaging on two rails 24a, 24b parallel extending out of the autoclave on both sides and which are

broken at the right of doors.

  The two diverting devices 3 and 4 of the carriage can be telescopic cylinders provided at their ends with pneumatic suction cups 25 and 26

  adhering to the smooth wall of the trolley 10.In addition, the triggering

  Cylinder setting and pressurizing / vacuuming cycles are performed automatically

by programming.

initial

  Humidification is produced by a spray boom 1

  of drinking water, the quantity of which is regulated by electro-

  valves. Part of the packaging is conventional and

  the dosed distribution of product from the hopper 14.

  The hydration is carried out from the distributors 17 by solenoid valves and the water of hydration is made sterile by a known filtering device and it is electrically heated, or by any other appropriate means Finally water inflows 27 and 28 are provided for the general power supply of the assembly and a cartridge electric booster maintains an overpressure of sterile air in the chamber ll. (rep 29) and a table (41)

  allow control of the installation.

  From a production point of view, explained with the help of

  Diagram according to Figure 4, an adaptable assembly in accordance

  vention proposes the treatment of 10 T / day of dried serum So it is proposed to treat 10 T / d on 20 H or 0.5 T / H of product such as rice for example or 170 Kg of dry product every 20 Minutes corresponding to the three cyles per

  hours provided by the unit according to the invention.

2575042

  The load is arranged in the carriage 10 at the instant of

  rep 30 and after a specified time, it has therefore a moist

  induced provocation.It should be noted that about 15% of water

  already contained (rep 33) in the product commercially

  dried in the dry state. The humidification can possibly be

  carried out upstream in the silo, for example.

  The actual sterilization phase can be carried out for about 13 minutes (rep 34) which gives, with reference to the diagram according to FIG. 2 and for a temperature of 1232 ° C., for example, saturated steam, a characteristic point (ref. ) located above

  of the sterilization reference curve.

  The sterile product is then discharged into the storage hopper (rep 35) where it is dosed and packaged but not yet hydrated. This hydration is done dose by dose (rep 37) in the

  allowing it to continue (item 38) after sealing the condition

has been carried out.

  In parallel and as soon as the unloading of the carriage has been carried out (rep 36), it returns (rep 39) to the initial point of loading (rep 30) by retracing the autoclave while one of the two doors remaining closed, protect the whole

any outside pollution.

  The conditioned doses undergo a heat reduction whose duration is adjusted according to the product treated, this time not being included in the treatment cycle because taking place after conditioning. (rep 42) possibly at the level of the packing machine rep.9 in the boxes memeso By repeating the production figures mentioned for the rice previously, it can be indicated that the treatment of 170 kg of rice taken in the dry commercial state gives in a cycle of 20 minutes and after humidification sterilization and hydration, an amount of about 1,200 Kg per hour is still about 24,000 Kg / day in hours of operation or approximately 10 000

  rations doses of 240 Grams each in minimum operation.

  It is specified that the water of hydration must be absorbed

during thermal lowering.

1il 2575042

  1 The unit currently reported may possibly

  it should be divided into sub-units reconstituted in situ for reasons such as encumbrance, for example linked to transport. In this same spirit, a planned increase in production capacity could also lead to fragmentation.

  the constituent parts so that the unit does not contain

  For example, in the latter case, known means for transferring the product, such as by sterile leaktight conduit, should be used for sterilization.

  for example, could connect the parts together.

  This description has been given only for good

  to show how the invention can be implemented and it is obvious in this respect that any adaptations or modifications that would be made in his mind would remain within his scope

  which is defined in the following claims.

  Thus the invention applies even if the systems

  furnishing and de-molding systems are of different design

  that the condition is different in nature in order to achieve

  bags or other containers in place of

  trays or that the autoclave is possibly of vertical type

  cal with appropriate charge transfer, as soon as the product comes out of the sterile raw treatment hydrated in its

hermetic packaging.

  Finally, the sterile outlet airlock (43) of the chamber (11) can be constituted by passing the hermetically sealed sachets through a suitable sterile solution or a Parga protected area: sterile, UoV radiation or other such that the sterility of the room shall be ensured even in the event of a temporary

the unit for example. -

12 2575042

Claims (1)

1 - / adaptable production unitfor hydrated and packaged raw cereals and ris especially, characterized in that it comprises essentially three parts namely the first sterilization the second packaging and the third thermal lowering and packaging; said first part comprising an autoclave (2) of horizontal type with sliding doors (2a, 2b,) provided with rails (24a, 24b,) emerging and broken at the doors, a storage silo (7) of the raw product (20) a trolley with wheels (23), a shovel and back-up device (3) of the trolley processing the raw product, a humidifier (1) and a trolley lift (13); said second portion comprising a cinderizer (5) with its plastic sheet supply devices (15-19), its thermal shaper (22), its feed chute (16), its heat sealing station (18) ), a storage hopper (14) with its dosing device, a charging and defrosting device (4) for the sterile product trolley, a hot sterile water juicing system (17) with its generator ( 6); said third part comprises a heat sink (8) discharging the packaged product (21) by producing the cooling law adapted to the product and a packer (9); said first and second parts being additionally equipped with a sealed chamber (11) in which a booster (29) maintains a sterile overpressure of air by cartridges and all these elements are arranged in such a way that the raw product is moistened then biologically sterilized and finally hydrated to be packaged in sterile condition in hermetically sealed package before undergoing a controlled heat reduction, the humidification and sterilization operations being such that the product undergoes a prior humidification A. 36% P "ivAi defining the critical point of gelation and hydration operation determined with sterile water so that waterYso fully absorbed at the end of hydration. 2 - / Adaptable production unit, for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that the sterilization portion n produces a so-called biological sterilization quality of the product to be treated according to which the contamination rate is located above the sterilization-decontamination curve (A) making use of the "decimal reduction ratio". 3 - / adaptable production unit for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said unit is gabaiit (12) standardized containers. 4 - / Adaptable production unit for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that the charging and unloading device of the trolley processing the raw product is a telescopic cylinder ( 3) carrying a flexible suction cup (26) operating by depression. - / Adaptable production unit for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that the charging device and unloading of the trolley treating the sterile product is a telescopic cylinder (4). ) carrying a flexible suction cup (25) operating by depresso 6 - / adaptable production unit for hydrated and conditioned raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 4 characterized in that the juicing system (L7) determines the amount of water sterile to be delivered by automatically controlled solenoid valves 7 - / Adaptable production unit, for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that it can be fractionated into subunits reconstituted in situ. 8 - / adaptable production unit for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1 characterized in that it may comprise auyune constitutive part or appropriate transfer means of the product such as sterile sealed conduit connect each part then reconstituting said unit. 1 - / Adaptable production unit, for raw cereals hydrated and packaged and rice in particular according to the claims   1 to 8, characterized in that all charging operations-   humidification, sterilization, load transfer, weighing-dosing, packaging and thermal reduction with packaging are automatic, controlled and co-ordinated with each other.   from a control panel (41) at the disposal of the operator   tor. 10 - / adaptable production unit, for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1, characterized in caua packaging (5) with its supply of plastic sheets (15-19) realize the sterile hermetic packaging containing the sterile product   hydrated raw (21) subsequently brewing in a reduced time.   11 - / adaptable production unit for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that the chamber (11) is provided with an outlet lock (43) of the packaged products which can be by passage through a sterile solution or a protected area by sterile gas or again by U.V. radiation.   12 - / adaptable production unit for hydrated and packaged raw cereals and rice in particular according to claim 1,   characterized in that the thermal lowering can be effected   killed at the level of the wrapper (9) in the same boxes by example.