FR2649070A1 - Method and installation for unpackaging and repackaging food preparations - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for unpackaging and repackaging food preparations, consisting in removing a food preparation from its initial packaging, in dividing it up into portions and in repackaging the portions in individual or collective packs, characterised in that, prior to removal of the food preparation, its initial packaging is decontaminated, and in that the decontamination is carried out in a first location, opening of the initial package and removal of the food preparation are carried out in a second location, and the dividing up into portions and their repackaging are carried out in a third location, the three locations being separated and communicating together via locks.

Description

Method and installation for deconditioning and reconditioning of food preparations
The present invention relates to a process and an installation for deconditioning and reconditioning of food preparations.

 The industrial preparation of ready meals for communities tends to replace the preparation on the places of restoration, thanks to the savings which it allows to realize.

 The pLats are thus cooked and then put in sealed packaging or cooked in said packaging in industrial plants, in collective quantities "relatively large, then brought to a storage temperature which can vary according to the technology used; this temperature can be either - 180 C, either between 0 and 130 C, or at room temperature.

 The dishes thus packaged are stored and transported so as to remain in all circumstances at this storage temperature. The storage period varies from a few days to several months, depending on the storage temperature and any exemptions obtained by the food industry from the Services of the Ministry of Agriculture.

 On the places of restoration, after conservation under the same conditions, the packages are opened, then the dishes are divided into individual portions or into portions intended for a few rationists; these portions must be kept at o storage temperature, between 0 and 3 C. The time between the opening of the original packaging and the consumption of the product must not exceed two hours.

 This deadline, imposed by regulations, is particularly restrictive on the one hand insofar as part of the time is used for fractionation operations, which reduces the actual delay accordingly, on the other hand insofar as the restaurants are frequently in service for periods of more than two hours, thus forcing staff to carry out splitting tasks while the service is in progress, and finally because it makes it difficult to follow customer tastes, that is we renounce to offer during the service a dish meeting an unforeseen success, that is to say we risk throwing a certain amount in case of failure.

 These drawbacks are greatly reduced when the dishes extracted from their packaging in large quantities can be divided into individual portions and repackaged in sealed packaging and then kept repackaged at the storage temperature.

 The only techniques currently known, which limit the risks of bacteriological contamination of dishes during deconditioning, fractionation and reconditioning operations, consist in operating in "white" rooms, that is to say sterile rooms, air conditioned at low temperature. , where the intake air is carefully filtered, Staff must wear sterile clothing and workstations are equipped with laminar air supply bays. The regulations admit, by way of derogation from the ban on repackaging, that such repackaging can be carried out by means of clean rooms, the portions then having to be consumed within the period of initial product lifespan (deadline consumption imposed by the manufacturer).

 These are, however, particularly expensive techniques, both for investment and for operation, since the productivity of the personnel cannot be raised.

 In addition, the effectiveness of protection of lami-nary flow positions may appear questionable since the movements of operators frequently generate. turbulence and subsequent contamination risks.

The aim of the invention is to propose an economical and effective process and installation which makes it possible to split the dishes and to repackage them while limiting the risks of bacteriological contamination, thus providing advantages comparable to clean room techniques, in particular
The benefit of a derogation provided for by the regulations.

To this end, the method according to the invention, of the type in
Which one extracts the food preparation from its initial packaging, it is divided into portions, then the portions are repackaged in individual or collective units, is characterized in that one proceeds, prior to the extraction of the food preparation, to a decontamination of the packaging thereof, moreover, the decontamination is carried out in a first
Local, The opening of the initial packaging and The extraction of the preparation are carried out in a second Local and The fractionation and Reconditioning of the portions are carried out in a third local, the three local being separated and connected to each other and with the outside by airlocks.

 Thus, thanks to the invention, the risks of contamination of the portions are greatly reduced, thus making it possible to repackage them and keep them for 4 days, including the repackaging day, in accordance with the derogations obtained.

The invention also relates to an installation allowing the implementation of this method. This installation successively includes a first room called decontamination provided with a station for decontaminating the initial packaging, a second room called deconditioning provided with a station for opening the initial packaging and extracting the food preparation, and a third said packing room provided with a station for fractioning the food preparation into portions and a station for placing the portions in individual or collective units, the installation further comprising airlocks connecting
The Premises between them, as well as between the premises and the exterior.

The details and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a typical diagram of an installation allowing the implementation of the method according to the invention,
- Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate diagrams of improved installations from the standard diagram of Figure 1.

In accordance with the diagram in FIG. 1, the method according to the invention is implemented in specific premises arranged in succession
- a first room 10, called a decontamination room,
- a second room 12, said to be a deconditioning room,
- then a third room 14, called a reconditioning room,
- as well as an annex room 16, called evacuation room, adjoining the second and third rooms.

These premises are built with all suitable materials, including their interior coverings, allowing
Easily maintain them in impeccable hygienic conditions and are equipped with an air conditioning system so that the ambient temperature is constantly between 8 and 120C; moreover, the air supply networks are adjusted in order to maintain the Premises in overpressure vis-à-vis the exterior and the interior pressures increasing from the first local to the third. Of course the air must be carefully filtered.

The various premises have a number of doors and airlocks both between them and to the outside, namely
a succession of doors intended for the personnel comprising a first door 17 from the outside to the decontamination room 10, a second door 18 from the decontamination room to the deconditioning room 12, then a third door 20, from the room deconditioning to the reconditioning room and finally a door 22 between the outside and the evacuation room 16,
- a succession of double entry airlocks intended for the necessary products and equipment, comprising on the one hand an airlock 24 between the exterior and the first Local, an airlock 26 between the first and the second local, an airlock 28 between the second and the third room, then a lock 30 between the third room and the outside, and on the other side locks 32, 34 between the annex room 16 and the second 12 and third 14 rooms.

In decontamination room 10, there are essentially two work stations
a soaking station 36, in the form of a tank 38 containing a disinfectant solution 40, meeting the standards
AFNOR.

 - a rinsing station 42 by hand shower 44 with clear water.

 Depending on the capacity of the installation, it may be necessary to double the two stations.

In the deconditioning room 12, there are also two work stations
a packaging opening station 46, and
- a product extraction station 48; it being understood that the two stations may be merged into a single station where the two operations will be carried out successively.

In the packaging room 14, there are essentially three stations
- a station for splitting 50 into individual portions
a station for placing portions in individual or collective units 52,
- a closure station 54 for packaging.

 Finally, upstream, that is to say in the external zone adjoining the first room, there is a storage zone for the material and a refrigerated enclosure 66 intended to store the food products received in their initial packaging and keep them at the storage temperature between 0 and 30C. Likewise, downstream, that is to say in the external zone adjoining the third room, there is a refrigerated enclosure 68 intended to store the portions conditioned in individual or collective units and to maintain them again at the storage temperature included. between 0 and 30C.

 These upstream and downstream installations are entirely conventional and have therefore not been shown.

 There is no need to air condition them or to maintain particular aseptic conditions there.

The process steps are as follows
the personnel responsible for carrying out the operations enters the various premises 10, 12, 14, from the outside, successively passing through the various doors 16, 18, 20. Thanks to the overpressure maintained in the premises, the risk of entrainment air polluted from the outside is significantly reduced, as is the risk of air being drawn from the first room to the second and from the latter to the third.

 The necessary material: dishes, cutlery, various accessories, as well as trays and sachets of individual packaging is brought into the first room by the airlock provided for this purpose.

 In this first room, the equipment is decontaminated, for example in the second decontamination line 36 ', 42' by soaking in the tank 38 'containing the solution 40' for decontamination, for a duration of the order of 10 minutes. The equipment is then rinsed with clean water using the rinsing shower 44 '.

 The water distributed usually has acceptable bacteriological qualities and can be used directly for this rinsing.

 The material is then placed in the second 12 and the third 14 local: the dishes 56 for receiving and handling products in the second local, cutlery 58 and other accessories in the third local, as well as the packaging units individual or collective 60.

 Once the staff and equipment have been put in place, the initial packaging 62 containing collective quantities 64 is introduced into the first room by the entry airlock.

 They are immersed in the tank 38 containing the decontamination solution 40, in order to destroy the bacteria and other microorganisms which have attached to the external surface of the packaging and constitute the main source of contaminants usually preventing the preservation of food products. beyond the regulatory period of two hours until their consumption.

 After the immersion time has elapsed, the packages 62 are extracted from the tanks and then rinsed with clean water by means of the spray nozzle 44 and transferred to the second room by means of an intermediate airlock 26 provided for this purpose.

In the second room 12, the packages are opened and their contents 64 are poured into handling dishes 56,
Which are in turn transferred to the third Local 14 by the second intermediate airlock 28, while the empty packages 62 are evacuated to the local annex 16 by the airlock 32 which connects it to the second Local.

 In the third Room 14, the food products 64 are divided into rations 66 intended for one person, or even a small number of people, generally called "individual rations", then introduced into individual or collective packaging units 60 which are closed by any suitable means, in particular by practicing heat-sealing, thermofilming or sealing 54.

The individual or collective units 66 thus conditioned are then protected from external contaminants and can be brought outside by the airlock 30, then stored in the refrigerated enclosure 68 already mentioned. Before their introduction, informative labels are affixed, containing at least
- the health mark,
- Storage temperature,
- the nature of the content,
- the date of manufacture of the product by the company having supplied the products in collective quantities in their initial packaging,
- the date limit for consumption (4 days, date of repackaging included) and all other useful information, in particular the number of portions contained, etc.

 All of the above operations are carried out in a time less than or equal to 45 minutes.

 The dishes 56 emptied of their contents are evacuated from the third room 14 to the annex room 16 by the airlock 34 which connects them, at the same time as the waste possibly resulting from the fractionation operations.

 The waste and empty bags from the second and third premises are discarded, while the dirty dishes and the equipment used for the process are washed and brought outside to the storage area for later use.

 In order to avoid risks of contamination by. personnel, they must wear specific clothing, reserved for this purpose, and different from the clothing of other people working outside.

This staff will receive specific training, that is to say, in addition to basic training concerning staff hygiene and processing operations, education focusing particularly on
- work organization,
- knowledge of the time and temperature effects on food products,
- the principles of the "cold chain", at all levels of the food chain involving manufacturers, distributors, processors, transporters and users.

 In order to control the safety of the repackaged products, one control portion per menu dish will be kept in negative cold until the end of the 4th day after consumption of the dish. The portion corresponding to one of the reconditioned dishes will be analyzed each week.

 The diagram in Figure I corresponds to a minimum typical installation.

 Figures 2 to 5 are diagrams illustrating more elaborate installations.

In FIG. 2, provision has been made for the entrance door 17 from
The exterior to the decontamination room 10 is used for the passage of personnel, equipment 56, 58 and food products 64 in initial packaging i2. The staff enter the deconditioning room 12 and the reconditioning room 14 via a separate airlock 70, opening by a door 72 on the outside, a door 74 on the second room 12 and a door 76 on the third room 14. If necessary, the airlock will be large enough to allow staff to change their clothes.

 Similarly, the bags 60 intended to form the individual or collective packaging units use a separate airlock 78 to be admitted into the third room 14.

 In FIG. 3, similar to FIG. 2, the airlock 70 reserved for personnel opens by a door 80 to the first room 10 and a door 74 to the second room 12 and a door 82 is provided for access between the second 12 and third 14 premises. Thus, the personnel can enter, from the first room 10, into the second room 12 only by borrowing the airlock 70, then then from the second room 12 to the third 14.

 In Figure 4, the staff airlock 70 opens with a door 72 on the outside, a door 84 to the first room 10 and a door 76 to the third room 14, and a door 86 connects the first 10 and the second room 12 . There is also a washing room 88, adjoining both the local evacuation annex 16 and the second room 12. This washing room 88 receives by appropriate airlocks 90, 92 the dirty material after use and it is carried out washing of the equipment which is then brought back to a storage room 94 for the equipment adjoining the first room 10.

In this embodiment, the two refrigerated enclosures 66, 68 for storage are integrated into the installation, one 66 adjoining the first room 10 and the other 68 adjoining the third room 14.
In FIG. 5 are also provided an airlock 78 to the first room 10 for the individual or collective packaging units 60, a material storage room 94 designed in the form of an airlock between the outside and the first room 10 and a refrigerated enclosure 66 for products in initial packaging adjacent to the first room 10.

 The staff entrance airlock 70 comprises two sections, a first section 70a opening by a door 72 to the outside and a door 96 to the second section 70b the latter opening by a door 98 to the first room 10 and a door 100 to the third room 14. The evacuation room 16 opens through a door 102 to the second room 12 and a door 22 to the outside.

It also communicates via a double-entry airlock 104 to the third Local 14.

 Clearly understood, those skilled in the art will be able to conceive, from the above diagrams, a large number of variants coming within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (7)

 1. A process for deconditioning and reconditioning food preparations, consisting in extracting a food preparation from its initial packaging, in dividing it into portions and in repackaging the portions in individual or collective packaging, characterized in that one proceeds, before the extraction of the food preparation, upon decontamination of its initial packaging, and in that the decontamination is carried out in a first room, the opening of the initial packaging and the extraction of the food preparation are carried out in a second local, and the splitting and reconditioning of the portions are carried out in a third Local, the three local being separated and communicating with each other by airlocks.  2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the decontamination of the initial packaging consists of soaking it in a disinfectant solution, followed by rinsing with water.  3. Method according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that one also performs a decontamination of the material used to contain or work the food preparation and fractionate it.  4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the initial packaging of the food preparation is removed immediately after extraction thereof.  5. Installation for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it successively comprises  - a first room, called decontamination room, provided with a decontamination station for the initial packaging,  - a second room, called deconditioning room, provided with a station for opening the initial packaging and for extracting the food preparation, and  a third room, known as a reconditioning room, provided with a station for fractioning the food preparation into portions and a station for placing the portions in individual or collective units, The installation also includes airlocks connecting the premises together.  6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises at least one airlock between the outside and the first room.  7. Installation according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that it further comprises an evacuation room connected at least to the second and to the third room by an airlock.