GB1367612A - Method and apparatus for processing organic food substances by the passage of electric current - Google Patents

Abstract

1367612 Processing organic foodstuff ELECTRO-FOOD A B 23 Aug 1971 [24 Aug 1970] 39442/71 Heading A4D [Also in Division A2] An organic food substance, particularly potatoes, is processed by passing alternating electric current between electrodes in an electrolyte bath in which the substance is immersed, the power supplied during the processing period through the electrodes not being maintained at a constant level, changes being made in the electrical supply such that the total energy consumed in the processing period is less than if the power at the beginning of the period was maintained constant throughout the period. In apparatus for boiling potatoes a plurality of vessels 3, Fig.1, on a conveyer 1 pass under a feed position 9 where potatoes and electrolyte (water) are introduced into each vessel which has internal electrodes connected to external brushes 27 on the inner side of the conveyor. Along and under the top run of the conveyer are four parallel contact rails each divided into three sections A, B, C and connected to neutral and the three phases of an A.C. supply, each vessel being connected between neutral and one of the phases in a manner which distributes the load between the three phases and so that the potentials applied to each vessel along sections A, B, C are, for example, 220, 160 and 75 V r. m. s. respectively. The processed potatoes and electrolyte in the vessels are discharged into a receptacle 13. Along section A only the center portions of the potatoes are heated, the water being heated up gradually, whilst along section B the water is heated to 100‹C. and the whole potato heated and along section C the water remains at or just below boiling point and the outer potato layers are given final preparation. Alternative apparatus comprises a vessel 31, Fig.3, containing electrolyte and seven elongated metal strips E1-7 of which E1, 3, 5 and 7 are connected to neutral and E2, 4, 6 are each divided into four electrode sections, such as R1-R4, and connected via relays K1-K4 respectively to a respective one of the three phases of an A.C. supply. Potatoes 33 are fed in the direction of arrow P between the strips E1- 7, the coils of the relays being energized via a programming device so that only two electrode sections for each phase are energized at any one time. The programming device interrupts the connection to each of the sections of strips E2, 4, 6 at a variable rate between 1 and 20, but preferably equal to 10, times per minute. Voltage regulating apparatus may be connected between the A. C. supply and the electrode sections allowing variation of the power supplied, as compared to constant power processing, by voltage changes as well as by intermittent current supply.