GB2334569A - Cooling food - Google Patents

Abstract

An open top container filled with ice and water has a base and four sides. Within this container smaller circular containers with hollow central tube sections open at the top and bottom allow hot food substances within the smaller containers to cool by allowing the coolant to flow up inside the containers. A fly-screen then protects the food.

Description

FOOD PREPARATION FIELD OF INVENTION THIS INVENTION RELATES TO FOOD PREPARATION AND IS CONCERNED WITH THE PROVISION OF AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PREPARING FOOD AND WITH THE PROVISION OF AN IMPROVED FORM OF COOLER FOR USE IN CARRYING OUT THIS METHOD.

DETAILS THE MAJORITY OF RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, PUB FOOD CHAINS AND THE AVERAGE EATING ESTABLISHMENT ALL PRODUCE HOME COOKED FOOD ON THE PREMISES. AS LIKE ANY DEALINGS WITH FOOD SOLD FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, SPECIAL CARE MUST BE TAKEN DURING ALL THE STAGES OF PREPARATION.

THE STAGE WE ARE DEALING WITH IS THE STAGE PRIOR TO REFRIGERATION THE COOLING PROCESS.

FOODS SUCH AS STEAK & KIDNEY, CHILLI OR SOUPS WILL REACH TEMPERATURES OF 90oC (DEGREES CENTIGRADE) OR OVER, HOWEVER IT CANNOT BE REFRIGERATED UNTIL IT HAS REDUCED IN TEMPERATURE TO AT LEAST 80C (DEGREES CENTIGRADE). THIS COULD TAKE AROUND ONE TO ONE AND A HALF HOURS IF KEPT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE HOWEVER, THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF ANY WORKING KITCHEN CAN RISE AND FALL AT FREQUENT INTERVALS AND COULD PROLONG THE COOLING PROCESS TO EVEN LONGER THAN PREVIOUSLY STATED.

TO SPEED UP THE COOLING PROCESS YOU COULD OBTAIN A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, ELECTRICALLY POWERED, CALLED A BLAST CHILLER, AT AN AVERAGE COST OF 2000.00 (TWO THOUSAND POUNDS) THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ALTHOUGH INVALUABLE TO THE CATERING INDUSTRY IS WELL OUT OF THE PRICE RANGE OF MOST BUSINESSES.

HAVING READ THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT MANY QUESTIONS MAY BE RAISED.

QUESTION 1) WHY CAN YOU NOT PUT HOT FOOD, ONCE COOKED, STRAIGHT INTO THE REFRIGERA TOR? ANSWER: IF YOU PUT HOT FOOD STRAIGHT INTO THE REFRIGERATOR YOU WILL RAISE THE REFRIGERATOR TEMPERATURE THUS PUTTING ALL THE OTHER FOODS CONTAINED WITHIN AT RISK. THEY WOULD SPOIL AS FOOD POISONING BACTERIA WILL THEN GROW AT A RAPID RATE.

QUESTION 2) HOWDO EA TING ESTABLISHMENTS IN GENERAL ALLOW FOOD TO COOL VVITHOUTPOSSESSING A "BLAST CHILLER "? ANSWER: IT IS COMMON PRACTICE TO ALLOW FOOD TO COOL WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE KITCHEN AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

QUESTION 3) WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM? ANSWER: THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PRACTICE AS THIS PUTS THE FOOD AT RISK FROM CROSS CONTAMINATION AND CAN ALLOW LETHAL BACTERIA TO GROW WITHIN THE FOOD WHILST COOLING.

QUESTION4) WHAT TYPES OF BACTERIA CAN GROWAND HOW LETHAL CAN THE EFFECTS BE? ANSWER.

BACILLUS SPECIES, CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS, VIAL GASTROENTERITIS, CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM ~ ALL THE ABOVE COULD HOSPITALISE THE SUFFERER MAINLY WITH SICKNESS, STOMACH PAINS, S X REPORT.

QUESTION 5) HOW CAN THE TIME SCALE BETWEEN COOKING AND REFRIGERATED STORAGE BE SPEEDED UP USING EO EQUIPMENT T A N AFFORDABLE PRICE? ANSWER: THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY THE PRESENT INVENTION.

ACCORDING TO ONE ASPECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION THERE IS PROVIDED A METHOD OF PREPARING FOOD WHICH INCLUDES PLACING HEATED FOOD IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AND CAUSING OR ALLOWING COOLING OF THE FOOD PRIOR TO PLACING IT IN A REFRIGERATOR OR OTHER STORAGE DEVICE.

ACCORDING TO ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION, THERE IS PROVIDED EQUIPMENT FOR USE IN CARRYING OUT THE ABOVE METHOD IN THE FORM OF A BOX IN WHICH HEATED FOOD TO BE COOLED CAN BE PLACED IN THERMAL CONTACT WITH AN ICE/WATER MIXTURE.

THE BOX MAY THUS BE A PLASTIC EASILY ASSEMBLED BOX THAT SITS ON TOP OF THE AVERAGE WORK SURFACE NOT NECESSARILY NEAR A FOOD PREPARATION SINK.

THE UNIT COMPRISES OF A BASE, FOUR SIDES STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE ICE AND WATER MIXTURE VOLUME, A PLASTIC WATERPROOF INNER LINING WITH OVERLAPPING SIDES, A SNUG FITTING LID PIECE ALLOWING PLASTIC CONTAINERS TO BE PLACED INSIDE THE BOX FROM ABOVE, ALLOWING THE FOOD TO BE COOLED BEING SUBMERGED BELOW THE COOLING LIQUID WITHOUT BEING SPOILT. ONCE IN USE A MESH "FLY SCREEN" GUARD SLIDES ALONG THE TOP.

IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT A 50/50 MIXTURE OF ICE AND WATER CAN ACT AS AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL COOLING'CHILLING AGENT.

IN RECENT TRIALS USING A FULLY WORKING KITCHEN ENVIRONMENT AND A WORKING MODEL OF THE ABOVE, ALTHOUGH NOT TO THE EXACT SPECIFICATION, THE CHILLING TIME CAN BE CUT DOWN BY 75% OF THE NORMAL TIME TAKING THE NORMAL PRACTICES INTO CONSIDERATION lE.

COOLING FOOD AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

IT IS MY PERSONAL VIEW THAT THIS SIMPLE PIECE OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENT CAN CUT DOWN MANY RISKS RELATING TO FOOD POISONING OUTBREAKS BY ALLOWING COOKED FOODS TO ENTER A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT PRIOR TO LONG TERM REFRIGERATION OR FREEZING.

FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE FOOD PREMISES OPERATOR THE PRESENT INVENTION CAN OFFER AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION TO A SERIOUS PROCEDURE, TAKEN FOR GRANTED, DUE TO THE LACK OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN THIS AREA AND DUE TO THE EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVES ALREADY ON THE MARKET.

IT NOT ONLY WILL ENCOURAGE A DISCIPLINED OUTLOOK IN REGARD TO FOOD SAFETY BUT OFFERS IN SOME SMALL WAY AN INSURANCE POLICY IF USED IN THE CORRECT MANNER, AGAINST ANY ACCUSATIONS IN RESPECT OF FOOD POISONING ALLEGATIONS.

THE PRESENT INVENTION OFFERS THE FOOD INDUSTRY ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THE GENUINE CONCERN THAT WE ALL HAVE TO OFFER HOME PRODUCED FOOD CONCEIVED AND PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC UNDER THE STRICTEST AND MOST DISCIPLINED MANNER THE PAYING CUSTOMER HAS COME TO EXPECT IN THESE TIMES OF THE EVER WATCHFUL AUTHORITIES.

WITH REGARD TO THE AUTHORITIES, WHO WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE HAVE AN IMPORTANT DIFFICULT JOB MONITORING AND AUDITING OUTLETS, CAN ONLY BE ENCOURAGED IF, WHEN DURING A ROUTINE VISIT, CAN OBSERVE SAFE AND RADICAL PRACTICES TAKING PLACE. THEY WILL SURELY LEAVE AN ESTABLISHMENT FEELING THAT THE OPERATOR AND STAFF HAVE PROVED "DUE DILIGENCE" AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF STRICT FOOD SAFETY PROCEDURES.

THE PRESENT INVENTION HAS OTHER FEATURES THAT HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED FOR USE IN THE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO PRACTICALITY AND HYGIENE.

ALL PARTS ARE ABLE TO BE CLEANED AS SEPARATE UNITS EITHER MANUALLY OR USING COMMERCIAL WASHING MACHINES. THEY ARE HARD WEARING AND ARE ABLE TO BE SOLD WITH LIFETIME GUARANTEES.

THE PRESENT INVENTION CAN BE ERECTED IN ANY AREA OF THE KITCHEN AND CAN BE EMPTIED WITHOUT HAVING TO CARRY LARGE VOLUMES OF WATER AND ICE WHEN THE CHILLING PROCESS HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

THE CONTAINERS/COOLING JARS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO ALLOW MAXIMUM EXPOSURE TO THE COOLING LIQUID. THERE IS NO CENTRE OR CORE TO PROLONG THE COOLING PROCESS.

THE COOLING JARS HAVE A HOLLOW MOULDED CENTRE ENABLING THE COOLING LIQUID TO RISE UP THROUGH THE MIDDLE AS WELL AS COOLING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN.

THE PRODUCT SHOULD IN MY VIEW BE MARKETED WITH A FULL EXPLANATION, GIVING EXAMPLES OF RECENT FOOD POISONING PROSECUTIONS AND DETAILED INFORMATION REGARDING HARMFUL BACTERIA AND HOW THIS AFFECTS US IN OUR DAILY ROUTINES. TOGETHER WITH INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE, A TEMPERATURE PROBE AND TEMPERATURE LOG BOOKS SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PACKAGE.

WE SHOULD EVEN INCORPORATE CLEANING SOLUTIONS AND STERILE WIPES FOR PROBE CLEANING TO EMPHASISE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE "DUE DILIGENCE" AND SAFE PRACTICE ANGLE OF THE PRODUCT.

THERE ARE OVER 100,000 SMALL TO MEDIUM COMMERCIAL PREMISES WITHIN THE FOOD INDUSTRY ACCORDING TO RECENT FIGURES, CRYING OUT FOR SUPPORT IN THE AREA OF FOOD SAFETY AND FOR SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO COVER.

WITH SKILLFUL MARKETING AND SIMPLY EDUCATING WITH GOODWILL FROM THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES WE OPEN UP A MULTI~MILLION POUND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

THIS CAN ALSO OPEN UP TO HOME USE TARGETING CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY WHO ARE MOST AT RISK FROM FOOD POISONING BACTERIA.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. A container, housing smalled circular containers that have a hollow tube middle section, cools food substances within.
2. 2. A container as claimed in Claim 1 allows an ice and water solution to cool food substances within container by allowing the solution to cool from the inside and the outside of the inner container.
3. 3. A container as described in Claim 2 will allow cooked food substances to cool within a container (water tight) by placing the described inner containers within.
4. 4. A container system as claimed in Claim 3 is protected by a mesh fly screen that slides across the open top section of the described container.
5. 5. A container as claimed in any previous claims which is made from stainless steel or plastic or from a combination of these materials.