JP2005229890A - Method and apparatus for impregnating liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for impregnating liquid intended for suppressing lowering of quality caused by e.g. breaking into pieces of food stuff while cooking. <P>SOLUTION: An apparatus for impregnating liquid has an area 5 holding a container 4 in which food stuff 2 is soaked in liquid, a pressure-reducing means 7 in the area 5, a pressure-restoring means 8 in the area 5, and a control means 11 of controlling the pressure-reducing means 7 to reduce pressure in the area 5 to below atmospheric pressure and then controlling the pressure-restoring means 8 to restore pressure. The control means 11 restores pressure through gradually increasing pressure in the area 5. The pressure-restoring means 8 includes a pressure-restoring valve 27 capable of adjusting opening degree, and the control means 11 restores pressure through gradually opening the pressure-restoring valve 27 and gradually increasing pressure in the area 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid impregnation method and apparatus for impregnating a food material with a liquid such as a seasoning liquid.

  An impregnation method in which the pressure is reduced in a state where the food is immersed in the liquid, the air in the structure of the food is discharged, and the liquid is infiltrated instead is widely known (Patent Document 1, etc.). In the impregnation method described in Patent Document 1 and the like, after impregnation under a predetermined low pressure, the impregnation tank is opened to the atmosphere and the pressure is restored.

JP 2002-11400 A

  As a result of research and development by the inventors, when the impregnation tank is suddenly restored to atmospheric pressure in the above-described re-pressure, the food may be boiled, such as when the food is boiled, or the level of liquid soaking may worsen And it discovered that the quality of the foodstuff after an impregnation process fell.

  This invention aims at improving the impregnation effect while suppressing the deterioration of the quality by the boiling down of foodstuffs.

  This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned subject, and the invention according to claim 1 immerses the food material in the liquid in the container, depressurizes the area including the container to the atmosphere, and then In the liquid impregnation method for returning pressure, the pressure is recovered by gradually increasing the pressure in the area.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an area for storing a container in which a food material is immersed in a liquid, a decompression means for decompressing the inside of the area, a decompression means within the area, and a decompression means for controlling the decompression means. And a control means for controlling the return pressure means to return to the atmosphere and then returning the pressure by gradually increasing the pressure in the area.

  Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the pressure sensor according to claim 2, wherein the return pressure means includes a return pressure valve whose opening degree can be adjusted, and the control means gradually opens the return pressure valve so that the pressure in the section is increased. It is characterized by gradually increasing the pressure and restoring pressure.

  According to the present invention, since the re-pressure is gradually performed, the cooking of the food is suppressed, the degree of the liquid soaking is improved, and the impregnation effect is improved.

(Embodiment 1)
Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The first embodiment is implemented in a liquid impregnation apparatus in which a food material is immersed in a liquid in a container, the pressure in the area including the container is reduced to the atmosphere, and then the pressure is restored. This impregnation apparatus is implemented not only in an impregnation apparatus, but also in a vacuum cooling apparatus and a thawing apparatus that can depressurize the area including the container to the atmosphere or lower and then recover the pressure.

  First, an outline of the first embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, an area for storing a container in which a food material is immersed in a liquid, a decompression means for decompressing the inside of the area, a return pressure means in the thawing area, and a temperature or pressure in the area are detected. And a control means for controlling the decompression means to control the decompression means so that the detection value by the detection means becomes a set value equal to or lower than the atmosphere, and then controlling the decompression means to restore the pressure. Is a liquid impregnation apparatus characterized in that the pressure in the area is gradually increased by gradually increasing the pressure.

  According to the first embodiment, since the inside of the section is depressurized to a set value equal to or lower than the atmospheric pressure by the operation of the depressurizing means, liquid impregnation is effectively performed. Since the return pressure of the area is gradually increased by the operation of the return pressure means, the occurrence of the food boiled down due to the rapid return pressure is suppressed, and the penetration of the liquid into the food material is improved.

  Next, components of the first embodiment will be described. Ingredients include meats, vegetables and the like, as well as raw and boiled foods. Raw materials include those that have been thawed. The liquid to be impregnated is a seasoning liquid or a modifier solution.

  The container is not limited to a specific structure as long as it can put a liquid and immerse the food in the liquid. This container can also be called a tank.

  The said area is an area used for liquid impregnation of foodstuffs, means a room, room, container, and tank that can contain and put in and put out containers containing foodstuffs and can be sealed, and can also be referred to as a region or space. Can be controlled. This area itself can be used as the container for impregnation.

  The decompression means is not limited to a specific one, but preferably a steam ejector, a heat exchanger, and a vacuum pump are combined. The decompression means may include a water ejector.

  The return pressure means has a gradual pressure function for gradually increasing the pressure in the area. Here, “gradually” includes continuous or stepwise. In order to realize this gradual pressure function, a return pressure valve whose opening degree can be adjusted is provided in a return pressure path connected to the section, and the opening degree of the return pressure valve can be controlled to gradually increase. The gradual pressure function can also be realized by providing an opening / closing valve in the return pressure passage and intermittently opening / closing the opening / closing valve. Further, the gradual pressure function is configured such that the return pressure paths are connected to each other in parallel and each include a plurality of return pressure paths each having an on-off valve, and the number of open valves among the plurality of on-off valves is gradually increased. Can also be realized. In this case, the gradual pressure pattern of the return pressure can be adjusted by adjusting the flow resistance of the return pressure path.

  The detection means can use a pressure detector when controlling the inside of the zone to a set value by pressure, and use a temperature detector when controlling the inside of the zone to a set value by temperature. In the following description, control is performed based on pressure.

  The control means receives a detection signal from the detection means and controls the decompression means and the decompression means according to a pre-stored processing procedure. This processing procedure includes pressure reduction control in which the detection value by the detection means is set to the set value by operating the pressure reduction means, and return pressure control for gradually increasing the pressure in the area after the pressure reduction.

  The decompression control includes control for holding the set value for a predetermined time. In this pressure reduction control, the pressure is preferably reduced below the saturation temperature of the liquid for impregnation. Thereby, the liquid boils and the liquid stirring effect can be expected. Thereby, the thinning of the liquid concentration around the food can be prevented.

  In addition, the processing procedure includes one that performs the pressure reduction control and the return pressure control only once, and one that repeatedly performs a plurality of times.

  The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and includes the following second and third embodiments.

(Embodiment 2)
Depressurizing means for depressurizing the inside of the thawing area for containing the material to be thawed, steaming means for supplying steam into the thawing area, return pressure means for introducing external air into the thawing area, and pressure reducing means, and the pressure reducing means In the thawing apparatus, the thawing apparatus includes a control means for controlling the steam supply means to decompress the material to be thawed by low-pressure steam, and controlling the decompression means after decompression to restore the pressure in the thawing zone. The thawing zone is configured to be able to accommodate a container immersed in a liquid, and the control means controls the decompression means to depressurize the inside of the thawing area to below the atmosphere and performs impregnation, and then controls the decompression means. The decompression device is characterized in that the decompression is performed by gradually increasing the pressure in the decompression zone.

  According to the second embodiment, the liquid can be impregnated using the decompression function and the decompression function of the thawing device as they are, and the functions excellent in performance in the thawing device can be easily increased. Further, as in the first embodiment, when the liquid is impregnated, the occurrence of boiling of the food material due to the rapid return pressure after the impregnation is suppressed, and the liquid soaks into the food material. The return pressure means may have the same configuration as in the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 3)
Depressurizing means for depressurizing the inside of the thawing area for containing the material to be thawed, steaming means for supplying steam into the thawing area, return pressure means for introducing external air into the thawing area, and pressure reducing means, and the pressure reducing means In the thawing apparatus comprising the control means for controlling the steam supply means and thawing the material to be thawed by low-pressure steam, and after thawing, the control means for controlling the decompression means to restore the pressure in the thawing zone, The thawing zone is configured to be able to accommodate a container immersed in a liquid, and the control means controls the decompression means to depressurize the thawing zone to below the atmosphere to perform impregnation and thawing, and then the decompression means The decompression device is characterized in that the pressure is restored by gradually increasing the pressure in the decompression zone by controlling the pressure.

  According to the third embodiment, in addition to the operational effects of the second embodiment, the return pressure after thawing is gradually performed, so that the occurrence of drip due to a sudden return pressure is suppressed, and high thawing quality can be maintained. .

  Hereinafter, a specific example 1 of the thawing apparatus embodying the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. This thawing device has a thawing function and an impregnation function for carrying out the method of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the thawing operation of the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the liquid impregnation of the first embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a time chart illustrating the impregnation, FIG. 4 is a time chart illustrating the thawing in the first thawing mode according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 illustrates the thawing in the second thawing mode according to the first embodiment. It is a time chart figure to do. 3 to 5, the solid line portion below the pressure characteristic curve indicates the operation of the device, and the thick wavy line portion indicates that the valve is gradually opened.

The thawing device of the first embodiment is applied to a business thawing device. This thawing device supplies a thawing chamber 5 as a thawing zone for accommodating containers 4, 4,... In which a material to be thawed 1 and a food 2 to be impregnated are immersed in a seasoning liquid 3, and supply steam into the thawing chamber 5. Steam supply (steaming) means 6, decompression means 7 for sucking and exhausting the inside of the thawing chamber 4 to keep it at a low pressure, and decompressed thawing chamber 5
A decompression means 8 for restoring pressure by introducing outside air, a cart (carrier) 9 on which the object 1 or the container 4 is placed and which can be taken in and out of the thawing chamber 5, and the thawing chamber 5 A pressure detector 10 for detecting pressure, and controlling the thawing of the substance 1 to be lysed by low-pressure steam in the thawing chamber 5 based on a control procedure in which a signal of the pressure detector 10 is inputted and stored in a memory; And a controller 11 for controlling the liquid impregnation of 2 as a main part.

  The to-be-thawed object 1 is meat or the like that is vacuum-packed, and includes those that are not vacuum-packed. It is desirable that the object 1 to be thawed after being vacuum-packed is formed with a ventilation hole (not shown) formed of a cut or a hole in the package with a blade or the like before thawing. By forming such vents, it is possible to prevent the heat transfer from being hindered due to the expansion of the package when the low-pressure steam is thawed, and it is possible to shorten the thawing time by directly contacting the food with the steam. The foodstuff 2 is the thawing object 1 that has been thawed or the boiled food boiled with other cooking utensils.

  The thawing chamber 5 is provided with a door (not shown) for taking in and out the thawing object 1 and the container 4 and is configured so that the carriage 8 can be easily taken in and out by forming an inner floor surface low. doing. In the first embodiment, thawing with low-pressure steam is performed, liquid impregnation is performed under low pressure, and the inside of the thawing chamber 5 is not increased to atmospheric pressure or higher, so that it is not formed as a pressure-resistant pressure vessel. However, in the case of providing a steam heating function of food materials such as steaming with high-pressure steam, a pressure-resistant pressure vessel can be obtained.

  The steam supply means 6 includes a first steam supply path 12 for connecting one end to the thawing chamber 5 and supplying clean steam into the thawing chamber 5. 13. A reboiler 14 as a steam generation source for generating clean steam using soft water supplied from the water softener 13, a first steam supply valve 15 for controlling supply of steam, and a tip of the first steam supply path 12 A nozzle 16 is provided for ejecting steam into the thawing chamber 5. The first steam supply valve 15 uses a valve such as a proportional valve capable of adjusting the steam supply amount by adjusting the opening degree.

  The reboiler 14 is made of stainless steel, uses a water softener 13 and is non-chemically poured. Thereby, since the supply steam to the thawing chamber 5 does not contain chemicals and iron, thawing by safe low-pressure steam is realized. The heating source of the reboiler 14 is normally a steam boiler (not shown) that generates steam.

  The decompression means 7 includes a decompression path 17 that decompresses the inside of the thawing chamber 5. The decompression path 17 is provided with a steam ejector 18, a heat exchanger 19, a check valve 20 for blocking the flow toward the thawing chamber 5, and a water-sealed vacuum pump 21. The steam ejector 18 is connected to a second steam supply path 22 that supplies steam from the steam boiler, and the second steam supply path 22 includes a second steam supply valve 23. A cooling water supply path 24 is connected to the heat exchanger 19, and a water supply valve 25 is provided in the cooling water supply path 24.

  The return pressure means 8 includes an outside air introduction path 26 as a return pressure path having one end connected to the thawing chamber 5. The outside air introduction path 26 includes a return pressure valve 27 for controlling the introduction of outside air and a filter 28 for sterilization. The return pressure valve 27 uses a proportional valve such as a motor valve capable of adjusting the amount of introduced air by adjusting the opening degree.

  The thawing chamber 5 has various settings such as selection of the impregnation mode operation and thawing mode operation, selection of the thawing mode, and the like and a setting device / display 29 for displaying the operation state is provided on the front door thereof. An alarm 30 such as a rotating lamp for notifying completion of thawing is provided at a position away from the thawing device installation location such as the upper surface.

The cart 9 has a plurality of shelves 31, 31 on which the object 1 to be thawed and the containers 4, 4,.
Are provided with a receiving tray 32 that collects and receives condensed water generated during thawing. The carriage 9 can be configured not to be shared between the impregnation operation and the thawing operation, but is shared in this embodiment.

  The controller 11 receives a signal from the pressure detector 10 and, according to a predetermined processing procedure (program), the first steam supply valve 15, the vacuum pump 21, the second steam supply valve 23, the water supply The valve 25, the return pressure valve 27, the indicator 29, the alarm 30 and the like are controlled.

  In the first embodiment, the treatment procedure is performed in an impregnation mode G in which the inside of the thawing chamber 5 including each container 4 is decompressed to the atmosphere or lower, and then the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is gradually increased. Both processing and decompression mode processing are included, and both modes can be selected. The processing procedure in the thawing mode includes a first thawing mode M1 and a second thawing mode M2 in which thawing is performed so that the temperature or pressure in the thawing chamber 5 becomes a set value, and both thawing modes M1, M2 Can be selected. The first thawing mode M1 includes a return pressure control for gradually returning the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 after thawing in the same way as in the impregnation mode.

  First, in the impregnation mode G, as shown in FIG. 3, the inside of the thawing chamber 5 is controlled to a first impregnation set pressure (hereinafter referred to as a first set pressure) P1, and after reaching the first set pressure P1, When the first set time T1 elapses, the pressure is restored. When the second impregnation set pressure (hereinafter referred to as the second set pressure) P2 is reached, the return pressure is stopped, and the second set time T2 elapses after reaching the second set pressure P2. Then, the pressure is reduced again and the first set pressure P1 is controlled. In this way, the reduced pressure-return pressure-reduced pressure, and the reduced pressure and return pressure are repeated a plurality of times.

  Next, the decompression mode will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the first thawing mode M1 is a first thawing step in which thawing is performed with a set pressure in the thawing chamber 5 as a first thawing set pressure (hereinafter referred to as a third set pressure) P3 in the initial stage of thawing. A, following the first thawing step A, the transition step B in which the set pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is increased stepwise from the third set pressure P3, and the transition step B is performed. This is a thawing mode including a second thawing step C in which the thawing chamber 5 is defrosted as a second thawing set pressure (hereinafter referred to as a fourth set pressure) P4 higher than the third set pressure P3. Eventually, the third set pressure P3 is lower than the fourth set pressure P4, and in the transition process B, the set pressure is controlled to be gradually increased from P3 to P4.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the second thawing mode M2 includes a second thawing step C in which thawing is performed with the set pressure in the thawing chamber 5 as the fourth set pressure P4 in the initial and subsequent thawing. It is. In the second thawing mode M2 of the first embodiment, the fastening process D is performed following the second thawing process C. The tightening step D is a step of setting the set pressure in the thawing chamber 5 as a fifth set pressure P5 lower than the fourth set pressure P4, and equalizing the entire temperature of the object 1 to be defrosted. .

  Here, the initial stage of thawing means before melting of the core of the material to be thawed, and before melting of the core of the material to be thawed 1 means that the core temperature (temperature of the core) of the material to be thawed is near the melting point. Means before. Here, although the melting point of the core part of the to-be-thawed object 1 changes with kinds of to-be-thawed object, it is about -3 to -0.5 degreeC.

The fourth set pressure P4 in the second thawing step C can also be referred to as a thawing temperature or a thawing set temperature. The fourth set pressure P4 is a value that is also set in the conventional thawing method, and is the set temperature in the thawing chamber 5 in the latter thawing phase that is the control target. Therefore, the temperature of the material 1 to be thawed eventually reaches a temperature corresponding to the fourth set pressure P4 if it takes a long time, but the temperature of the entire material to be thawed 1 corresponds to the fourth set pressure P4 at the end of the thawing. It is not necessary to be at temperature.

  Here, the operation of the first embodiment having the above configuration will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a case where the thawing mode operation for thawing the material 1 to be thawed is performed, and then the impregnation mode operation is performed using the thawed material 1 to be thawed as a food 2 to be impregnated will be described.

<Defrost mode operation>
With reference to FIG. 1, the to-be-thawed object 1 is mounted in the state which pulled out the said trolley | bogie 9 from the said thawing | decompression chamber 5, The said trolley | bogie 9 is accommodated in the said thawing | decompression chamber 5, and the said thawing | decompression chamber 5 is sealed. To do.

(Various settings for decompression mode)
First, the selection of the decompression mode and the setting of the decompression time are performed. Here, a thawing time is set for each selected thawing mode. When the first thawing mode M1 is selected, the thawing time is a first thawing time T3 that is a total time of the first thawing step A, the transition step B, and the second thawing step C. When the second thawing mode M2 is selected, it is the second thawing time T4 of the second thawing step C with the fourth set pressure P4. These thawing times T3 and T4 are set by the user based on the type and amount of the object 1 to be thawed.

  Next, the thawing temperature for each thawing mode is set. The user of the thawing apparatus sets the temperature based on the temperature, but the controller 11 converts this into a pressure and stores it as a fourth set pressure P4. The third set pressure P3 in the first thawing step A and the stepped set pressure in the transition step B are set to preset values, but can be configured so that the set values can be changed.

  Next, low pressure holding is set. The low-pressure holding step F is a thawed object to be thawed by operating the pressure-reducing means 7 after the thawing step and holding the inside of the thawing chamber 5 at the sixth set pressure P6 as shown in FIG. Keep the temperature low. Thereby, the quality of the to-be-thawed object 1 is hold | maintained after completion | finish of thawing | decompression. In this low pressure holding process F, “Yes” or “No” can be selected.

  Next, slow pressure setting is performed. As shown in FIG. 4, this gradual pressure means that after the second thawing step C of the first thawing mode M1, that is, after the thawing is completed, the decompression step G is performed by opening the return pressure valve 27 to restore the pressure. In this step, the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is gradually increased by gradually opening the pressure valve 27. This gradual pressure is set to “Yes” or “No”, and when the setting is confirmed, the process proceeds to S6.

  When the above settings are completed, the thawing operation is executed based on the set contents. Hereinafter, the first thawing mode M1 and the second thawing mode M2 will be sequentially described.

<First thawing mode M1>
First, the first thawing mode M1 will be described with reference to FIG. Now, assuming that low pressure holding: “present” and gradual pressure: “present” are set, the process is the air evacuation process E → the first thawing process A → the transition process B → the second thawing process C. → The low pressure holding process F → the return pressure process G is performed in this order. In the example of FIG. 4, the fourth set pressure P4 is set to about 12.3 hPa (10 ° C.), and the third set pressure P3 is set to about 8.7 hPa (5 ° C.).

(Air exclusion process E)
The air exclusion process E, which is a thawing preliminary process, includes a process of supplying steam while continuously reducing the pressure. First, in a state where the return pressure valve 27 is closed, the pressure reducing means 7 is operated to perform continuous pressure reduction. That is, at the time t0 (hereinafter, the time tn is simply referred to as tn), the vacuum pump 21 is operated, the pressure is reduced to a set pressure, and then the second steam supply valve 23 is opened at the time t1, and the steam ejector is opened. 18 is activated. The water supply valve 25 opens in conjunction with the operation of the vacuum pump 21 and the steam ejector 18. However, when the heat exchanger 19 has a cooling capacity, the water supply valve 25 may be configured to stop water supply and save water. it can.

  By the operation of the decompression means 7, the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is rapidly reduced. When the internal pressure of the thawing chamber 5 reaches the set pressure P7, the first steam supply valve 12 is fully opened at t2, and the supply of steam into the thawing chamber 5 is started. The controller 11 controls the steaming means 6 so that the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 becomes the third set pressure P3 in this steaming. Thus, in the air evacuation step E, only the decompression means 7 is exhausted first, and then the air in the thawing chamber 5 is exhausted by exhausting by steaming while reducing the pressure.

(First thawing step A)
In the first thawing step A performed following the air exclusion step E, the controller 11 performs a combination of intermittent operation and continuous operation of the decompression unit 7 while continuously operating the steam supply unit 6. Thus, the pressure P in the thawing chamber 5 detected by the pressure detector 10 is controlled to be the third set pressure P3.

  That is, the decompression means 7 is operated intermittently in the base mode. Then, the operation and stop of the decompression means 7 are repeated. The operation of the pressure reducing means 7 is to open the second steam supply valve 23 to operate the steam ejector 18, open the water supply valve 25 to operate the cooling by the heat exchanger 19, and The operation of the decompression means 7 means that the operation is the reverse of the operation. This intermittent operation is controlled by the timer of the controller 11.

  The intermittent operation and continuous operation of the decompression means 7 will be described. The pressure in the thawing chamber 5 goes up after passing through the lowest point P8 as steaming proceeds, and reaches the third set pressure P3 at t3. Then, counting of the first thawing time T3 is started, and the first thawing step A is started. The pressure reducing means 7 is operated for a while after t3, but thereafter, the pressure reducing means 7 shifts to an intermittent operation.

  When the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 reaches the switching set pressure P1 + ΔP due to an increase in the amount of gas generated from the thawing object 1, the decompression means 7 is continuously operated, that is, continuously decompressed. This continuous operation is not a timer control but a control by pressure. This continuous operation is continued until t4 when the set pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is changed even after the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 has returned to the third set pressure P3.

  By this continuous decompression, the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 quickly returns to the third set pressure P3. In this way, the inside of the thawing chamber 5 can be quickly controlled to an intended pressure regardless of the increase in the amount of outflow gas from the object 1 to be thawed, and the pressure fluctuation in the thawing chamber 5, that is, the temperature fluctuation is minimized. be able to.

  In the intermittent operation, when the decompression means 7 is stopped, steam is supplied into the thawing chamber 5 and condensed into the thawing object 1 so that thawing proceeds. The pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is maintained substantially at the third set pressure P3 even if the decompression means 7 is stopped due to the pressure drop caused by the condensation of the steam and the continuous supply of the steam.

  The intermittent operation and the continuous operation of the decompression means 7 are also performed in the transition step B, the second thawing step C, and the second thawing step C of the second thawing mode M2, but the description thereof is omitted in the following description. ing.

  In the first thawing step A, the third set pressure P3 is set to a pressure lower than the fourth set pressure P4 in the second thawing step C. The to-be-thawed object 1 is thawed without raising its surface temperature too much. As a result, thawing can be performed while maintaining high thawing quality. Moreover, the to-be-thawed object 1 is in a frozen state, has high thermal conductivity, and low specific heat, so that it can be thawed in a relatively short time despite the low steam temperature.

(Transition process B)
Referring to FIG. 4, when the first thawing step A is performed for a set time T31 by timer control, the transition step B is started at t4. In this transition process B, the steam supply means 6 and the pressure reducing means 7 are controlled so that the set pressure increases stepwise as shown and the detected pressure P becomes a set pressure that changes stepwise. This transition process D is also executed for a set time T32 by timer control.

  In this transition process B, the temperature in the thawing chamber 5 rises stepwise. Along with this, the surface temperature of the object 1 to be thawed gradually increases, so that the time during which the surface of the object 1 to be thawed is exposed to a high temperature is shortened, and drip outflow can be suppressed.

(Second thawing step C)
At t5, the transition process B ends, and the second thawing process C is started. In the second thawing step C, the steam supply means 6 and the pressure reducing means 7 are controlled so that the detected pressure P becomes the fourth set pressure P4. This second thawing step C is also executed for a set time T33 by timer control.

  Thus, the first thawing step A, the transition step B, and the second thawing step C are executed for the first thawing time T3. The first thawing time T3 is not counted from the start of the air evacuation process E, but is counted after the air evacuation process E is completed.

(End of thawing process)
When the first thawing time T3 elapses, the notification device 27 is turned on to notify the end of the thawing process. The notification of the end of the thawing process is useful for an operator who works away from the thawing apparatus because thawing may take several hours.

(Low pressure holding process F)
At the same time, when the decompression is completed, the low pressure holding process F is executed when the low pressure holding: “Yes” is set.

  In this low pressure holding step F, as shown in FIG. 4, first, the pressure reducing means 7 is intermittently operated and stopped so as to hold the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 at the fifth set pressure P5. This intermittent operation is not based on timer control but pressure control for controlling the pressure to a set value. Due to the vacuum cooling effect associated with this low pressure holding, the object 1 to be thawed can be held at a temperature lower than the thawing temperature, and can be prepared for the next step such as the impregnation step. The low pressure holding process F is performed only for the sixth time T6. When the pressure is maintained: “None”, the low pressure holding process F is omitted, and the process proceeds to the next pressure restoring process G.

(Return pressure process G)
In the return pressure step G, when the gradual pressure is “Yes”, the gradual pressure is executed. In this case, the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 gradually changes as indicated by the solid line X. Due to this gradual pressure, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of the drip of the material 1 to be thawed due to a rapid return pressure. This slow pressure is desirably performed over as much time as possible, but in practice it is performed over about 10 minutes. If the return pressure valve 27 is fully opened simultaneously with the start of return pressure, for example, it takes about 2 minutes to reach atmospheric pressure.

  In FIG. 4, an alternate long and short dash line X indicates a case where pressure is maintained: “none”. Further, when the slow pressure: “None” is set, the return pressure valve 27 is fully opened to perform return pressure. The pressure change in this case is indicated by a solid line Y in FIG. When this decompression step G ends, the operation of the thawing device ends. In FIG. 5, the alternate long and short dash line Y indicates the case of slow pressure: “none”.

<Second thawing mode M2>
Next, the second thawing mode M2 will be described with reference to FIG. The second thawing mode M2 is different from the first thawing mode M1 in that there is no first thawing step A and no transition step B, and the entire second thawing time T4 from the initial thawing (t3) to the later stage. The second thawing step C is performed in the region, and the tightening step D is provided after the second thawing step C. The rest is the same as the first thawing mode M1. In the example of FIG. 5, the second set pressure P4 is set to about 23.4 hPa (20 ° C.), and the fifth set pressure P5 is set to about 8.7 hPa (5 ° C.).

(Second thawing step C)
The second thawing step C of the second thawing mode M2 can be called by another name, but the second thawing of the first thawing mode M1 in that the set pressure is higher than the third set pressure P3. Since it is the same as the process C, it is referred to as a second thawing process C.

(Tightening process D)
The tightening step D is performed for a sixth time T6 from t6 to t7. This fastening process D is not a timer control but a pressure control for controlling the target set value. And during the tightening step D, steaming into the thawing chamber 5 is not performed, but it can be configured to steam.

  In this second thawing mode M2, the first thawing step A and the transition step B are not performed, and only the second thawing step C is performed, so that rapid thawing is performed in a short time compared to the first thawing mode M1. . On the other hand, although depending on the set value of the fourth set pressure P4, the time during which the material to be thawed 1 is exposed to a high temperature in the initial stage of thawing is longer than in the first thawing mode M1, so that the thawing quality is slightly inferior. It will be.

  As described above, since the user can select the first thawing mode M1 and the second thawing mode M2, if the user wants to perform thawing emphasizing the thawing quality, he / she wants to select the first thawing mode M1 and perform thawing for a short time. In this case, the second thawing mode M2 can be selected to perform thawing, and thawing can be performed as desired.

<Execution of impregnation mode>
When the object 1 to be thawed is thawed by executing the thaw mode, the liquid is impregnated using the thaw apparatus of the first embodiment. In order to perform this impregnation, first, the thawed food material 2 is put into each container 4 containing the seasoning liquid 3 and immersed in the seasoning liquid 2. And each said container 4 is mounted in the said trolley 9 taken out from the said thawing | decompression chamber 5, the said trolley | bogie 9 is accommodated in the said thawing | decompression chamber 5, and the said thawing | decompression chamber 5 is sealed. During the impregnation, the containers 4 can be stacked without using the cart 9.

  In this state, the impregnation time T7 is set. This impregnation time T7 is set according to the kind of foodstuff. The impregnation time T7 is the total time of the first set time T1 in FIG. 3, but may include the second set time T, the time required for pressure reduction, and the time required for return pressure.

When the setting of the impregnation time T7 is completed and the operation switch is pressed, the impregnation is started. This impregnation is performed as shown in FIG. First, with the outside air introduction path 26 closed, the decompression means 7 is operated to decompress the inside of the thawing chamber 5 to the first set pressure P1.

  When the detected pressure P in the thawing chamber 5 reaches the first set pressure P1, the operation of the decompression means 7 is stopped. This stop is continued for the first set time T1. During this time, the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is maintained at about the first set pressure P1 (pressure maintenance), and liquid impregnation proceeds.

  When the first set time T1 has elapsed, the return pressure means 8 is operated to perform return pressure. This return pressure is performed by gradually opening the return pressure valve 27. As a result, the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 gradually increases. By this slow pressure, the cooking material 2 is prevented from being boiled down due to a rapid reversion, and the degree of the soaking of the seasoning liquid 3 into the cooking material 2 can be kept good.

  This return pressure is terminated when the pressure in the thawing chamber 5, that is, the detection value of the detection means 10 reaches the second set pressure P2, and this pressure is maintained for the second set time T2. When the second set time T2 elapses, the decompression means 7 is actuated again to perform the decompression operation. And the cycle of pressure reduction-first set pressure hold-return pressure-second set pressure hold-depressurize is repeated. By repeating this, escape of gas contained in the food can be effectively performed.

  In the first embodiment, as an example, the first set pressure P1 is about 13 hPa, and the second set pressure P2 is about 800 hPa. The reason why the second set pressure P2 is set to atmospheric pressure or less is as follows. In the first embodiment, the door of the thawing chamber 5 is locked by a hook (not shown) at the start of operation, and the hook is released by the first decompression in the thawing mode operation and the impregnation mode operation, so that the door can be opened. It is configured as follows. As a result, the safety of the thawing chamber 5 is prevented by preventing the thawing chamber 5 from becoming positive after the door is opened. In view of adopting such a configuration, the second set pressure P2 is set to be equal to or lower than the atmospheric pressure so that the door is not opened.

  When the counting of the impregnation time T7 is completed, the inside of the thawing chamber 5 is returned to atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, the door is opened, the cart 9 is pulled out from the thawing chamber 5 and the impregnated food 2 is taken out. The end of the impregnation operation can be notified by the notification device 30 or can be notified by the display device 29.

  The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and the impregnation mode can be as shown in FIG. In the first embodiment, the first set pressure P1 is maintained for the impregnation time T7 without returning to the second set pressure P2. That is, pressure reduction-pressure maintenance-restore pressure is performed. In the second embodiment, the second set pressure is maintained by operating the decompression means 7 when the pressure in the thawing chamber 5 is increased. Since the basic impregnation operation and the return pressure operation of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

  When the impregnation method of Example 2 was applied to chicken thighs, it was confirmed by experiments that the sagging was better in about half the time of the conventional impregnation method.

  The following configuration can be added to the impregnation apparatus of the first embodiment. That is, in the impregnation mode, the impregnation effect is improved by adding a swinging means (not shown) for shaking the container 4 and a vibration applying means (not shown) for applying ultrasonic vibration to the container 4. Can do. Further, by providing a spacer (not shown) for preventing the food material 2 from overlapping in each container 4, the impregnation effect can be enhanced. Furthermore, the food material 2 can be put in a strainer (not shown) and placed in the containers 4 so that the impregnation of the embodiment can be performed. By doing so, it is possible to cope with the loosening of fish and other ingredients at the time of decompression.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure at the time of the decompression | decompression mode driving | operation of Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure at the time of the impregnation mode driving | operation of the Example 1. FIG. It is a time chart explaining the impregnation by the same Example 1. It is a time chart explaining the decompression | decompression by the 1st decompression mode of the Example 1. FIG. It is a time chart explaining the decompression | decompression by the 2nd decompression mode of the Example 1. FIG. It is a time chart figure explaining the impregnation by Example 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

2 Ingredients 3 Seasoning liquid (liquid)
4 Containers 5 Thawing room (zone)
7 Pressure reducing means 8 Pressure returning means 10 Pressure detector (detecting means)
11 Controller (control means)

Claims (3)

  In the method of impregnating the liquid 2 in which the food material 2 is immersed in the liquid 3 in the container 4 and the area 5 including the container 4 is decompressed to the atmosphere or lower, and then the pressure is restored, the pressure in the area 5 is gradually increased. A method for impregnating a liquid, wherein the pressure is restored.   An area 5 containing a container 4 in which the food 2 is immersed in a liquid, a decompression means 7 in the area 5, a decompression means 8 in the area 5, and the decompression means 7 are controlled to control the inside of the area 5 And a control means 11 for reducing the pressure to below the atmosphere and then controlling the return pressure means 8 to return the pressure, and the control means 11 recovers the pressure by gradually increasing the pressure in the section 5. Liquid impregnation equipment. The return pressure means 8 includes a return pressure valve 27 whose opening degree can be adjusted, and the control means 11 gradually opens the return pressure valve 27 to gradually increase the pressure in the section 5 to return the pressure. The liquid impregnation apparatus according to claim 2.

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