JP2007330272A - Sterilization method of solid - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sterilization method capable of continuously treating solid by a specified quantity. <P>SOLUTION: Plural pressure vessels 3 are sequentially transferred from a fixed carry-in part 12 to a take-out part 13 in an aseptic zone Z1. At the carry-in part 12, holders 8 containing a fixed amount of solid 10 are introduced in each pressure vessel 3 by a fixed number and each of the pressure vessels 3 is independently sealed. The treatment for asepticizing the solid 10 is performed in each of the pressure vessels 3 moving from the carry-in part 12 to the take-out part 13. At the take-out part 13, each of the pressure vessels 3 is opened and the holders 8 and the solid 10 are taken out from the pressure vessels 3. The vacant pressure vessels 3 are sent back from the take-out part 13 to the carry-in part 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a method for sterilizing solids contained in the cooked food contained in the container in direct contact with heat medium such as steam.

  As a sterilization method for cooked foods, an indirect heating sterilization method has been used in which the cooked food is packaged and sealed, and then the bag is stored in a retort kettle and heated to a high temperature. It had been. However, in the indirect sterilization method through a bag, both the liquid component and the solid are heated under the same conditions. The heat conduction of the liquid component gradually sterilizes to the center of the solid. And the liquid component are both overheated and the flavor is impaired.

  Accordingly, various direct heat sterilization methods have been proposed and implemented in which solid materials are directly sterilized by contact with steam. In the sterilization of solids by the direct heat sterilization method, the solids are weighed before sterilization and divided into predetermined amounts, and the divided solids are accommodated in a cup. Each cup is accommodated in the same sterilization pot (corresponding to a pressure vessel). After the sterilization pot is sealed, the inside thereof is vacuumed, and then steam is introduced into the sterilization pot. After heating with steam is continued for a predetermined time, vacuum cooling is performed, and then each cup is removed from the sterilization pot. According to such a direct heat sterilization method, since the solid is in direct contact with the steam, the sterilization conditions suitable for the solid can be set, the heat treatment is completed in a short time, and the flavor of the solid is not impaired. Since it is measured before sterilization and divided into units of packaging units, there is an advantage that it can be easily adapted to individualization as compared with the case where the solid is measured after sterilization and divided.

  However, the direct heat sterilization method so far is a so-called batch process in which a large number of cups are accommodated in the same sterilization pot and processed at a time. Therefore, if it is going to raise processing capacity, it is necessary to enlarge a sterilization pot, and the installation area of an apparatus will increase. After the sterilization treatment, it is necessary to take out a large number of cups at once, and the work must also be performed in a sterile environment. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a large aseptic accumulation area on the outlet side of the sterilization pot, and the equipment is further increased. Scale up. When a large number of sterilized cups are taken out from the sterilization pot to the sterile accumulator area at once, and then the solids are sequentially taken out from each cup and sent to the subsequent process, the solids in each cup are held in the aseptic accumulator area. The time required varies greatly before and after processing. Since sterile air is constantly supplied and maintained at a positive pressure in the sterile accumulator area, the longer the time it is held inside, the more the solids are dried and the quality varies.

  In order to eliminate such drawbacks, for example, in the sterilization apparatus of Japanese Patent No. 2907663, a plurality of sterilizers are arranged, and a cassette containing a predetermined number of cups is selectively put into each sterilizer to thereby provide a plurality of sterilizers. Batch processing is performed in parallel with a sterilizer, and solids are continuously taken out. However, it is necessary to accommodate all the outlet sides of the plurality of sterilizers in the aseptic accumulator area, which also increases the aseptic accumulator area.

  In Japanese Patent No. 2815089, a sterilization treatment tank partitioned into a plurality of treatment chambers is prepared for each process, and a cup containing solids is sequentially sent to each treatment chamber, thereby continuously in a single treatment tank. An apparatus for sterilization has been proposed. However, it is difficult to hermetically divide the inside of a single processing tank into a plurality of processing chambers in this way, and the inside of the processing tank is exposed to a vacuum or a high temperature environment, so that the cup can be transported in the processing tank. difficult. Therefore, in the apparatus of the publication, the processing tank itself is swung in a seesaw shape to transport the cup, but as a practical problem, it is difficult to put such a mechanism into practical use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization method capable of continuously processing a solid by a predetermined amount with a configuration different from the conventional one.

Below, a description will be given to the sterilization method of the present invention. In order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are appended in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

In the sterilization method of the present invention , a plurality of holders (8) in which a predetermined amount of solid matter (10) is accommodated are individually sealed with a lid member (40), and connecting means (41) provided on the lid member. A process for sterilizing the solid matter inside each holding tool is performed.

  According to this method, since a sterilization process is performed individually for each of the plurality of holders, it is not necessary to prepare a large pressure vessel. Since it is only necessary to bring the holder after the sterilization treatment into the aseptic area and open it individually, it is not necessary to prepare a large aseptic accumulator area.

As described above, according to the sterilization method of the present invention, by one single pressure vessel is downsized, we are possible to transport them easily. In addition, there is no need to transport the holder in the pressure vessel. Therefore, the apparatus is simplified, which is advantageous for practical use.

FIG. 6 shows a sterilizer according to one embodiment of the present invention. This sterilizer is obtained by changing a part of the sterilizer shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. Prior to the description thereof, the sterilizer shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 will be described as a reference example. FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a sterilizer according to a reference example . The sterilizer 1 according to this reference example includes a transport mechanism 2 and a number of pressure vessels 3... 3 transported by the transport mechanism 2. The transport mechanism 2 includes, for example, a circular index table 4 and a driving device (not shown) that rotationally drives the table 4 around a center C. The drive device can be intermittently driven by a predetermined angle.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the pressure vessel 3 includes a main body 5 and a lid 6 that closes the main body 5. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of the pressure vessel 3, and FIG. 2B is a side view seen from the lid side. A tray 7 is integrally attached to the lid 6. A predetermined number, for example, four cups 8... 8 can be mounted side by side on the tray 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the lid 6 and the tray 7 can be integrally attached to and detached from the main body 5 with the cup 8 placed on the tray 7. Note that the lid 6 and the tray 7 may be integrally formed, or may be separable. In order to ensure the tightness between the lid 6 and the main body 5, a packing 9 is appropriately provided at the opposing portion of both. As shown in FIG. 2 (c), the cup 8 has a cylindrical shape with an open upper end, and a solid material 10 divided into predetermined amounts is accommodated in the cup 8. The lid 6 may be separated from the tray 7. You may attach the cover 6 with respect to the main body 5 so that opening and closing is possible.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 5 is attached to the outer periphery of the index table 4 at a constant pitch. Therefore, the pressure vessel 3 is conveyed along the circular circulation path 11 as the index table 4 rotates. On the circulation path 11, the carry-in part 12 and the carry-out part 13 of the cup 8 are set. The cup 8 containing the solid material 10 is sequentially supplied to the carry-in unit 12 via the carry-in line 15. The carry-out unit 13 is connected to a sterile filling machine (not shown) via a carry-out line 16. The carry-out part 13 is set in the same aseptic chamber 17 as the aseptic filling machine. An outer surface sterilization chamber 18 is provided in front of the sterilization chamber 17 with respect to the rotation direction of the index table 4. A part of the index table 4 enters the aseptic area Z1 and the outer surface sterilization area Z2 in the chambers 17 and 18.

  FIG. 4 shows the pressure vessel 3 and the index table 4 in the aseptic chamber 17. On the outer periphery of the lower surface 4a of the index table 4, a flange 4b is provided over the entire periphery. The aseptic chamber 17 is provided with a liquid storage part 17a into which the flange 4b enters, and a sterilizing agent 19 is stored in the liquid storage part 17a. The flange 4 b of the index table 4 is immersed in the sterilizing agent 19 in the portion to be taken into the aseptic chamber 17.

  The index table 4 is provided with a vertical wall 20 that is offset from the pressure vessel 3 toward the inner peripheral side. The vertical wall 20 also extends over the entire circumference of the index table 4. The vertical wall 20 is higher than the pressure vessel 3, and a liquid storage part 21 is provided at the upper end of the vertical wall 20 over the entire circumference. A bactericide 19 is also stored in the liquid storage part 21. The aseptic chamber 17 is provided with a flange 17b immersed in the sterilizing agent 19 of the liquid storage part 21. As described above, the aseptic region Z1 in the aseptic chamber 17 is sealed to the outside above and below the index table 4. During the operation of the sterilizer 1, aseptic air is always supplied into the aseptic chamber 17 from a sterile air supply device (not shown), so that the aseptic region Z1 is always kept at a positive pressure.

  As apparent from FIG. 4, utility tubes 25 and 26 as connecting means are attached to the main body 5 of each pressure vessel 3. These tubes 25 and 26 are pulled out to the inner peripheral side of the index table 4 through the vertical wall 20. As partly illustrated in FIG. 1, the tubes 25 and 26 are extended to the vicinity of the rotation center C of the index table 4, and the vacuum suction device 27 and the steam supply are provided via a rotary valve (not shown) installed there. Each is connected to a device 28. The connecting means may be constituted by a rigid pipe.

  FIG. 5 shows the pressure vessel 3 and the index table 4 in the outer surface sterilization chamber 18. The outer surface sterilization chamber 18 is provided with nozzles 30... 30 for spraying a sterilizing agent on the inner outer surface sterilization region Z2. The nozzle 30 is connected to the disinfectant supply device 31 shown in FIG. The disinfectant supply device 31 supplies, for example, hydrogen peroxide mist 32 to the nozzles 30 and sprays them from the nozzles 30. The mist here means a collection of fine droplets obtained by spraying hydrogen peroxide water in a high temperature atmosphere above its boiling point and vaporizing it once, and condensing the vaporized hydrogen peroxide component. To do. Such a mist is suitable as a means for completing sterilization in the middle of continuous processing as in the present apparatus 1 because a sufficient amount of sterilization effect can be obtained with a small amount and drying is completed at an early stage. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer surface sterilization chamber 18 is also provided with a liquid storage portion 18a and a flange 18b similar to the sterilization chamber 17 of FIG. 4, and the outer surface sterilization region Z2 is sealed from the outside. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the outer surface sterilization chamber 18 is connected to the pressure adjusting device 33, so that the outer surface sterilization zone Z2 is maintained at a slightly negative pressure (pressure lower than the external pressure) during operation of the device 1. The

  As described above, since the sterilization area Z1 in the sterilization chamber 17 and the outer surface sterilization area Z2 in the outer surface sterilization chamber 18 are configured, the index table 4 can rotate without contacting the outside in the carry-out portion 13.

  Next, the procedure for sterilizing the solid material 10 by the sterilizer 1 will be described. In the sterilization process in the sterilizer 1, the index table 4 is intermittently driven at a predetermined interval with the pitch of the pressure vessels 3 as a unit. In the carry-in unit 12, the solid-filled cup 8 supplied from the carry-in line 15 is transferred to the tray 7. Each time the four cups 8 are placed on the tray 7, the tray 7 and the lid 6 are attached to the main body 5 of the empty pressure vessel 3 fed to the carry-in portion 12, and the pressure vessel 3 is sealed.

  When the sealed pressure vessel 3 starts moving toward the carry-out unit 13, the air in the pressure vessel 3 is sucked into the vacuum suction device 27 via the tube 25, and vacuum deaeration is performed. Vacuum degassing is completed while the pressure vessel 3 moves in a predetermined section. Steam is introduced from the steam supply device 28 through the tube 26 into the pressure vessel 3 where the vacuum degassing has been completed. As a result, the inside of the pressure vessel 3 is pressurized and heated, and the steam and the solid material 10 in the cup 8 come into contact with each other to perform sterilization. While the pressure vessel 3 moves for a predetermined section, the pressurized state by steam is maintained. Thereafter, vacuum deaeration of the pressure vessel 3 is performed using the vacuum suction device 27. This cools the solid. During the cooling, the pressure vessel 3 moves to the outer surface sterilization zone Z2, and the outer surface of the pressure vessel 3 is sterilized in parallel with the cooling of the solid matter.

  When the pressure vessel 3 further moves to the aseptic region Z1, the vacuum deaeration is completed, and the lid 6 and the tray 7 are pulled out from the main body 5 in the carry-out portion 13, and the cup 8 is moved to the carry-out line 16. Note that aseptic air may be introduced into the pressure vessel 3 after the vacuum degassing is completed, and the pressure in the vessel 3 may be returned to normal pressure before the lid 6 is opened. After the cup 8 is taken out, the evacuated pressure vessel 3 is returned from the carry-out unit 13 to the carry-in unit 12 in accordance with the operation of the index table 4 and is subjected to the next sterilization process.

  By sequentially repeating the above processing in each pressure vessel 3, the sterilized solid matter is supplied to the carry-out unit 13 almost continuously. As a result, sterilization can be performed efficiently. Since it is not necessary to process a large number of cups 8 at once in the carry-out part 13, it is not necessary to provide a vast aseptic accumulator area, and the carry-out part 13 can be easily accommodated in the sterile chamber 17. Since the cup 8 taken out from the pressure vessel 3 is sequentially sent to the aseptic filling machine side, there is no possibility that the solid material 10 in the cup 8 is exposed to aseptic air for a long time and drying proceeds.

The sterilizer according to the reference example is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various forms. For example, the transport mechanism is not limited to the example in which the cup is circulated along the circular transport path (circulation path), and may reciprocate along a linear path or move along various other circulation paths. For sterilization of the outer surface of the pressure vessel, not only mist but also various sterilizing agents may be used. Instead of the configuration in which the vertical wall provided in the index table is offset from the pressure vessel, the vertical wall may be provided in the body portion of the pressure vessel. The upper side liquid storage part in the aseptic chamber and the outer surface sterilization chamber may be provided on the fixed side of the chamber ceiling. The loading and unloading of the cup in the loading section and the unloading section can be automated using, for example, a robot hand. The holder is not limited to the cup 8 and may have various shapes. The cup 8 may be a container for a product containing solid matter or may be used exclusively for sterilization. The pressure vessel 3 may be provided with a drain valve that discharges a liquid component generated by condensation of steam or the like.

A sterilizer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the cup 8 and the lid 40 are made to function as a pressure vessel by closing the cup 8 as a holder with the lid 40 with respect to the reference example described above . A tube 41 as a connection means is connected to the lid 40, and the inside of the cup 8 is connected to the vacuum suction device 27 and the steam supply device 28 through this. Note that the cup 8 can be carried on the index table 4 or the like in the same manner as in the example of FIG.

The top view of the sterilizer which concerns on the reference example with respect to one form of this invention. The figure which shows the pressure container used with the sterilizer of FIG. 1, and the cup accommodated in the inside. The figure which shows the state in the middle of opening and closing a lid | cover with respect to the main body of a pressure vessel. The figure which shows the seal structure of an aseptic chamber. The figure which shows the seal structure of an outer surface sterilization chamber. The figure which shows the sterilizer which concerns on one form of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sterilizer 2 Conveyance mechanism 3 Pressure vessel 4 Index table 5 Main body 6 Lid 7 Tray 8 Cup (holding tool)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Solid substance 11 Circulation path | route 12 Carry-in part 13 Carry-out part 17 Aseptic chamber 18 External surface sterilization chamber 25,26 Utility tube (connection means)
27 Vacuum suction device 28 Steam supply device 30 Nozzle (disinfectant supply means)
31 Disinfectant supply device (disinfectant supply means)
33 Pressure adjusting device (pressure adjusting means)
40 Lid 41 Tube Z1 Aseptic area Z2 External sterilization area

Claims (1)

  A plurality of holders each containing a predetermined amount of solid matter are individually sealed with a lid member, and a process for sterilizing the solid matter inside each holder via connection means provided on the lid member. A solid material sterilization method characterized by comprising:

Images