JP2020018252A - Continuous superheated steam processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a continuous superheated steam processing device.SOLUTION: A conveyer transport type continuous superheated steam processing device is provided for executing each processing by aqua gas (superheated steam and microfine water droplet), superheated steam and coolant gas. The device is characterized as follows: a function is included for locally changing an atmosphere of each processing chamber by the aqua gas, the superheated steam and the coolant gas in communication over a sample inlet of one end side and a sample exit of the other end side; each atmosphere of the aqua gas, the superheated steam and the coolant gas is continuous, and the atmosphere of each processing chamber thereof is not exposed to the outside air in the no (low) oxygen state and is continued; multiple processing of aqua gas processing, superheated steam processing and cooling (oxidization prevention) processing can be executed optionally; and an air curtain using the superheated steam is included in the boundary of the aqua gas and the superheated steam atmosphere.EFFECT: High quality processing of plant and agricultural products and its supply become possible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention provides a continuous superheated steam for continuously performing each of heating, sterilization (branching), drying and cooling (antioxidation) treatments using aqua gas, superheated steam, and cooling gas (such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas). More particularly, the present invention relates to a treatment apparatus, and more specifically, heat and sterilize (branching), dry and cool (oxidize) plants in a minimally invasive manner using aqua gas, superheated steam and cooling gas (such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas). Prevention) A continuous superheated steam treatment system that can suppress the depletion of plant antioxidant components, suppress discoloration and discoloration, reduce the number of general viable bacteria, and efficiently evaporate water by treating. It is.

  In recent years, there has been a situation in which consumers are interested in functionality and safety of foods and foods. However, the harvest time of the plant or leaf agricultural product used as the raw material is limited, and in particular, various drying techniques for long-term preservation of the leaf raw material with rapid deterioration in quality have been studied. If we can establish a system to supply these raw materials immediately after harvesting without loss of quality, perform primary processing, store them for a long time, and supply them as raw materials year-round, we will not be affected by the harvest season, especially plants. And the stable supply of leafy agricultural products.

  However, in practice, long-term storage technology for leaf materials and practical and general-purpose technologies with a high price-performance ratio that can be supplied as food throughout the year have not yet been fully established. It has been difficult to provide consumers with stable prices at reasonable prices without sacrificing the freshness or functionality of leaf and leaf agricultural products.

  For the year-round use of seasonal plants and agricultural products, raw materials have a problem of quality deterioration during storage, and the conventional drying method has a higher cost than raw materials. However, it cannot be fully utilized except for the use of dry raw materials such as ventilation drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying and superheated steam drying, which are inferior in ingredients. They are forced to use plants and agricultural products.

  On the other hand, superheated steam heating uses high-temperature, high-pressure, high-calorie, and metastable dry steam in terms of thermal energy, so that its application technology is widely used as, for example, food cooking means and food cooking equipment. It has been proposed (Patent Documents 1 and 2). As a method for drying agricultural products, the above-mentioned ventilation drying, freeze drying, drying under reduced pressure, and superheated steam drying are used.

  On the other hand, a heating, sterilization and drying method using aqua gas has been developed and reported as prior art. In other words, as for this aqua gas heating technology, as a high-quality cooking and food processing system applying superheated steam heating technology, water has been boiled under high pressure, and high-temperature fine water droplets and superheated steam are mixed and sprayed from a nozzle. A method for generating a new heating medium (superheated steam + fine water droplets) generated by the heating and a food supply system for agricultural products using the heating medium have been developed (Patent Document 3).

  Because this aqua gas has excellent heating characteristics, it can be used for existing wet heat heating (boiling and steaming) in the surface sterilization of fresh vegetables before cooking, enzyme inactivation of processed foods such as potatoes, and gelatinization of starch. Further, since it is superior in both quality and sterilization effect than any of dry heat heating (oven), a method of using it has been proposed and partially put to practical use.

  Aqua gas, as a heating medium for drying, has a lower drying rate than superheated steam, and has not been studied so far in terms of efficiency. However, in recent years, as the ratio of processed materials of agricultural products having high functionality as dry materials has increased, a new drying method for retaining functional components and suppressing deterioration has been required.

  In general, the freeze-drying method is well known as a drying method capable of suppressing such thermal deterioration, but the equipment cost is high and the processing time is long, which is the food material after the freeze-drying processing. Has led to higher costs. Therefore, in the technical field, the development of a new processing technology that can dry efficiently and is cheaper than the freeze-drying method and that can prepare a product having a superior quality as a dry material is stronger than the conventional method. Has been requested.

  In the conventional drying treatment, when drying plants and leafy agricultural products that contain a large amount of fat-soluble functional substances, etc., regarding the deterioration of fats and oils components and lipid-containing materials due to oxidation caused by heating, when these are functional components, Can not be used especially for the drying treatment of plants and leafy agricultural products, and vacuum drying and freeze drying have high costs and economic problems such as processing time, and recently, Drying treatment with superheated steam has also been attempted, but in a stable superheated steam temperature range (approximately 150 ° C. or higher), the oxygen content is low, but the temperature itself is high. There is a problem that the palatability in terms of color, fragrance and the like tends to decrease, and a solution has been required.

JP-A-06-090677 JP 2001-061655 A JP 2007-228870 A

  Under these circumstances, the present inventors have conducted intensive studies with the aim of establishing a system for supplying plants and leafy agricultural products as raw materials annually, in view of the above-described conventional technology, and as a result, Plant materials such as plants are treated with aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas using a continuous superheated steam treatment device to perform heating, sterilization, drying, and cooling treatments in a minimally invasive manner. It is possible to suppress the consumption of antioxidant components, suppress discoloration and discoloration, reduce the number of general viable bacteria, and efficiently evaporate water, and have advantages such as long-term storage and storage stability. The present inventors have found that it can be supplied year-round as a dry material provided with, and have completed the present invention.

  The present invention uses a continuous superheated steam treatment device for performing each treatment with aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas, giving the plant superiority such as maintaining high quality in season, and preserving the plant at room temperature and room temperature. It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-quality heating / sterilizing, drying, and cooling (antioxidant) plant that can be transported. In addition, the present invention provides advantages such as high yield, long-term preservability, and preservation stability by using a continuous superheated steam processing device for performing each process using aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new processing means for plants and leafy agricultural products, which makes it possible to produce and supply a dry material having a high antioxidant content.

The present invention for solving the above problems is constituted by the following technical means.
(1) A continuous conveyor-type superheated steam treatment apparatus of a conveyer type for executing each processing of aqua gas (superheated steam + fine water droplets)-superheated steam-heating and sterilization by a cooling gas-drying-oxidation prevention,
It has a function to locally change the atmosphere of each processing chamber by aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas communicating between the sample inlet on one end side and the sample outlet on the other end, and each atmosphere of aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas Is continuous, and the atmosphere in each of these processing chambers is continuous without being exposed to the outside air in an oxygen-free (low) state, and a plurality of processings of aqua gas processing, superheated steam processing and cooling (antioxidation) processing are performed. The continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus, which can be arbitrarily executed.
(2) The pre-processing chamber is set to an aqua gas (superheated steam + fine water droplet) atmosphere, the subsequent processing chamber is set to a super-heated steam atmosphere, and a heating / sterilizing (branching) process using an aqua gas in the pre-processing chamber and a post-processing chamber The apparatus according to the above (1), wherein a heating drying and / or a baking step using superheated steam can be performed.
(3) The apparatus according to the above (1) or (2), further comprising a cooling treatment chamber for performing an oxidation prevention treatment by cooling, after the drying treatment step using superheated steam.
(4) The apparatus according to (1) or (3), wherein the cooling treatment is performed in a nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas atmosphere.
(5) The apparatus according to (1) or (2), further comprising an air curtain using superheated steam at a boundary between the aqua gas and the superheated steam atmosphere.

Next, the present invention will be described in more detail.
In the present invention, a plant material such as a plant or a leafy vegetable can be quickly converted into a continuous gas having respective processing chambers of an aqua gas processing chamber (aqua gas tank), a superheated steam processing chamber (superheated steam tank), and a cooling processing chamber (cooling tank). Low heat and sterilization, drying and cooling (anti-oxidation) treatment with low-invasive and rapid treatment by a superheated steam treatment device to suppress the depletion of antioxidant components, suppress discoloration and fading, and reduce the number of general viable bacteria. Heating / sterilizing, drying, cooling (antioxidant) plant with high antioxidant content, with high moisture stability, high stability at normal temperature and long-term storage at normal temperature It is characterized by supplying greens and leafy vegetables.

  The present invention relates to a technology for drying plants and leaf agricultural products using the continuous superheated steam treatment device, which has a high heating efficiency and is capable of high-quality food heating, and has confirmed the presence of functional components. It is concerned with the production of high-value-added dry materials such as plants and leafy agricultural products.Compared to existing ventilation drying and drying using general superheated steam, it suppresses oxidative deterioration and reduces It enables the activity to be maintained, and after these drying treatments, it can be used as a powdered material or the like for functional foods and processed.

  The present inventors have tried drying treatment of plant material using a continuous superheated steam treatment device for performing each treatment with aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas, depending on the type and shape of the agricultural product to be used, It is clear that it is possible to prepare dried materials with excellent quality in the same time as superheated steam, and furthermore, the deterioration of lipid components and antioxidant components in plant and leaf agricultural products is suppressed, It was also found that discoloration and fading can be suppressed.

  Examples of the superheated steam tank used in the present invention include, but are not limited to, a known ordinary superheated steam generator. For example, the superheated steam generator may include a first superheated steam generator, a second superheated steam generator, and a second superheated steam generator. A high-temperature superheated steam having a temperature higher than 100 ° C. and not higher than 250 ° C. generated by the first superheated steam generator is further heated by the second superheated steam generator, and higher than 250 ° C. and not higher than 500 ° C. Is generated, whereby the temperature of the superheated steam can be increased as compared with a normal apparatus, and the cooking time can be shortened.

  The superheated steam generator includes, for example, a sample heating chamber for housing and heating a sample, a superheated steam generator for generating superheated steam, and an air supply duct for introducing the superheated steam into the sample heated chamber. A first superheat having a superheated steam generator that heats water to generate the superheated steam, and a first heating unit that heats the superheated steam generated by the superheated steam generator. A steam generator, and a second superheated steam generator having a second heating unit that heats the superheated steam that has passed through the first superheated steam generator, wherein the first heating unit and the second An example of a superheated steam generator in which the two heating units can be controlled independently is exemplified.

  As a superheated steam tank provided with a superheated steam generator by boiler steam used in the present invention, it is possible to use an appropriate superheated steam treatment device having an appropriate superheated steam generation device of the above-described type. There is no particular limitation on the shape and structure of the device, and any device that has been arbitrarily improved can be used as long as it is a normal superheated steam tank provided with a superheated steam generator using normal boiler steam.

  As the superheated steam processing chamber (superheated steam tank) provided in the continuous superheated steam processing apparatus of the present invention, for example, a conveyor-conveying type superheated steam oven can be used, and as the aqua gas processing chamber (aqua gas tank), For example, an aqua gas (superheated steam or fine water droplet) oven can be used, and the cooling processing chamber (cooling tank) is a processing chamber provided with cooling means for cooling with a cooling gas (nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas). If so, it can be used as appropriate.

  Generally, as a conveyor transport type superheated steam oven, for example, a conveyor for transporting a sample, an upper nozzle portion and a lower nozzle portion for ejecting superheated steam from above and below the sample transported by the conveyor, and an inlet portion of the conveyor and A high-temperature heating chamber that covers a portion excluding an outlet portion and the upper nozzle portion and the lower nozzle portion, and has a high-temperature heating chamber whose periphery is covered with a heat insulating material, and the steam injection portions of the upper nozzle portion and the lower nozzle portion are conveyed; An oven using superheated steam, which is characterized by directly injecting steam onto the entire upper and lower surfaces of a sample, is widely used.

  In the present invention, preferably, the conveyor-conveying-type superheated steam oven or a superheated steam oven obtained by appropriately improving the conveyor gas-heated oven includes an aqua gas processing chamber (aqua gas tank) and a cooling processing chamber (cooling tank). Appropriate continuous superheated steam treatment equipment provided can be used. The aqua gas processing chamber is provided with an aqua gas generator, the superheated steam processing chamber is provided with a superheated steam generator using boiler steam, and the cooling processing chamber is provided with cooling means using liquefied carbon dioxide gas. In the present invention, known devices can be appropriately used for the aqua gas generator, the superheated steam generator and the cooling means.

  In the continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus of the present invention, each atmosphere of aqua gas (superheated steam + fine water droplets), superheated steam, and cooling gas (such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas) is an atmosphere of aqua gas-superheated steam, superheated steam-cooling gas. The change of the atmosphere at the boundary is continuous, but the change of the atmosphere is performed as quickly as possible to quantify the heating intensity (temperature, time) to the sample. Is desirable. Therefore, in the present invention, as an embodiment, for example, it is necessary to install a partition plate at an aqua gas-superheated steam atmosphere boundary so that gas convection between the atmospheres is restricted. The partition occupies 20% to 60% of the cross-sectional area of the processing chamber, and the opening area of the boundary between the aqua gas and the superheated steam atmosphere is preferably larger than the opening area of the boundary between the outside air and the aqua gas atmosphere. In this case, it is possible to maintain a low oxygen state by controlling the pressure of the aqua gas and the superheated steam atmosphere (positive pressure control).

  As for another embodiment of the present invention, as for another embodiment of the boundary between the superheated steam and the cooling gas (nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas), a constant volume of air is exhausted per unit time at the boundary of the atmosphere. The exhaust volume is set so that the temperature sensors provided before and after the boundary each approach the specified temperature as much as possible, but is limited to the range where the inside of the three types of processing tanks can maintain positive pressure at the inlet and outlet of the device. Is done. In this case, it is preferable to control the entire processing chamber to have a positive pressure and exhaust the continuous phase portion of aqua gas-superheated steam and superheated steam-cooling gas to clarify the atmosphere boundary.

  In the present invention, as another embodiment, it is preferable to install an air curtain using superheated steam at the boundary of the atmosphere. In this case, an air blow nozzle different from the superheated steam nozzle for heating the superheated steam tank is provided on each of two sides of the superheated steam atmosphere to blow out superheated steam instead of air. Discharge ports are installed on both sides of the two sides where the air blow nozzle is installed. Discharge from exit. In this case, the temperature of the superheated steam to be jetted is equal to or lower than the temperature of the superheated steam for heating the sample, and the jetting amount is appropriately determined according to the state of the superheated steam in the heating superheated steam tank. Further, as for the gas ejected from the air blow nozzle, the heating medium (or cooling medium) used in the adjacent processing tank can be appropriately selected by a valve operation, and the heating time (or cooling time) in each processing tank is set to a constant speed. It can be changed while it is on the conveyor.

  In each treatment of the aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas of the present invention, the heating / sterilizing treatment with aqua gas means that plants and leaf agricultural products are treated with hot water and / or steam heated to 100 ° C. or more at the same temperature. A step of continuously injecting into the heating chamber of the quasi-enclosed space heated as described above to generate fine water droplets and wet heat steam (superheated steam); A step of filling with a gas component having a composition of 95% or more and an oxygen concentration of 1% or less and held in a temperature range of 90 to 180 ° C .; In the above-mentioned temperature range, a step of performing a continuous amplitude heating with a temperature difference of at least 10 ° C. to perform a heating / sterilization treatment means a heating treatment.

  In the present invention, as an apparatus for minimally invasive heating / sterilization / drying / cooling treatment using the aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas, at least a plant material as a sample is heated and cut off from outside air. Heating chamber in a semi-closed state, heating means for heating the heating chamber to a predetermined temperature exceeding 100 ° C., hot water and / or water vapor heated to 100 ° C. or more are continuously jetted into the heating chamber, A continuous superheated steam processing apparatus including, as constituent elements, a steam generating means (aqua gas generator) for generating water droplets and wet heat steam (superheated steam), and a superheated steam generator and a cooling gas generating means.

  In the continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus of the present invention, each atmosphere of the aqua gas, the superheated steam, and the cooling gas (for example, nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas) comes into contact at the boundary of aqua gas-superheated steam, superheated steam-cooling gas. The change of the atmosphere at the boundary is continuous.

  At the boundary between the aqua gas and the superheated steam, it is necessary to change the atmosphere as quickly as possible in order to quantify the heating intensity (humidity, time) to the sample. In addition, at the boundary between superheated steam and cooling gas, a temperature difference exceeding 150 ° C., preventing condensation and icing due to a large amount of superheated steam flowing into the cooling processing chamber, and cooling gas flowing back into the heating processing chamber Therefore, it is important to separate the atmosphere or clarify the boundary more than in the heat treatment chamber.

  In the present invention, as described above, for example, a partition plate is provided at the boundary between the atmospheres of aqua gas and superheated steam, and gas convection between the atmospheres is controlled. In that case, the partition plate preferably occupies 20% to 60% of the cross-sectional area of the processing chamber. The opening area of the boundary between the atmosphere of the aqua gas and the superheated steam is preferably larger than the opening area of the atmosphere of the outside air and the aqua gas. However, by controlling the pressure of the atmosphere of the aqua gas and the superheated steam (positive pressure limitation), the low oxygen content is reduced. The state can be maintained.

  In the present invention, as another embodiment, it is possible to perform an appropriate volume of exhaust at the boundary of the atmosphere. In this case, it is necessary to control the entire processing chamber to have a positive pressure, and to clarify the boundary of the atmosphere by exhausting the continuous phase portion of aqua gas-superheated steam and superheated steam-cooling gas.

  Further, in the present invention, as another embodiment, it is possible to provide an air curtain using superheated steam at the boundary of the atmosphere. In this case, for example, an air blow nozzle different from the superheated steam nozzle for heating the processing chamber is installed on each of two sides of the atmosphere of the superheated steam, and the superheated steam is ejected instead of the air. The temperature is equal to or less than the temperature, and the ejection amount is appropriately determined according to the state of superheated steam in the heat treatment chamber.

  The jetted superheated steam and the aqua gas atmosphere and the post-stage superheated steam atmosphere entrained in the jet, or the pre-stage superheated steam atmosphere and the post-stage cooling gas atmosphere are discharged from the exhaust ports installed on two sides of the air blow nozzle. Discharge as appropriate.

  In the above embodiment, since the shape of the sample on the conveyor is various, the air curtain is provided with a vertical air curtain and a horizontal air curtain. If the air curtains whose ejection directions intersect each other are installed on the same plane, the ejected steam collides and the boundary of the atmosphere is not clear, so that the installation surface of the curtain is preferably shifted laterally by 1 cm to 2 cm. The nozzle shift width is appropriately set in consideration of the fact that it depends on the characteristics of the air blow nozzle.

  Here, the aqua gas heating chamber (aqua gas tank) provided in the continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus of the present invention will be described. In the present invention, hot water and / or steam heated to 100 ° C. or more are introduced into the heating chamber. Continuous spraying to generate fine water droplets and moist heat steam (superheated steam), and the inside of the heating chamber is filled with fine water droplets and water vapor at normal pressure, with a composition of 95% or more in humidity and 1.0% or less in oxygen concentration. Having a gas component held in a temperature range of 90 to 180 ° C., displacing the air in the heating chamber, and using the fine water droplets and moist heat steam, the material to be heated in the heating chamber has at least a temperature in the temperature range. Heat treatment is performed by performing continuous amplitude heating with a temperature difference of 10 ° C.

  The apparatus disposed in the continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus of the present invention is provided with an injection nozzle for heating hot water and / or steam heated to 100 ° C. or higher into a heating chamber of a semi-enclosed space heated to the same temperature or higher. The water in the heating chamber is replaced with fine water droplets and moist heat steam (superheated steam). It has a composition and is filled with a water vapor gas component containing fine water droplets held in a temperature range of 90 to 180 ° C. and high-humidity moist heat steam. Heat treatment is performed by performing continuous amplitude heating at a temperature difference of ° C.

  Here, the term “quasi-closed space” as used in the present invention is not a completely closed or open space, but continuously jets hot water and / or steam heated to 100 ° C. or higher into the space to form fine water droplets. This refers to a space in which even when moist heat steam (superheated steam) is generated, the steam or the like can be filled in a high-temperature and normal-pressure state. In the present invention, fine water droplets and wet heat steam (superheated steam) mean a mixed system of high humidity wet heat steam and fine water droplets partially generated by condensation thereof, and the wet heat steam is the high humidity steam. The term “dry heat steam” means high dry steam that is partially generated by the drying phenomenon of the above-mentioned wet heat steam in the heating chamber.

  In the present invention, the material to be heated is subjected to continuous amplitude heating with a temperature difference of at least 10 ° C. in a temperature range of 90 to 180 ° C. using the above-mentioned fine water droplets and wet heat steam (superheated steam). The continuous amplitude heating of a temperature difference of at least 10 ° C. means that a temperature change near a nozzle having an amplitude of a temperature difference exceeding 10 ° C. occurs in a short time within a temperature range of 90 to 180 ° C. It means heating. In the present invention, for example, the material to be heated can be continuously heated at an amplitude of a temperature difference of 10 to 50 ° C.

  In the present invention, the heating chamber is heated to a predetermined temperature exceeding 100 ° C., hot water and / or steam is introduced into the heating chamber, and the heating chamber is replaced with a water gas to reduce the oxygen concentration to 1.0%. The sample is heated in an atmosphere formed by reducing it to less than or equal to%. In the present invention, the heating chamber is constituted by a predetermined semi-closed system space capable of heating the sample while blocking the sample from the outside air. Preferably, for example, a plate for mounting the sample, and a glass window part in a part thereof A quasi-enclosed space having an openable and closable door portion formed with the above is exemplified. The heating chamber is preferably formed of a stainless steel material. In the present invention, the heating chamber is heated to a predetermined temperature exceeding 100 ° C. In this case, the heating chamber is preferably heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature of hot water and / or steam introduced into the heating chamber.

  As described above, in the present invention, the heating chamber is heated to a predetermined temperature, and fine water droplets and moist heat steam (superheated steam) are generated in the heating chamber, and the air in the heating chamber is replaced with water gas. In this case, for example, the fine water droplets and the moist heat steam are heated by a heater from the outside of the thin tube with water supplied at a predetermined flow rate through the thin tube, and introduced into a heating chamber via a nozzle provided at an end of the thin tube. Generated by The fine water droplets and moist heat steam are steam gas components including fine water droplets of high temperature and normal pressure heated to 100 to 180 ° C, more preferably 95 to 150 ° C and moist heat steam of high humidity. Has the effect of heating with energy efficiency.

  In the present invention, the water in the water supply tank is pumped up by a water supply pump, supplied to a steam generating and storing panel through a conduit made of a thin tube, and heated to a predetermined temperature of, for example, 105 to 200 ° C. by a heater, and the tip of the thin tube is left as it is. Hot water and / or steam is injected at a high speed from a steam injection nozzle installed at In this case, as the steam nozzle, any suitable one can be used as long as it has a function of making hot water and / or steam fine and jetting the hot water and / or steam having a fine injection hole formed at the tip.

  The diameter, the number of holes, the positions of the holes, and the like of the fine injection holes can be arbitrarily set. The injection speed of the hot water and / or steam from the steam injection nozzle is preferably about 160 to 200 m / s at the tip of the injection nozzle, but is not limited thereto. Depending on the purpose of use and the like, for example, the diameter can be arbitrarily set by changing the hole diameter, the number of holes, and the like of the fine injection holes.

  In the present invention, for example, the water vapor injected from the fine injection nozzle is introduced into the heating chamber. At this time, the water vapor is injected into the circulation fan installed near the tip of the injection nozzle to rotate the circulation fan. The steam is transferred to the predetermined wind direction by the impact force and the wind force, and the steam is brought into contact with the heaters installed in accordance with those wind directions, and the steam is introduced into the entire heating chamber without lowering the temperature, The heating chamber is replaced with water gas maintained at a predetermined temperature, and the humidity is 95% or more and the oxygen concentration is 1.0% or less, more preferably, the humidity is 99.0% or more and the oxygen concentration is 1.0% or less. By filling the heating chamber with this gas component, a gaseous water atmosphere is formed in the heating chamber.

  The hot water and / or water vapor injected from the fine injection orifice is further miniaturized by colliding with the circulation fan. Further, the heating heater installed downstream of the wind direction formed by the circulation fan is preferably such that its surface is in direct contact with the jetted hot water and / or steam over a large area, It is installed in a position and in a direction that blocks the injected hot water and / or water vapor as much as possible. Thereby, the heat from the heater can be efficiently transmitted to the injected hot water and / or steam, and the temperature of the injected hot water and / or steam can be reliably prevented from lowering.

  The circulation fan is preferably installed, for example, in the center of the rear side inside the heating chamber, and installs the injected hot water and / or steam in ducts located on the left side and right side of the heating chamber. Examples include those having a function of transferring the heater so as to be in direct contact with the heated heater. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any other heater having the same function can be used.

  In addition, the heater is preferably, for example, one in which a large number of hairpin-shaped sheathed heaters or the like are provided so that the contact area with the injected hot water and / or steam increases. The present invention is not limited to these, and any device having a similar function can be used similarly. The number of rotations and the direction of rotation of the circulating fan may vary depending on the size of the device, the position and shape of the duct, the shape of the heater, the installation position, and the like. Is set to be able to circulate as

  At the stage where the heating chamber is replaced with gaseous water, a sample is introduced into the heating chamber, and a predetermined heat treatment is performed using the gaseous water as a heat medium. After the sample introduced into the heating chamber is subjected to a predetermined heating treatment, the sample is carried out of the heating chamber at an appropriate timing, and the gaseous water in contact with the material to be heated is discharged from the gaseous water outlet to the outside of the system. . The hot water and / or steam injected into the heating chamber first collides with a circulation fan, is miniaturized, is transferred to a duct, contacts a heater installed in the duct, and is heated to a predetermined temperature. The sample comes into contact with the sample introduced into the heating chamber, is used as a heat medium, and is discharged out of the system.

  The heat energy of the heating medium is used as a heat source for the heat treatment of the sample. In the present invention, the jetted hot water and / or water vapor is not directly brought into contact with the sample, but is temporarily set in a duct. After the sample is heated by the heated heater, the sample is heated without contacting the sample and reducing the calorific value of the jetted hot water and / or steam, so that the sample can be efficiently heated.

  Further, the injected hot water and / or water vapor collides with the circulation fan at high speed, and the collision divides water droplets by impact, further miniaturizes the water, and is further heated by the heater. This micronized high-temperature heating medium is composed of high-temperature water particles with high thermal conductivity that is completely transparent to the naked eye and has high permeability to the inside of the sample. Since the subsequent high-temperature heating medium constantly supplies thermal energy to the performed heating medium, heat having high thermal conductivity moves continuously to the inside, and the heating medium efficiently penetrates into the sample, The sample can be heated in a short time.

  In the present invention, the jetted hot water and / or steam droplets are further miniaturized by colliding with a circulating fan, and filled into the heating chamber as sterile fine water particles. The bactericidal fine water particles have a pH of about 5.2 to 5.8 and form a highly bactericidal atmosphere in the heating chamber in cooperation with a high temperature condition of 105 ° C. or higher. Therefore, when the present invention is applied to a sample, the sample can be subjected to heat treatment in a highly sterilizing atmosphere, so that a high sterilizing effect can be imparted simultaneously with heating.

  In the present invention, as described above, drying of plant and leaf agricultural products using superheated steam at normal pressure of about 100 to 120 ° C. containing fine water droplets and its material, about 100 to 130 ° C. containing fine water droplets Drying of plant and leaf agricultural products using superheated steam and its material, using superheated steam of about 100 to 130 ° C containing fine water droplets, for plants and leaf agricultural products having functional components, It is possible to provide the drying and the material thereof in which the oxidation deterioration is suppressed.

  According to the drying technology of the plant raw material using the aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas according to the present invention, it is possible to heat, sterilize, dry, and cool (antioxidize) the plant raw material in a low oxygen state, with a high thermal efficiency, and with a low invasiveness. Therefore, conventional plant dried products by suppressing the depletion of antioxidant components of plants, suppressing discoloration and fading of plants, reducing the number of general viable bacteria of plants, and evaporating water with high efficiency. The present invention is essentially distinguished from existing plant drying method dried products in that a remarkable effect is obtained that a plant dried product having good quality and appearance in both good quality and appearance, which is not seen in the above, can be provided and provided. It has the property.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention not only evaporates and dries the water of a plant, but also enables low-invasive heating, sterilization, drying, and cooling (antioxidation) treatment of the plant under conditions of low oxygen and high thermal efficiency. In particular, it is preferably used as a method for heating / sterilizing, drying, and cooling (antioxidant) a plant material containing an antioxidant component under a low oxygen condition having an oxygen concentration of 1% or less, As long as it is a plant material having a high antioxidant content, it can be suitably applied to all kinds of plant raw materials without being limited to the kind of the plant.

  In the present invention, when the aqua gas treatment and the superheated steam drying and cooling treatment for performing the superheated steam drying and cooling (antioxidation) treatment after the aqua gas heating / sterilization treatment are used in combination with the actual operation, for example, in the continuous treatment process When processing in a line, the continuous processing incorporating a set of aqua gas atmosphere, superheated steam atmosphere, and cooling gas atmosphere greatly reduces the processing time of the drying operation and greatly increases the efficiency of the drying operation. It is possible to obtain a special effect that it becomes possible. As described above, the aqua gas treatment is combined with the superheated steam drying and the cooling treatment. In terms of actual operation, when these treatments are used in combination, the drying operation is performed in a short time with high efficiency and versatility. There is a practical advantage that it becomes possible.

The present invention has the following special effects by adopting the above configuration.
1) By rapid and effective continuous processing, it is possible to highly retain the taste, pigment and components of foodstuffs.
2) The apparatus of the present invention is effective not only for general foods but also for primary processing of functional foods, spices and flavored vegetables.
3) By providing a processing chamber for performing a cooling (antioxidation) treatment while maintaining low oxygen conditions after the superheated steam drying in the continuous treatment, it is possible to suppress a decrease in sample quality.
4) The subsequent cooling step has a remarkable effect in maintaining quality even in baking applications where superheated steam is used in food processing.
5) Advantages of high yield, maintenance of high quality in season, improvement of simplicity, long-term storage stability at room temperature and its storage stability, without impairing the functionality such as antioxidant performance of plants and agricultural products by antioxidant components It can be supplied as a dry material with added properties.
6) High-quality processing and supply of plants and agricultural products are possible, making it possible for producers to increase the value of crops and adjust shipping, promote local producers to local processors, and provide consumers with food security. In addition, ensuring safety and healthy eating habits can be realized.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a schematic view of a continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus of the present invention. An embodiment in which an air curtain using superheated steam is installed in the continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus of the present invention will be described.

  Next, the present invention will be specifically described based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

Example 1
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a conveyor-type continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus of the present invention including an aqua gas tank, a superheated steam tank, and a cooling tank. An aqua gas generator was installed in the first-stage aqua gas tank, a superheated steam generator from boiler steam was installed in the middle-stage superheated steam generation tank, and a cooling means using a cooling medium from a liquefied carbon dioxide gas cylinder was installed in the second-stage cooling tank. .

  The supply of the heating medium to the aqua gas tank and the superheated steam tank was performed through a heating stage temperature control valve, and the supply of the cooling medium to the cooling tank was performed through a cooling stage temperature control valve. In this example, an air curtain using superheated steam was installed at the boundary of the atmosphere. An air blow nozzle is installed on each of two sides of the superheated steam atmosphere of the superheated steam tank, and a discharge port is installed on the opposite side, and the jetted superheated steam and the first-stage aqua gas atmosphere and the second-stage superheated steam atmosphere entrained in the jet flow, or The first stage superheated steam atmosphere and the second stage cooling gas (nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas) atmosphere were discharged from the discharge port by an air curtain blower.

  The ejection and discharge of the air curtain using the superheated steam were controlled by an air curtain control means that controls the air curtain by using an air curtain gas selection valve and an air curtain blower.

  As described above in detail, the present invention relates to a continuous superheated steam processing apparatus for performing each of heating, sterilization, drying, and cooling (antioxidation) processes using aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas. Yes, the present invention imparts advantages such as high yield, maintenance of high quality in season, improvement of simplicity, long-term room temperature storage stability and its storage stability without impairing the functionality of plants and leafy agricultural products. It is possible to provide a processing device for a dried plant or a dried agricultural product, which can be supplied as a dried material. According to the present invention, high-quality processing and supply of plants and agricultural products can be realized and their supply can be achieved. For the elderly, the security and security of food and healthy eating habits are realized. Plants and leafy agricultural products having various functions can be made into materials, and cost reduction is expected by improving the quality of dried materials of plants and leafy agricultural products and further by systematization. These dried materials of plant and leaf agricultural products can be stored for a long period of time using the plant and leaf agricultural products as raw materials. It can also contribute to improving the self-sufficiency rate. The present invention relates to a heating / sterilizing, drying, cooling (antioxidation) technique for plants and leaf agricultural products, which retains functionality due to a high content of antioxidants by aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas (antioxidation), and its technology. It is useful as a product that can be provided.

Claims (5)

A conveyer-type continuous superheated steam processing apparatus for performing each process of aqua gas (superheated steam + fine water droplets)-superheated steam-heating and sterilization by a cooling gas-drying-oxidation prevention,
It has a function to locally change the atmosphere of each processing chamber by aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas communicating between the sample inlet on one end side and the sample outlet on the other end, and each atmosphere of aqua gas-superheated steam-cooling gas Is continuous, and the atmosphere in each of these processing chambers is continuous without being exposed to the outside air in an oxygen-free (low) state, and a plurality of processings of aqua gas processing, superheated steam processing and cooling (antioxidation) processing are performed. The continuous superheated steam treatment apparatus, which can be arbitrarily executed.   The first processing chamber is set to an aqua gas (superheated steam + fine water droplet) atmosphere, the second processing chamber is set to a superheated steam atmosphere, and the heating and sterilization (branching) process by the aqua gas in the first processing chamber and the superheated steam in the second processing chamber are performed. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is capable of performing a heating drying and / or baking step.   3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling treatment chamber that performs an oxidation prevention treatment by cooling after the drying treatment step using superheated steam. 4.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling process is performed under a nitrogen gas or a carbon dioxide gas atmosphere.   The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an air curtain using superheated steam at a boundary between the aqua gas and the superheated steam atmosphere.