JP2640309B2 - Fermentation process management system in yogurt production - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system capable of appropriately controlling a fermentation process in the production of yogurt.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the food industry has been automated. However, in the production of yogurt, it is difficult to automate the loading and unloading to and from a fermentation chamber due to the specialty of the fermentation process. In general, fermentation is performed side by side in a fermentation chamber with or without the use of pallets.

[0003] Among them, as a conventional concept of continuous fermentation, a container (cup) packed with yogurt mix and a starter is put in a bucket or packed in a box.
A general method is to gradually move during the fermentation for 3 to 4 hours using a conveyor system.

By the way, fermentation is based on microorganisms, and fermentation is not always completed within a certain time. In particular, when the starter lot changes to a new one,
Naturally, the newer one has a higher activity of the lactic acid bacterium, so that the fermentation can be completed earlier than the one using the old starter.

[0005] Therefore, in the method in which the fermentation is carried out sequentially on a conveyor which travels at a uniform speed, as described above, if the fermentation of the latter is completed earlier than that of the preceding one, it is necessary to withdraw or pass only the fermentation. Is practically impossible, which inevitably leads to variations in product quality.In addition, such a conveyor system gives vibrations, though fine, during fermentation. There is also a problem.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages of the above-mentioned conventional system and to construct a management system capable of obtaining uniform and high-quality yogurt.

[0007]

That is, according to the present invention, a yogurt mix and a starter are continuously quantified by setting a product group produced from the same preparation unit or a fermentation tank having a starter as one lot. A case packed with a large number of mixed, filled and sealed containers as a unit is conveyed into a closed room set at a predetermined temperature and humidity, and stacked.
The groups are transported to the storage location for each group by the transport storage means disposed in the closed chamber, and the first group of each lot is transported to the storage location provided with a sensor for detecting the progress of fermentation. The transfer and storage means is adapted to carry out from the storage location to the outside of the closed chamber by the transfer storage means for each lot based on the measurement result of the sensor which has been transferred and set in the representative container body in the group. The present invention proposes a fermentation process management system in the production of goults.

In carrying out the method, the transfer / storage means is carried by each group of the cases, and is transported in the forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions, and is constructed in multiple stages along the movable table. And a frame for receiving the case group carried by the moving table, and managing the entry / exit of each of the lots by a computer terminal.

[0009] In addition to the above, as the moving storage means,
The frame or shelf itself that receives the group of products moves horizontally or vertically, and the method of transferring the case group from a moving table that moves vertically is also included, but the frame or shelf moves during fermentation. And there is no alternative to the previous section.

[0010]

In the system having the above-mentioned structure, the yogurt mix and the starter are continuously and quantitatively mixed and filled and sealed, and several tens of the containers are packed in a case. The fermentation status of each lot is settled by stationary storage in a closed room where the temperature and humidity are controlled by using a large number of case groups in which several to ten or more stages are stacked as one lot. It is checked and sent to the next process, and the entry and exit are all controlled by the computer by inputting to the terminal, and it is possible to retrieve any lot according to the instruction from the terminal. .

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. First, in FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 denotes a container body in which yogurt mix and starter are continuously quantitatively mixed, filled and sealed, and the container body 1 is packed in a case 2 in a large number. Show.

The case group 3 in which a plurality of cases 2 packed with a large number of container bodies 1 are stacked as described above is used as one unit shown in FIG.

That is, at the entrance of the closed chamber (fermentation chamber) 4 in which the temperature shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is set to a predetermined value, the container bodies 1 shown in FIG. The case group 3 is carried as a unit on a moving table 5, and the moving table 5 can be moved forward and backward, left and right, and up and down by a driving means M as appropriate.

A fixed shelf 7 comprising a large number of frames 6 mounted on each of the case groups 3 is formed on both sides of the moving table 5 along the moving path in the front-rear direction. The transfer table 5 and the fixed shelf 7 constitute transfer storage means 8.

As shown in FIG. 5, the frame 6 includes a pair of shelves 9 for supporting the lower surface of each of the case groups 3 from both sides. 3 is transferred between the shelf pieces 9, and the work of mounting the rack 3 is repeated.

A sensor 10 for checking the state of fermentation is provided near the fixed shelf 7, and the progress of fermentation is checked for each lot if necessary, and the result is sent to the sensor 10. Input processing is performed as a signal to the connected computer terminal 11, and before or after charging into the closed chamber 4, the lot in which the predetermined fermentation has been completed is taken out by the moving table 5, and the next step is performed. And send it out. The sensor 10 refers to a sensor capable of detecting an increase in lactic acidity, such as a pH value and an electric conductivity meter.

[0017]

The following effects can be obtained by employing the above-described system of the present invention. That is, the yogurt mix and the starter are quantitatively mixed, and a case group in which a large number of filled and sealed container bodies are stacked is stacked as one lot to be transferred, stored, and fermented. Processing capacity increases. Since the fermentation is carried out on a fixed shelf while the fermentation is in progress, vibrations that adversely affect the quality of the product are not given, and uniform and high-quality yogurt can be obtained. In response to a signal from a sensor that detects the progress of fermentation in the closed chamber, input processing is performed on a computer terminal,
Regardless of before and after the charging into the closed chamber, the lot after the completion of the predetermined fermentation can be sent out to the next process one by one, so that quality control can be surely performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a partially omitted transfer storage means provided in a closed chamber in a system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of driving means for driving a case group.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the portion shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a situation where the case group is mounted on a frame.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a case packed with container bodies.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a lot formed by a case group in which the above cases are stacked.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container body 2 Case 3 Case group 4 Closed room (fermentation room) 5 Moving table 6 Frame 7 Fixed shelf 8 Moving storage means 9 Shelf piece 10 Sensor 11 Computer terminal

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A group of products manufactured from a fermentation tank of the same preparation unit or starter is defined as one lot, and a number of yogurt mixes and starters are continuously mixed and fixedly filled and sealed. Case packed with one container unit
Are transported into a closed chamber set at a predetermined temperature, and the stacked case groups are transferred to storage locations for each group by transfer storage means provided in the closed chamber. The first group of each lot is transferred to a storage location provided with a sensor for detecting the progress of fermentation, set in containers in the group, and, based on the measurement results of the sensors, for each lot, the transfer storage means is used. A fermentation process management system in yogurt production, wherein the system is carried out of the storage place to outside the closed chamber. 2. A moving table which is carried by the group of cases and which moves in a forward, backward, left, right, up and down direction, and is configured in multiple stages along the moving table. 2. The fermentation process control system in yogurt production according to claim 1, further comprising a frame for receiving the carried case group. 3. The fermentation process management system in yogurt production according to claim 1, wherein the loading and unloading of each lot is managed by a computer terminal.