JP3380743B2 - Electricity processing equipment for food - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous processing apparatus for electrically heating food, particularly raw fish, and cooking it in boiled or grilled fish style.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The cooking method for grilled fish and boiled fish used as in-flight meals, hotel meals, hospital meals, etc. is as follows: the former is grilled by direct gas heating, microwave oven, etc. And then cooked with gas or electricity and either provided as is, or frozen or refrigerated and then reheated in a microwave oven or the like when eating.

There is no problem when the food prepared by the above-mentioned conventional method is used immediately after the cooking. However, since grilled fish is heated to the center of the fish meat only by dry heat, water is dissipated and once cooled. Even if it is reheated, it becomes sticky and the taste is greatly reduced. Another problem is that it requires a great deal of skill in baking, such as miso-pickled fish meat.

On the other hand, in the case of boiled fish, since it is heated for a relatively long time in the boiled state, the heat denaturation of proteins proceeds too much, and once refrigerated,
When frozen and then reheated, the meat quality tends to be harder and stickier than immediately after cooking. Also, because it cools after cooking,
There is a problem that the body is easily cracked and loses its shape when transferred to a tray or the like.

[0005]

Therefore, there is a demand for a cooking method capable of retaining the water content in fish meat as much as possible after cooking. One of them is an electric heating method. For example, JP-A-5-308934, JP-A-7-87882, and JP-A-7-1479.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 12 discloses a method of immersing food in a conductive liquid and heating it by energization. However, when this method is applied to fish meat, the umami component of fish meat migrates into the conductive liquid and the taste deteriorates. Since the conductive liquid consumes electric energy more than fish meat, the energy cost is uneconomical and uneconomical. However, in the case of sweet-salt fish meat or miso-pickled fish meat, there is a problem that the attached salt and miso components migrate into the conductive liquid, the conductivity of the conductive liquid fluctuates greatly, and uniform heating is almost impossible.

Further, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-20590 discloses that
There is disclosed a device in which sheet-like cushion materials impregnated with an electrolytic solution are brought into contact with both ends of a surimi molding to electrically heat. However, since this device is designed to heat food while holding it with a belt, it cannot be applied to the cooking of soft and irregularly shaped food such as fish meat fillets.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-47261 discloses an apparatus for winding a kneaded product around a rotating rod-shaped electrode and passing it over a container containing water to electrically heat it. However, with this device, it is necessary to insert the rod-shaped electrode into food, and in the case of fish meat, application is difficult in terms of workability and shape retention. Moreover, since the distance between the water container and the rod-shaped electrode is constant, it is impossible to uniformly heat irregularly shaped fish meat or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of efficiently heating an indefinite food product without losing the taste of fish meat or the like and without wasting electric energy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of heating a food such as a miso-pickled meat which has a great influence on the conductivity of an electrolytic solution as it is, and does not require skill for heating. It is to be.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electric current processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an electrolytic solution applying means, a large number of flexible electric current brushes arranged continuously to the applying means, and the electric current brush. A conveyor having a porous transport surface for transporting food so as to come into contact with the lower electrode, a lower electrode arranged on the lower surface of the transport surface, and means for applying an AC voltage between the energizing brush and the lower electrode. At least the contact portion of the current-carrying brush with the food is coated with a non-conductive material that easily permeates the electrolytic solution.

After passing through the lower electrode, the conveying surface of the conveyor may be passed between the means for applying the broth or the soup.

Further, the carry-out end of the conveyor can be made to face the carry-in end of the conveyor of the roasting device.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electric current processing apparatus includes a conveyer 10 for conveying food, an electrolytic solution applying means 20 arranged above the convey surface of the conveyer, and a convey surface of the conveyer 10. The upper electrode 30 and the lower electrode 40 are arranged so as to be sandwiched between the upper and lower sides, and the electrolytic solution A is dropped or flowed down from the electrolytic solution applying means 20 onto the outer surface of the food B being conveyed by the conveyer 10. Forming a thin film,
The upper electrode 30 and the lower electrode 40 are adapted to energize and heat the electrolyte thin film.

An example of the electrolytic solution applying means 20 is shown in FIG. As shown, a large number of small holes 22 are formed on the lower surface of the supply pipe 21.
Is provided, and when the electrolytic solution A is supplied into the supply pipe 21, the electrolytic solution A drops from the small hole 22. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle 23 may be attached to the lower surface of the supply pipe 21 to spray the electrolytic solution A. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, slits 2 are formed on the lower surface of the supply pipe 21.
4, a flexible brush 25 into which the electrolytic solution A easily infiltrates is attached to the slit 24.
May be dropped or flowed down on the food B.
The brush 25 is made of a flexible and liquid-permeable material such as a woven cloth, a knitted cloth, a non-woven cloth, a sponge having continuous cells, and a fiber bundle. As shown in FIG. 6, a simple sheet shape and a cut 25a are provided. A sheet shape, a sheet shape provided with finer cuts 25b, or the like can be employed. Further, the shape of the brush 25 can be arbitrarily selected in addition to the quadrangle, as long as the electrolytic solution A can be applied to the entire food B.

The attachment structure of the brush 25 can be selected variously, but the following structure is preferable. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the upper portion of the brush 25 is clamped by a pair of holders 26 and pressed and held by the packing 27 fixed to the peripheral edge of the slit 24. In FIG. 7, the tank 2 is used instead of the supply pipe 21.
An example using 1a is shown.

The electrolytic solution applying means 20 is first placed at the carry-in end of the conveyor 10, and thereafter, at appropriate intervals so that the electrolytic solution thin film is completely left on the outer surface of the food B.

Following the electrolytic solution applying means 20, a large number of upper electrodes 30 are arranged at appropriate intervals, that is, at intervals such that an electric current always passes through the food B. The electrode 30 is a flexible member 31 having good conductivity, for example, a metal foil or wire made of titanium, aluminum, iron, platinum, stainless steel or the like, which is covered with a flexible sheet 32 having a good electrolyte wettability. . Examples of the material of the sheet 32 include woven cloth, non-woven cloth, knitted cloth, sponge having open cells, and the like, and those having an insulating property are preferable. In the case of FIG. 8, a metal foil is used as the conductive member 31, and this is formed into a comb shape, and only the comb tooth portion is entirely covered with the permeable sheet 32. In the case of FIG. 9, the metal foil is similarly formed into a comb shape, and only the front surface of the comb tooth portion is covered with the sheet 32. Reference numeral 3 in FIGS. 8 and 9
2a is a cut formed in the sheet 32. As shown in FIG. 10, a metal foil provided with a large number of slits 31a may be housed in a flat bag 32b made of the same material as the sheet 32. FIG. 11 shows a conductive member 3 which is also made of wire.
The case where 1 is stored in the flat bag 32b is shown. In this case, it is preferable to hold the wire between the holders 33 that serve as electrodes. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the electrodes 30 forms an energizing brush that elastically contacts the outer surface of the food B to energize.

Next, the conveyor belt 11 of the conveyor 10 for conveying the food B is formed of a porous and flexible material having a good permeability of the electrolyte solution A. For example, a mesh sheet made of synthetic resin as shown in FIG. 12 is preferable. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 13, it may be formed of a sponge having a certain thickness so that it can follow the unevenness of the bottom surface of the food B. Since such a conveyor belt 11 usually has high elasticity, as shown in FIG. 12, when the timing belt 12 is fixed to the side edge and driven by the pulley 13 engaged with the timing belt 12, the conveyor belt 11 is reliably driven at a constant speed. Food can be delivered to. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 14, the side edge of the conveyor belt 11 may be fixed to the inner arm 14 of the chain 12a, and the belt 11 may be run by the pulley 13a engaged with the chain 12a.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a lower electrode 40 is arranged below the conveyor belt 11 so as to come into contact with the belt 11. The electrode 40 is made of a metal plate such as titanium, aluminum, iron, platinum, stainless steel, etc., and energizes the food B coated with the electrolytic solution A by the coating means 20 while being conveyed by the conveyor 10. The electrolytic solution A applied to the outer surface of the food B is conveyed by the conveyor belt 11
To the upper surface of the electrode 30. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 15, the cross section of the electrode 40 is formed into a slanted surface that is downwardly directed in both directions so that the electrolytic solution A can easily flow down to both sides as shown by an arrow, or as shown in FIG. A large number of through holes 41 are provided, or as shown in FIG. 17, a groove 42 that descends in both directions is provided, and the storage tank 5 installed below the electrode 40.
The electrolyte A is set to 0 so that it can be collected. The stored electrolytic solution A may be returned to the application means 20 by a pump and reused as shown in FIG.

Now, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, food B
For example, when a fish fillet is placed on the belt 11 of the conveyor 10 and conveyed, and when it reaches the location of the coating means 20, the electrolytic solution A is dropped onto the outer surface of the food B, and the outer surface of the food B is wetted with the electrolytic solution A, Further, since the electrolytic solution A flows down from the coating means 20 onto the conveyor belt 11 and the lower electrode 40 as well, a thin film of the electrolytic solution A is formed on the entire surface of the food B. Then, when approaching the position of the upper electrode 30, an AC voltage is applied between the lower electrode 40 and the lower electrode 40, and the upper electrode 30 (current-carrying brush) is in contact with the food B. The food B is energized and heated. At this time, since the thin film of the electrolytic solution A covers the entire surface of the food B, the entire food B is electrically heated. Further, the sheet 32 prevents the conductive member 31 from coming into direct contact with the food B, so that the occurrence of sparks is prevented. Thus food B
Is electrically heated while being conveyed by the belt 11 and passing through a zone in which a large number of upper electrodes 30 are arranged.

The cooked food B'may be frozen or refrigerated and stored as it is, but when it is cooked, for example, it is immersed in broth. An example thereof is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the conveyor belt 11 is extended so that the cooked food B ′ is passed through the boiling water C stored in the dipping tank 60. Of course, the broth C is kept at an appropriate temperature.

The heat-cooked food B'can also be made into a roasted style. In that case, normal roasting may be performed. However, when roasting is performed after applying the dripping juice in advance, as shown in FIG. 19, the nozzles 61 and 62 arranged above and below the belt 11 are used. Spray sauce D and
As shown in, the upper and lower rollers 63, 64 apply the dripping juice D. The dripping juice D is dropped onto the upper roller 63 from the nozzle 63a.

The method of applying the sauce D may be, of course, the same as in FIG. 18, in which the sauce D is passed through the tank.
FIG. 21 shows an example in which food is heated, sauce is applied, and roasting is performed in-line. As illustrated, the conveyor 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is extended to extend the immersion tank 60.
And the process of applying the dripping juice D is continuously performed. The carry-in end of the conveyor 71 passing through the roasting device 70 faces the carry-out end of the conveyor 10.
Therefore, the food discharged from the conveyor 10 is
It is designed to be automatically placed on top. The roasting device 70 uses a known device such as a gas burner or an electric heater, and the conveyor 71 is made of heat-resistant stainless steel or the like. Needless to say, the apparatus shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 can be used instead of the immersion tank 60.

Foods which can be cooked by the apparatus of the present invention include processed meats such as fish meat, livestock meat, poultry meat, and miso-pickled meats thereof, as well as vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and spinach, and asparagus. It also includes gas bacon rolls and compound foods such as meat-stuffed peppers.

[0026]

[Effects] According to the present invention, as described above, since Joule heating that can raise the temperature in a short time and accurately control the temperature is utilized, even if reheated at the time of eating, it is almost the same as immediately after cooking. High quality can be maintained.

Also, after the electrolytic solution is applied to the food being conveyed to form a thin film of the electrolytic solution around the food, a flexible brush coated with a sheet having good wettability is brought into contact with the food to heat it electrically. Since it was done, it can be processed regardless of the shape and hardness of the food, and there is almost no loss of umami ingredients,
No spark is generated during electric heating. further,
Since the electricity is supplied through the thin film of the electrolytic solution, the energy loss is small.

In addition, even when pre-processed food such as miso pickles is cooked, the electrolytic solution is merely applied instead of being dipped in the electrolytic solution, so that the electric conductivity can be heated with almost no effect. It can be done, the voltage and current can be controlled easily, and cooking can be done simply by passing it through an electric heating device.
No skill required.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal side view showing an example of an electric current processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged vertical sectional view of the above.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing the shape structure of the electrolytic solution applying means.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view and a side view showing an electrolytic solution applying unit.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the electrolytic solution applying means.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the shape of a brush.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing a brush holding mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view and a vertical sectional view showing an example of an upper electrode.

FIG. 9 is a rear view and a vertical sectional view showing another example of the upper electrode.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view and a vertical sectional view showing still another example of the electrode.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing still another example of the upper electrode.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conveyor.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view showing another example of the conveyor belt of the conveyor.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the structure of the conveyor.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the lower electrode.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing an example of a lower electrode.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing another example of the lower electrode.

FIG. 18 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an immersion tank for boiling water.

FIG. 19 is a side view showing a structure for applying sauce.

FIG. 20 is a side view showing another example of the structure for applying sauce.

FIG. 21 is a partial vertical cross-sectional schematic view showing an example of an apparatus for continuously processing food from electric current processing to dipping and roasting steps.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 conveyor 11 Conveyor belt 12 Timing belt 12a Chien 13, 13a pulley 14 arms 20 Electrolyte applying means 21 Supply pipe 21a Supply tank 22 small holes 23 nozzles 24 slits 25 brushes 25a, 25b break 30 upper electrode 31 Conductive member 31a slit 32 Infiltration sheet 32a score 32b flat bag 33 Holder 40 Lower electrode 41 through hole 42 groove 50 storage tanks 60 immersion tank 61, 62 nozzles 63, 64 rollers 70 Roasting equipment 71 conveyor A electrolyte B, B'food C broth D sauce

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A23L 1/01 A23L 3/005 A23L 1/325

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A means for applying an electrolytic solution, and a large number of flexible current-carrying brushes arranged continuously to the means for applying,
A conveyor having a porous conveying surface for conveying food so as to contact the energizing brush, a lower electrode arranged on the lower surface of the conveying surface, and an alternating voltage is applied between the energizing brush and the lower electrode. An electric current processing device for food, comprising a non-conductive material which is easy to infiltrate into an electrolytic solution, at least a contact portion of the electric current brush with the food. 2. The electric processing apparatus for food according to claim 1, wherein the conveying surface of the conveyer passes through the lower electrode and then between the means for applying the broth or the soup. 3. The food electric processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carry-out end of the conveyor faces the carry-in end of the conveyor of the roasting device.