JPH0776022B2 - Aseptic filling method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of use] The present invention relates to an aseptic filling method for accommodating liquid food and drink such as dairy products and juice in a container.

[Prior Art] The container form of an aseptic filling system is usually called a back-in-box, and a heat-sealed bag of plastic film is placed in a cardboard box for distribution, and has attracted attention as a commercial container replacing cans and bottles. There is something.
Furthermore, this aseptic filling system is widely used as a commercial container for liquid food such as milk, cream, orange juice, etc., whose quality is easily deteriorated by heat.

In the conventional back-in-box aseptic filling system, the spout of a sealed bag with spout sterilized by γ-ray is put in a sterile chamber, and the inner plug that seals after filling the contents is removed to the outside of the bag. The contents were aseptically filled in. Therefore, in order to maintain the sterility of the removed inside plug, this inside plug must also be placed in the chamber. For that purpose, a large chamber is required, and there is a disadvantage that the price of the entire filling machine becomes expensive.

On the other hand, there is also a system that sterilizes the spout with steam and removes the inner plug in the chamber, but this is also expensive as a device, and it is not economically preferable because the filling capacity decreases. .

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the peripheral edges of two plastic films are sealed to form a sealing bag 1, and one plastic film is provided with a spout 2 and another plastic film is provided with an inner plug 3. Each of them was attached, and a bag configured such that the inner plug 3 was fitted to the spout 2 from the inside of the sealed bag 1 was used, the spout 2 was attached to the lower side of the filling nozzle, and the spout 2 was sterilized with steam. After that, the method of removing the inner plug 3 inside the bag 1 and filling the bag is performed. Since this method sterilizes the middle outlet with high-temperature steam, a high sterilizing effect can be obtained in a short time, and the bottom of the filling nozzle has the same function as a conventional aseptic chamber. There is no need, the device is small, and it is economical.

The process of this filling system will be described with reference to FIG.

In this filling system, the spout 2 and the inner plug 3 are attached to the lower end of the filling nozzle 4, and a sterilization step of sterilizing the spout 2 and the inner plug 3 with steam s (see FIG. 6A); Filling step of removing the stopper 3, lowering the stopper 3 into the bag 1 and opening the stopper 3 and further opening the filling nozzle 4 to put the contents into the bag (see FIG. 6B); After the cleaning step (see FIG. 6C) in which steam s is sprayed on the stopper 3, the inner stopper 3 is fitted into the spout 2 and the filling is completed (see FIG. 6D); and
By fitting the inside plug 3 and the spout 2 to each other, the outside of the bag 1 and the inside of the bag 1 are blocked, and the sterilization of the bag subjected to γ-ray sterilization is maintained.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] When the filling process is completed, the lower end of the filling nozzle 4 and the inner plug 3
6B is filled with contents as shown by the diagonal lines in FIG. 6B. Although the steam s is introduced in the subsequent cleaning step, the steam is absorbed by the contents, and it takes a long time for the steam to reach the inner plug 3, resulting in poor cleaning efficiency. Further, since high-temperature steam is blown into the bag for a long time, there is an inconvenience that the quality of the contents may change drastically or the quality may deteriorate. Further, since the high temperature steam is in contact with the bag surface for a long time, there is a problem that the plastic film forming the bag is contracted or damaged due to blocking, which is not preferable.

Therefore, the present invention provides a filling method for improving the efficiency of cleaning the inside of the chamber at the tip of the spout and the filling nozzle in the aseptic filling method in which the spout is sterilized with steam and then filled.

(Structure of the Invention) [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to improve the cleaning effect by the vapor of the lower end of the filling nozzle and the inside plug to which the contents adhere, after the completion of the filling and before introducing the vapor for cleaning. The above problem is solved by providing a step of introducing aseptic air into the chamber at the tip of the filling nozzle.

[Function] Before cleaning the lower end of the filling nozzle and the inner plug with steam, by introducing aseptic air, the contents originally filled in the filling nozzle are pushed out to expose the surface of the filling nozzle and the inner plug surface. Therefore, the energy of the steam used in the cleaning step is not wasted by being absorbed by the contents, and efficient cleaning can be performed.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

The filling machine is equipped with a filling nozzle 4, a device (not shown) for holding the spout 2, a membrane filter 5, and the like. Then, the pipe 6, the steam, the sterile air and the contents are introduced into the filling nozzle 4. The steam s is introduced into the lower end of the filling nozzle 4 through the pipe 6, and sterilizes the inside of the pipe 6, the membrane filter 5 and the lower end of the filling nozzle 4. Aseptic air a is compressed air (pressure
0.5 to 4 kg / cm ² ) is sterilized by the membrane filter 5 and introduced to the lower end of the filling nozzle 4.

The operation timings of the steam s, the sterile air a, and the filling of the contents are controlled as shown in FIG.

That is, when the steam s is introduced into the pipe 6, the filling of the contents and the introduction of the sterile air a are stopped. At the same time when the introduction of the steam s is stopped, the filling of the contents from the filling nozzle 4 is started. At the same time as the filling is completed, the introduction of the aseptic air a is started, and after the aseptic air a is stopped, the introduction of the steam s is restarted. One cycle is completed by stopping the introduction of the steam.

Next, the step of aseptically filling the contents in the bag with the filling machine will be described.

First step: The bag 1 is attached to the lower end of the filling nozzle 4 of the filling machine so that the spout 2 of the bag 1 is in intimate contact, and steam s at 120 ° C. is caused to flow through the filling nozzle 4 for 3 seconds to spout the spout 2 inside. Sterilize the surface of the stopper 3.

Second step: Open the filling nozzle 4 and remove the inner plug 3 inside the bag, and aseptically concentrate orange juice (viscosity 4000cps)
In a 10 l bag (6 seconds).

Third step: Aseptic air a is introduced to the lower end of the filling nozzle 4 for 0.5 seconds, and the contents in the filling nozzle 4 are pushed out into the bag.

Fourth step: Introduce steam s and wash the contents on the surfaces of the spout 2 and the inner plug 3 (1 second).

Fifth step: The inner plug 3 is fitted into the spout 2, and aseptic filling is completed.

The time required for the whole filling process is 15 seconds.

For the filling by the above-described aseptic filling method of the present invention, after the filling is completed, the conventional filling method of introducing steam without introducing aseptic air and cleaning is 8 seconds, As a result, the filling time per bag was 22 seconds.

As described above, according to the filling method of the present invention, about 30%,
The filling time is shortened.

(Effect of the Invention) In the conventional filling method, the spout and the inner plug are fitted with each other by filling the bag with the content from the spout while the inner plug is disengaged inside the sealed bag, Since the cleaning steam was introduced while it was covered with the object, it took time for the steam to reach the inside plug, the cleaning effect was poor, and there was a possibility that quality change might occur due to high temperature steam. In the present invention, the filling material in the pipe and the filling nozzle is blown into the bag with aseptic air to expose the surfaces of the filling nozzle, the spout, the inner plug, etc. Only the contents attached to each surface need to be washed, high temperature steam is applied for a short time, the quality of the contents is not deteriorated, the bag is not damaged, and the filling time is long. Shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the order of steps of the aseptic filling method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of piping of an aseptic filling machine, FIG. 3 is a timing table for steam, content filling and aseptic air, and FIG. 4 is a sealed bag. FIG. 5 is an explanatory sectional view of the sealed bag, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a conventional filling process. 1 ... Bag, 2 ... Spout, 3 ... Inner stopper, 4 ... Filling nozzle, 5 ... Membrane filter, a ... Sterile air, s ... Steam.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A spout is attached to an upper plastic film formed by sealing the peripheries of two plastic films, an inner plug that fits into the spout from the inside is attached to the lower plastic film, and the inner plug is aforesaid. A sterilization process in which the spout and the inner plug of a sealed bag fitted to the spout are attached to the lower end of the filling nozzle to sterilize with steam, and the inner plug is removed from the spout and the contents are filled into the bag from the filling nozzle. , A cleaning step of cleaning from the lower end of the filling nozzle to the inner plug portion with steam,
In the aseptic filling method, which comprises fitting the spout and the inner plug after the washing step to complete the filling, and attaching the filling nozzle, the spout, the inner plug, etc. between the filling step and the washing step. An aseptic filling method, characterized by comprising a step of introducing aseptic air into a sealed bag mounting portion for blowing the filled material into the bag.