Filling aluminum cans aseptically

A method of manufacturing shelf stable pods containing food or drink to be rapidly cooled, the method comprising:

• inserting a mixing paddle into an aluminum can through an open end of a body of the aluminum can;
• sterilizing the aluminum can and mixing paddle at temperatures below a stress relief temperature of the aluminum can in a first aseptic chamber;
• filling the aluminum can with a sterilized food or drink in the first aseptic chamber;
• sealing a sterilized base of the aluminum can to the open end of the body of the aluminum can with a food-safe adhesive to create a hermetic seal;
• adding liquefied gas into the body of the aluminum can prior to sealing the sterilized base to the open end of the body of the aluminum can, wherein the liquefied gas is injected in an amount to generate an internal pressure of about 5 psi to about 50 psi above atmospheric pressure after the sterilized base is sealed to the open end of the body of the aluminum can;
• removing the aluminum can from the first aseptic chamber while maintaining the hermetic seal outside the first aseptic chamber;
• and
• mechanically seaming the sterilized base to the body of the aluminum can while maintaining the hermetic seal, wherein the internal pressure is maintained outside the first aseptic chamber while mechanically seaming the sterilized base to the body of the aluminum can.

A method of manufacturing shelf stable pods containing food or drink to be rapidly cooled, the method comprising:

• sterilizing a body of an aluminum can at temperatures below a stress relief temperature of the aluminum can in a first aseptic chamber of an aseptic filling system;
• sterilizing a mixing paddle below a stress relief temperature of the mixing paddle in a second aseptic chamber of the aseptic filling system;
• sterilizing a base below a stress relief temperature of the base in the aseptic filling system;
• inserting the mixing paddle into the aluminum can through an open end of the body of the aluminum can in a primary aseptic chamber of the aseptic filling system;
• aseptically filling the aluminum can with sterilized food or drink in the primary aseptic chamber;
• securing the sterilized base to the open end of the body of the aluminum can with a food-safe adhesive to create a hermetic seal;
• removing the aluminum can and the sterilized base from the primary aseptic chamber while maintaining the hermetic seal;
• and
• seaming the sterilized base to the aluminum can.