Filler assembly and method of filling a pouch

A filler assembly comprising:

• a pouch preheat zone including:
• at least one preheat nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly;
• at least one preheat vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum;
• a pouch sterilization zone positioned after the pouch preheat zone and including:
• at least one sterilization nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly;
• at least one sterilization vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum;
• a pouch flush zone positioned after the pouch sterilization zone and including:
• at least one pouch flush nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly;
• at least one pouch flush vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum;
• wherein a pouch assembly is configured to traverse sequentially from the pouch preheat zone to the pouch sterilization zone, to the pouch flush zone;
• wherein a vacuum is pulled on the pouch assembly in the preheat zone with the preheat vacuum nozzle assembly of the pouch assembly to the at least one sterilization nozzle assembly, and wherein a vacuum is pulled on the pouch assembly in the pouch sterilization zone with the sterilization vacuum nozzle assembly prior to attachment of the pouch assembly to the at least one pouch flush nozzle;
• and, a vacuum is pulled by the at least one pouch flush vacuum nozzle assembly.