US 12,599,144 B2Granted

Pasteurization procedure and apparatus

AssigneeIncus Technology, S.L.

InventorIsrael Fuentes Lillo

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a procedure of pasteurization of food, preferably nuts and, particularly, almonds.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A food pasteurization method comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a foodstuff through an inlet of a cylindrical body that continuously receives the foodstuff from a weighing unit into the cylindrical body;
(b) recording and controlling a weight of the foodstuff entering per unit of time;
(c) conveying the foodstuff through the cylindrical body by a motor-driven screw conveyor;
(d) injecting saturated steam into a first injection area of the cylindrical body by an injection system including a first set of injection points, wherein each of the first set of injection points are located opposite to each other and at a distance of between 100° and 140° from a first radial arc which the first set of injection points define;
(e) injecting saturated steam into a second injection area of the cylindrical body by a second injection system including a second set of injection points, wherein each of the second set of injection points are located opposite each other and at a distance of between 100° and 140° from a second radial arc which the second set of injection points define;
(f) injecting saturated steam into a third injection area of the cylindrical body by a third injection system including a third set of injection points, wherein each of the third set of injection points are located opposite each other and at a distance of between 100° and 140° from a third radial arc which the third set of injection points define;
(g) recording and controlling a temperature at the inlet and an outlet of the cylindrical body, recording and controlling a temperature and quantity of steam injected into the first, second, and third injection areas, and recording and controlling a speed of the motor-driven screw conveyor, wherein the quantity of steam injected is minimized to prevent excessive moisture absorption, so that a temperature inside the cylindrical body over an entire distance of the cylindrical body is between 85° C. and 100° C.;
and
(h) collecting a pasteurized foodstuff.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/756,719Filed 17 Oct 2018
Priority: ES 20173122617 Oct 2017
Published: US 2020/0288734 A117 Sep 2020
Granted: 14 Apr 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A23B 9/025
Preserving by heating: with use of gases
A23B 2/003
Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general: control or safety devices for sterilisation or pasteurisation systems
A23B 2/425
While they are progressively transported through the apparatus: in solid state
A23B 2/465
With transport through tubes: in solid state

Family

US 2020/0288734 A1Pre-grant publication · published 17 Sep 2020
US 12,599,144 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

Citations

Open elsewhere

patentgrep

Loading patent…

A food pasteurization method comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a foodstuff through an inlet of a cylindrical body that continuously receives the foodstuff from a weighing unit into the cylindrical body;
(b) recording and controlling a weight of the foodstuff entering per unit of time;
(c) conveying the foodstuff through the cylindrical body by a motor-driven screw conveyor;
(d) injecting saturated steam into a first injection area of the cylindrical body by an injection system including a first set of injection points, wherein each of the first set of injection points are located opposite to each other and at a distance of between 100° and 140° from a first radial arc which the first set of injection points define;
(e) injecting saturated steam into a second injection area of the cylindrical body by a second injection system including a second set of injection points, wherein each of the second set of injection points are located opposite each other and at a distance of between 100° and 140° from a second radial arc which the second set of injection points define;
(f) injecting saturated steam into a third injection area of the cylindrical body by a third injection system including a third set of injection points, wherein each of the third set of injection points are located opposite each other and at a distance of between 100° and 140° from a third radial arc which the third set of injection points define;
(g) recording and controlling a temperature at the inlet and an outlet of the cylindrical body, recording and controlling a temperature and quantity of steam injected into the first, second, and third injection areas, and recording and controlling a speed of the motor-driven screw conveyor, wherein the quantity of steam injected is minimized to prevent excessive moisture absorption, so that a temperature inside the cylindrical body over an entire distance of the cylindrical body is between 85° C. and 100° C.;
and
(h) collecting a pasteurized foodstuff.

6 more elements

Facts

Application

16/756,719Filed 17 Oct 2018

Priority

ES 20173122617 Oct 2017

Published

US 2020/0288734 A117 Sep 2020

Granted

14 Apr 2026

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A23B 9/025
Preserving by heating: with use of gases
A23B 2/003
Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general: control or safety devices for sterilisation or pasteurisation systems
A23B 2/425
While they are progressively transported through the apparatus: in solid state
A23B 2/465
With transport through tubes: in solid state