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US 2007/0190218 A1Published application
System for microorganism control
OwnerVirgil Macalusoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of infrared heat-processing of nuts (e.g., almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts and mixtures thereof in order to reduce the microorganism level thereofis provided wherein thenuts are sequentially moisturized by application of water and then subjected to infrared radiation, preferably through a series of treatment cycles. Nut treatment apparatus (10) includes opposed banks of infrared heaters (38,40), with plural water application stations (48,50,52) along the length of the heater banks (38,40).
Claims5
An apparatus for processing of nuts comprising:
- at least one conveyor operable to carry nuts to be processed through the apparatus;
- a source of electrolyzed-oxidizing (EO) water;
- at least one water station along the length of said apparatus operable to deposit EO water onto said nuts during passage thereof through the apparatus;
- and at least one heater station located downstream of said at least one water station and comprising upper and lower opposed banks of infrared heaters.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.