Continuous low temperature pasteurization system and method

A continuous low temperature pasteurization system for continuously pasteurizing food products at a low maximum temperature over a sufficient time duration to kill pathogenic microorganisms on and/or in the food product, comprising:

• (a) a conveyance system for continuously conveying the food product to be pasteurized;
• (b) a low temperature pasteurization chamber through which the conveyance system passes;
• (c) a pasteurization medium generator in fluid flow communication with the pasteurization chamber, the pasteurization medium generator providing heated air for heating the interior of the low temperature pasteurization chamber and/or supplying moisture to the interior of the low temperature pasteurization chamber;
• (d) a measurement system for measuring operational parameters of the system for continuously pasteurizing the food products comprising the speed of the conveyance system and the temperature and humidity within the low temperature pasteurization chamber;
• (e) a control system for monitoring the operational parameters of the pasteurization system for continuously pasteurizing the food products, comprising:
• (i) the speed of the conveyor within the pasteurization chamber to determine if the conveyor is operating at a speed within a conveyor speed set point range that provides the food product a sufficient dwell time within the low temperature pasteurization chamber to kill a desired percentage of the pathogenic microorganisms present on and/or in the food product,
• (ii) the temperature of at least one of:
• the heated air supplied to the low temperature pasteurization chamber to determine if the interior of the low temperature pasteurization chamber is maintained at a temperature set point in the range of about 131° F. to about 158° F.;
• the food product to determine if the interior of the food product attains a set point of from 125.6° F. to 158° F. for a sufficient length of time needed to reach a desired level of lethality of pathogenic microorganisms on and/or in the food product;
• and
• (iii) the moisture supplied to the pasteurization chamber to determine if the moisture content of the pasteurization medium within the low temperature pasteurization chamber is maintained at a moisture set point in the range of about 80 to about 100% humidity;
• and
• (f) said control system operational so that if the measured temperature within the low temperature pasteurization chamber, the measured temperature of the food product, and/or humidity within the low temperature pasteurization chamber, deviate sufficiently from the preselected set point temperature and/or humidity ranges, or if the speed of the conveyor deviates sufficiently from the preselected set point speed so that the desired percentage of pathogenic microorganisms on and/or in the food products are not killed, the control system initiates a rectifying procedure so that the desired level of pathogenic microorganisms on and/or in the food product are killed.