Apparatus for treating baked products in order to improve the shelf life thereof

An apparatus for treating baked products in order to improve their shelf life and resistance to growth of viable mold spores, which comprises:

• means for baking the product to reduce the moisture content to between about 25% and 50% by weight and to reduce the water activity to not greater than about 0.96;
• a cooling chamber for cooling the partially baked pizza crusts to a temperature below ambient having a spiral path conveyor means for transporting the partially baked product vertically through the chamber and a means for passing cooling air over the product as it is transported through the chamber;
• and
• ethyl alcohol treating means including an open mesh conveyor belt and spray nozzles for directing a mist of ethyl alcohol at the surfaces of the cooled product as it moves along said open mesh conveyor belt.

An apparatus for treating baked produced, so as to provide an improved shelf life, and which is adapted to treat pizza crusts, which comprises:

• heating means for baking the product to reduce the moisture content of said product to between about 25% and 50% by weight and to reduce the water activity of said product to not greater than about 0.96;
• a forced air cooling chamber for reducing the temperature of the baked product to a point below ambient temperatures, said chamber having a convoluted conveyor means for transporting the baked product vertically through the chamber;
• and
• spray means for coating substantially the entire surface of the cooked, baked product with from about 0.001 to 0.02 ml of ethyl alcohol per sq. cm of surface.

An apparatus for treating baked products, so as to provide an improved shelf life, and which is adapted to treat pizza crusts, which comprises:

• heating means for baking the product to reduce the moisture content of said product to between about 25% and 50% by weight and to reduce the water activity of said product to not greater than about 0.96;
• cooling means for reducing the temperature of the baked product to a point below ambient temperatures;
• and
• spray means for coating substantially the entire surface of the cooled, baked product with from about 0.001 to 0.02 ml of ethyl alcohol per sq. cm of surface, said spray means including an open mesh conveyor belt and spray means for directing alcohol sprays at the surfaces of the product as it moves along the conveyor.