System and method for heating and then cooling contents of flexible containers

A system for processing flowable product in flexible a containers, comprising:

• a heating trough;
• first means for conveying the flexible containers into, along and out of the heating trough;
• a cooling trough;
• and
• second means for conveying the flexible containers from the heating trough, into, along and out of the cooling trough and further comprising fluid jet nozzles disposed to direct fluid against sides of the flexible container, when in the heating trough, and thereby move product in a central area of the flexible containers towards the container surfaces and thereby promote efficient heating of the product.

A method of processing product, comprising the steps of:

• filling a flexible container with cold or ambient product;
• sealing the filled container;
• after the sealing step, heating the product in the sealed container to a sterilization temperature;
• and
• after the heating step, cooling the sterilized product in the sealed container to a substantially ambient temperature wherein the heating step includes massaging the product in the sealed container such that product in a central portion of the container moves towards a periphery thereof, while the container is in a hot fluid bath.

A method of processing product, comprising the steps of:

• filling a flexible container with cold or ambient product;
• after the filling, closing the flexible container;
• and
• heating the product in the closed flexible container using a hot fluid to a sterilization temperature, the heating includes massaging the flexible container to promote heating of product in a central area of the flexible container by the hot fluid.