Sterilization system and method for food packaging
AssigneeThe Quaker Oats Company
InventorSubodh Raniwala
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for sterilizing to a desired level a food packaging area or room including the associated atmosphere that can be automated is provided. The method includes introducing the sterilizing agent as an aerosol suspension into the atmosphere of the food packaging area and exposed surfaces in the area, and then distributing the sterilizing agent to contact the surfaces therein that are to be sterilized with the sterilizing agent. The method may also include condensing the aerosol suspension to form a thin liquid film containing the sterilizing agent on exposed and nonexposed surfaces in the area or room to thereby effect sterilization of those surfaces.
Claims36
A system for sterilizing a food packaging area comprising:
- a food packaging area having exposed surfaces including ceiling, wall and floor surfaces and packaging equipment located and contained within the food packaging area, the packaging equipment having exposed and nonexposed surfaces;
- a source of a sterilizing agent;
- means for introducing the sterilizing agent into the atmosphere of the food packaging area to create an aerosol suspension containing the sterilizing agent and to contact substantially all of the exposed and nonexposed surfaces to be sterilized in the food packaging area, the means for introducing the sterilizing agent being capable of supplying the sterilizing agent in the area in sufficient concentration to reduce the microbial concentration in the atmosphere and on the surfaces contacted by the sterilizing agent contained in the food packaging area;
- and
- means for condensing sterilizing agent on at least substantially all exposed surfaces in the food packaging area that are to be sterilized and for contacting substantially all nonexposed surfaces in the area that are to be sterilized by contact with the sterilizing agent contained in the food packaging area.
A method for sterilizing a food packaging area having surfaces to be sterilized and a food packaging machine comprising:
- introducing a sterilizing agent as an aerosol suspension into the atmosphere of the food packaging area having exposed surfaces including ceiling, wall and floor surfaces and packaging equipment located and contained within the food packaging area, the packaging equipment having exposed and nonexposed surfaces;
- condensing sterilizing agent on substantially all of the exposed surfaces and contacting with the sterilizing agent substantially all of the nonexposed surfaces that are to be sterilized in the food packaging area;
- maintaining the sterilizing agent within the atmosphere of the food packaging area for a fixed period of time sufficient to reduce to a desired level the amount of active microorganisms in the atmosphere and on substantially all the exposed and nonexposed surfaces in the food packaging area;
- and
- substantially removing the sterilizing agent from the atmosphere of the food packaging area so that the resulting atmosphere and food packaging area are sufficiently sterile.
A system for sterilizing a food packaging room comprising:
- a food packaging area having exposed surfaces including ceiling, wall and floor surfaces and packaging equipment located and contained within the food packaging area, the packaging equipment having exposed and nonexposed surfaces;
- a source of an evaporable sterilizing agent;
- a sterilizing agent delivery system connected to the source of sterilizing agent for introducing the evaporable sterilizing agent into the food packaging atmosphere to create a fog containing the sterilizing agent to contact with substantially all of the exposed and nonexposed surfaces to be sterilized in the food packaging area, wherein the delivery system can supply the sterilizing agent in sufficient quantity and concentration to reduce the microbial concentration in the atmosphere and on at least substantially all the surfaces contacted by the atmosphere containing the sterilizing agent;
- and
- means for distributing the sterilizing agent to condense on at least substantially all exposed surfaces in the food packaging area and to contact on at least substantially all nonexposed surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.