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US 9,120,587 B2Granted
In-package non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation sterilization
AssigneePepsiCo, Inc.
InventorsThaddeus Pesce, Ralph DiGiacomo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for reducing microorganisms (sterilization) in a free-flowing product in a container. The product in the container is radiated with non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation at an energy density sufficient to achieve commercially sterile temperature and is manipulated in a manner to distribute heat and ensure that the product and the container reach a temperature sufficient to commercially sterilize the product and the interior surfaces of the container.
Claims36
A method for sterilization comprising:
- providing a closed container, the closed container comprising a free-flowing product disposed within the closed container;
- conveying the closed container through a non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation apparatus during a conveying time period,
- transmitting non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation from the apparatus to the free-flowing product to achieve a sterilization temperature during a transmitting time period, at least a portion of the transmitting time period overlapping with at least a portion of the conveying time period, and
- manipulating the closed container during a manipulating time period to achieve sterilization of the entirety of the product within the closed container and the entirety of interior surfaces of the closed container, at least a portion of the manipulating time period overlapping with at least a portion of the transmitting time period, the manipulating comprising subjecting the closed container to an inversion sequence, the inversion sequence comprising a first inversion of the closed container until a base of the closed container is located at an angle of up to 180 degrees relative to vertical, and a second inversion of the closed container, in the opposite direction, back to an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to vertical.
1 more element
An apparatus for sterilizing containers comprising:
- a conveyor configured to convey a plurality of closed containers for a conveying time period, the plurality of containers comprising free-flowing product disposed within the closed containers,
- a non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation device configured to transmit non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation to the free-flowing product to achieve a sterilization temperature during a transmitting time period,
- the conveyor configured to convey the plurality of closed containers through the non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation device during a conveying time period, at least a portion of the conveying time period overlapping with at least a portion of the transmitting time period,
- at least a portion of the conveyor configured to manipulate the plurality of closed containers during a manipulating time period to achieve sterilization of the entirety of the product within each of the plurality of the closed containers and the entirety of interior surfaces of each of the plurality of the closed containers, at least a portion of the manipulating time period overlapping with at least a portion of the transmitting time period, wherein each of the plurality of closed containers comprises a respective base, the conveyor configured to manipulate each of the plurality of closed containers to one or more inversion sequences comprising a first inversion of each of the plurality of the closed containers until the respective base of the closed container is located at an angle of up to 180 degrees relative to vertical, and a second inversion of the closed container, in the opposite direction, back to an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to vertical.
1 more element
A method for sterilization of the interior of a container comprising:
- placing a container vertically upright on a base of the container, the container comprising a free-flowing product;
- subjecting the container to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation sufficient to achieve a target sterilization temperature within about 30 seconds, and subjecting the container after it has been closed to an inversion sequence, the inversion sequence comprising a first inversion of the container until the base is located at an angle of up to 180 degrees relative to vertical, and a second inversion of the container, in the opposite direction, back to an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to vertical, wherein the first inversion occurs over a time period of at least three seconds, and wherein the inversion sequence allows for sterilizing of interior surfaces of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.