Abstract: The present invention relates to a re-closable package, wherein at least one layer of said package is derived and fabricated essentially from a single piece of packaging material, has at least an inner and outer chamber, each capable of holding one or more separate or mixed solid or liquid food components. It also relates to one or more mechanisms within said package design and configuration preferentially allowing controlled movement of gas but not liquid and/or solids both within the package and/or from within the package to the outside. It further relates to a method for controlling and selectively modifying a number of processing conditions within said packaging, particularly pack pressure, gas volume and gas composition. It also relates to package design capability to accelerate and/or optimize product processing within any food sterilization or pasteurization system and its subsequent handling, storage and transportation without further modification.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for enhancing the flexibility and increasing throughput capacity while reducing cost and improving the quality of food and drink products within a continuous sterilization system using novel product carriers, in conjunction with unique user controllable product rotation and agitation features, capable of handling novel as well as existing product containers, are described. A further aspect of the invention is a property of the uniquely designed product carrier to accommodate and optimally orientate said product containers. A final aspect of the invention is the further capability of individual product carriers to undertake any user-defined processing program including product pasteurization or product stabilization or product sterilization within an essentially continuous sterilization system.

Abstract: A multifunction avionics server provide for the execution of both certified and uncertified applications in data-serving capacities in which one certified application provides near real-time transmission of flight data recorder type of data. By combining these functions, improved aircraft monitoring is obtained without significant cost or weight penalties.

Abstract: Apparatus and Method for an intelligent, optimizing, pro-active process controller for use in all types of product processing systems are disclosed. The disclosed controller and its associated apparatus uniquely develop and dynamically optimize their process control capabilities through measuring, monitoring and analyzing product and product container attributes and performance while quantifying variability and can thus pro-actively track, trace and control overall processing performance down to an individual unit of production thereby optimizing product processing times, increasing capacity, improving product quality and reducing variability while enhancing treatment flexibility and food treatment safety in all types of food and drink processing systems, with particular reference to continuous food and drink processing systems.

Abstract: An electronic flight bag providing computational services for an aircraft and communicating with aircraft avionics may execute aircraft-design-approved Type-C applications together with non-design-approved Type-A/B on a single processor through specific modifications of the operating system to control memory and processor access thereby providing isolation comparable to that of dual processor systems in which the Type-C applications and Type-A/B applications are executed on different processors.

Abstract: A family of novel thermal processing and transfer media has been designed for optimized food and drink processing. These media composed solely of compounds approved to contact food, are essentially free of water, do not change state at any point in the process, remain corrosion-free throughout their useable life. While in combination with novel processing apparatus and methodologies, food and drink products requiring any heating, holding or cooling can be processed within the same equipment configurations essentially with no/minimal need for additional pressurization, the use of unheated modified atmospheres, in conjunction with these novel media, can be used to change or control the atmospheres within containers, especially polymer based containers, at specific locations within the processing cycle.

Abstract: A coolant mixture, method and apparatus for accelerated cooling of product, especially foodstuffs, is disclosed. A further aspect of this invention is the optimizing and controlling of the cooling process and the cooling medium without the need for pressurization. It further relates to a method of effectively increasing the flexibility and maximizing of cooling capacity and its storage without inducing a change of physical state within the coolant nor incurring high energy costs. Finally it relates to effectively eliminating any corrosive properties of the cooling medium.

Abstract: A family of novel thermal processing and transfer media has been designed for optimized food and drink processing. These media composed solely of compounds approved to contact food, are essentially free of water, do not change state at any point in the process, remain corrosion-free throughout their useable life. While in combination with novel processing apparatus and methodologies, food and drink products requiring any heating, holding or cooling can be processed within the same equipment configurations essentially with no/minimal need for additional pressurization, the use of unheated modified atmospheres, in conjunction with these novel media, can be used to change or control the atmospheres within containers, especially polymer based containers, at specific locations within the processing cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for enhancing the flexibility and increasing throughput capacity while reducing cost and improving the quality of food and drink products within a continuous sterilization system using novel product carriers, in conjunction with unique user controllable product rotation and agitation features, capable of handling novel as well as existing product containers, are described. A further aspect of the invention is a property of the uniquely designed product carrier to accommodate and optimally orientate said product containers. A final aspect of the invention is the further capability of individual product carriers to undertake any user-defined processing program including product pasteurization or product stabilization or product sterilization within an essentially continuous sterilization system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and thermal processing medium for accelerated thermal processing, particularly the pasteurization and sterilization of foodstuffs, within a conventional, food processing system comprising at least one processing chamber or tower wherein the system requires no significant structural modification nor additional pressurization of product or apparatus nor requiring any change of physical state of the thermal processing medium, is disclosed. Further aspects of this invention include the elimination of steam to achieve the required level of thermal processing, the optimizing and controlling of the process through the utilization of the space previously occupied by steam by means of extending thermal processing capacity and improving finished product organoleptic properties as well as increased system flexibility and throughput capacity. Finally it relates to effectively eliminating any corrosive properties of the thermal medium which itself is optimized for any specific thermal processing step.

Abstract: Novel apparatus, thermal processing medium and method for accelerated, optimized thermal processing of product, to a user selected processing state using a thermal processing medium that is essentially neither water nor steam, does not result in any change of state during any processing step, and wherein said thermal processing medium comprises a different composition for each of the heating, holding and cooling stages but is additionally regulatory approved for direct or indirect contact with foodstuffs, is described. It further relates to the elimination of any significant additional pressurization of either the thermal processing apparatus or the medium. It also relates to eliminating expensive, anti-corrosion additives. Finally, it relates to the flexible and modular structure of the apparatus, wherein the independently controlled and optimized processing of product to any user-selected processing state can be accomplished without further modification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a re-closable package, wherein at least one layer of said package is derived and fabricated essentially from a single piece of packaging material, has at least an inner and outer chamber, each capable of holding one or more separate or mixed solid or liquid food components. It also relates to one or more mechanisms within said package design and configuration preferentially allowing controlled movement of gas but not liquid and/or solids both within the package and/or from within the package to the outside. It further relates to a method for controlling and selectively modifying a number of processing conditions within said packaging, particularly pack pressure, gas volume and gas composition. It also relates to package design capability to accelerate and/or optimize product processing within any food sterilization or pasteurization system and its subsequent handling, storage and transportation without further modification.

Abstract: Apparatus and Method for an intelligent, optimizing, pro-active process controller for use in all types of product processing systems are disclosed. The disclosed controller and its associated apparatus uniquely develop and dynamically optimize their process control capabilities through measuring, monitoring and analyzing product and product container attributes and performance while quantifying variability and can thus pro-actively track, trace and control overall processing performance down to an individual unit of production thereby optimizing product processing times, increasing capacity, improving product quality and reducing variability while enhancing treatment flexibility and food treatment safety in all types of food and drink processing systems, with particular reference to continuous food and drink processing systems.

Abstract: A coolant mixture, method and apparatus for accelerated cooling of product, especially foodstuffs, is disclosed. A further aspect of this invention is the optimizing and controlling of the cooling process and the cooling medium without the need for pressurization. It further relates to a method of effectively increasing the flexibility and maximizing of cooling capacity and its storage without inducing a change of physical state within the coolant nor incurring high energy costs. Finally it relates to effectively eliminating any corrosive properties of the cooling medium. REFERENCES CITED US Patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,093 November 1992 Takeshige U.S. Pat. No. 7,543,455 June 2008 Chen U.S. Pat. No.

Abstract: An electronic flight bag providing computational services for an aircraft and communicating with aircraft avionics may execute aircraft-design-approved Type-C applications together with non-design-approved Type-A/B on a single processor through specific modifications of the operating system to control memory and processor access thereby providing isolation comparable to that of dual processor systems in which the Type-C applications and Type-A/B applications are executed on different processors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described with which a wide range of foodstuffs can be effectively, simultaneously or consecutively, decontaminated and/or detoxified using a combined treatment of water, a heating source and defined wavelength Ultraviolet light within or without the use of a modified atmosphere. The modular system allows easy, quick and low cost adaptation to suit the decontamination and/or detoxification of almost any solid foodstuff. Unlike existing technologies, the effective control of heat on or over the product prevents denaturation, thus allowing organic and natural product to retain its viability and status.

Abstract: A fresh vegetable foodstuff such as fruit, vegetables, grains or nuts is treated to reduce microbial contamination (UV-C irradiation, preferably in a CO2 atmosphere, preferably at ?1 to +4° C.) and/or to induce protective phytoalexins (UV-A, UV-B and UV-C irradiation) and/or to destroy aflatoxins (UV irradiation, primarily UV-C). A modular system can be readily adapted to different foodstuffs. It can include treatment modules and support modules (e.g. for cleaning elements of the treatment modules, providing them with controlled environments, and controlling the input of foodstuffs so they are susceptible to treatment).

Abstract: A getter device including a substrate formed of a first getter material having a composition for gettering a first gas specie, and a second getter material contacting an external surface of the substrate and having a composition for gettering a second gas specie. The substrate has internal porosity connected to openings at its external surface, and the second getter material covers at least a portion of the external surface of the substrate but is absent from at least part of the internal porosity within the substrate so that the first getter material is exposed within the internal porosity for gettering the first gas specie. According to a second aspect, a substrate is formed of a material transparent to radiation, and a film of getter material is deposited on the substrate to be sufficiently thin and/or porous so that the film is also transparent to the radiation transmitted through the substrate.

Abstract: A conveyor suitable for use, e.g., in food processing apparatus, includes particular procedures and arrangements for decontaminating the surface of the conveyor. The conveyor surface is subject first to a mechanical cleaning, e.g., by spraying of liquid followed by brushing in a rinse/clean unit. This step displaces gross debris from the conveyor surface. In a second step, the surface is subjected to UV irradiation to sterilize the cleaned surface. This UV irradiation may be provided by banks of UV lamps between which the conveyor passes. Detectors for residual organic material may be used to monitor the cleanliness of the surface.

Abstract: A fresh vegetable foodstuff such as fruit, vegetables, grains or nuts is treated to reduce microbial contamination (UV-C irradiation, preferably in a CO2 atmosphere, preferably at −1 to +4° C.) and/or to induce protective phytoalexins (UV-A, UV-B and UV-C irradiation) and/or to destroy aflatoxins (UV irradiation, primarily UV-C). A modular system can be readily adapted to different foodstuffs. It can include treatment modules and support modules (e.g. for cleaning elements of the treatment modules, providing them with controlled environments, and controlling the input of foodstuffs so they are susceptible to treatment).