Abstract: An inert gas-filled cooking process is disclosed which provides for quick sterilization of food in inert gas-filled packages in a manner that prevents deterioration of food quality as well as assures a long taste guaranteed period by raising the temperature of hot water to be applied onto the food packages in a sterilization tank so as to satisfy the retort sterilization requirements. The sterilization tank is pressurized at a predetermined value by control of an analog pressure regulating valve. The temperature of the hot water flowing from a heat exchanger into the sterilization tank is varied in a multi-staged fashion to follow a predetermined sterilization temperature-time curve by control of an analog steam regulating valve and a steam superheater. The hot water is applied onto the packaged food for sterilization.

Abstract: Hitherto, a cooking apparatus and a preservative food preparing apparatus have been known and practically used exclusively for the purpose of cooking foods or preparing preservative foods. There has been an increasing demand for a cooking-and-preservative food preparing apparatus, and to meet this demand, a heating, cooking, and sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention is constructed as follows: a horizontal type of cylindrical heating-and-cooking oven (1) has numerous nozzles (7) provided therein. These nozzles (7) are connected to the outlet (37) of a heat exchange (25) positioned outside of the oven (1), and the bottom of the oven (1) is connected to the inlet (38) of the heat exchanger (25) via a return pipe (43), which is fixed to the bottom of the oven (1), thus forming a circulation line between the oven (1) and the heat exchanger (25). A circulation pump (40) is included in the circulation line.

Abstract: A hermetic type of cooking vessel with numerous nozzles arranged therein, and conduits which open at these nozzles are connected to a cold water source, a hot water source, a seasoning liquid source, a steam source, a superheated steam source and a heated nitrogen source via associated switching means. With this vessel food material is heated evenly without agitating the food material; and automatically heated with this vessel and cooked with accuracy. Thus, the food material is showered with the heated seasoning liquid and other cooking gases and liquids, and the used seasoning liquid is collected from the bottom of the cooking vessel to be reheated. The so reheated seasoning liquid is made to return to the cooking vessel. The cooking vessel is equipped with a food material temperature sensor, a pressure sensor and such like.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of sterilizing and dewatering food in a shortened length of time, still permitting the processed food to remain an elongated length of time in good taste. The inner pressure of an insulated dryer is raised by feeding nitrogen gas after evacuating the insulating dryer, and at the same time, pieces of food are exposed to an ethanol spray, so that the oxygen gas remaining in the tissue of the food may be replaced by nitrogen gas to prevent oxidization of the food. At the same time, ethanol penetrates the food well for sterilization. Next, the inner pressure of the insulating dryer is reduced by removing nitrogen gas therefrom, and the pieces of food are exposed to the far-infrared radiation to be heated, thus preventing evaporation of water from the pieces of food to prevent their temperature from being lowered, and expediting removal of water in the surrounding low-pressure atmosphere to provide semi-dried products.