Abstract: A plant for tomato juice concentration uses a falling-film evaporator with an external sleeve which surrounds a vertical bundle of tubes divided into a plurality of sectors in which the tomato juice circulates in succession, and which is combined with a heat exchanger which is arranged externally of the evaporator and which is divided into a plurality of sectors in each of which the tomato juice is circulated and heated as it exits from a sector of tubes of the evaporator before being introduced into a successive sector. The plant also includes a compressor that aspirates steam from a bottom zone, being a separation chamber of the evaporator, compresses it and reintroduces it into the central part of the evaporator.

Abstract: The device for triturating and extracting juice or pulp from food produce is used in particular in the food preserves industry for triturating and subsequently separating the juice or pulp from fruit or vegetables, in particular in a cold-working process.

Abstract: The device for triturating and extracting juice or pulp from food produce is used in particular in the food preserves industry for triturating and subsequently separating the juice or pulp from fruit or vegetables, in particular in a cold-working process.

Abstract: The food refiner comprises a sieve, provided with an inlet for a produce to be processed and an outlet for a waste product, at a center of which a rotor extends from the inlet to the outlet and bears a plurality of spatulas which interact with an internal surface of the sieve, and a casing which surrounds the sieve and which is provided with an outlet mouth for extracted product. The spatulas can be oriented contemporaneously and with different orientations with respect to an axial direction of the rotor which, for this purpose, comprises an external jacket and an internal jacket which can, on command, translate relatively to each other so as to cause a positioning of the spatulas, made possible by a guided rotatable coupling of the spatulas in relation to the rotor.

Abstract: The food refiner comprises a sieve, provided with an inlet for a produce to be processed and an outlet for a waste product, at a centre of which a rotor extends from the inlet to the outlet and bears a plurality of spatulas which interact with an internal surface of the sieve, and a casing which surrounds the sieve and which is provided with an outlet mouth for extracted product. The spatulas can be oriented contemporaneously and with different orientations with respect to an axial direction of the rotor which, for this purpose, comprises an external jacket and an internal jacket which can, on command, translate relatively to each other so as to cause a positioning of the spatulas, made possible by a guided rotatable coupling of the spatulas in relation to the rotor.

Abstract: A bottling plant is described wherein a bottle feed line and a plurality of specific function groups are each provided with selectively operable devices acting on the bottles moving along the feed line. Each special function group includes one or more motors for actuating the selectively operable devices and a walled sterile chamber through which the bottles pass. The sterile chambers are kept slightly pressurized and contain at least a portion of the selectively operable devices of the specific function group. The wall structure of each sterile chamber separates the sterile chamber from the motors and from at least some of the selectively operable devices.

Abstract: An autoclave (1) defines a processing chamber (2) communicating with the exterior through two air-lock chambers (15, 7) arranged at opposite ends of the autoclave (1) and extending perpendicular thereto. A stepping conveyor (40) operates in the processing chamber (2) to transfer the containers (9) of food to be processed from the inlet end (3) to the outlet end (4) of the chamber itself.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for extracting juice or pulp from food produce. It is particularly useful in the food conserves industry for separating the juice or pulp of fruit and vegetables from the skins and seeds. A tubular strain, provided with an inlet and a discharge outlet for refuse by-products, has at its centre a shaft bearing a plurality of spatulas, each of which has an extremity set very close to a surface of the strain; each of the spatulas bears at its peripheral end a plate made of a hard material, which projects radially from the main body and delimit a free zone between the front face and the peripheral extremity of the spatula. The tubular strain exhibits holes which are of progressively or step-by-step diminishing diameter, going from the inlet to the discharge outlet, and also exhibits an annular support which surrounds the strain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for concentration of a flowable foodstuff can be accomplished by supplying a flowable foodstuff into a vaporization chamber as split into a plurality of free nappes and causing the free nappes to run a predetermined distance to release vapor from their surfaces. After covering this distance, the free nappes of flowable foodstuff are collected into a mass at the bottom of the chamber.

Abstract: A heat exchanger suitable for processing fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products and particularly tomatoes. Agricultural products to be heated are first triturated, cut, mashed or otherwise crushed and then passed through one or more product passageways in the heat exchanger. Steam is passed through one or more heating fluid passageways separated from, but in close heat exchange relationship with the product passageway. In order to attain high heat transfer from the steam to the agricultural product, the distance from the heating fluid passageway to the product in the product passageway is kept to a practical minimum. The product passageways are configured to accommodate large foreign objects such as twigs, pieces of plant, weeds and the like which are frequently included in the stream of triturated agricultural product.

Abstract: A method is disclosed wherein a dough, prepared from flour and water, as well as other possible ingredients, is subjected to cooking and sterilization at temperatures in the 90.degree. C. to 170.degree. C. range by processing with saturated steam under a pressure, and then cooled inside an aseptic vacuum pan, in a sterile environment. From this vacuum pan, the dough, as sterilized, cooked, cooled, and brought to a predetermined moisture content level, is conveyed, again in a sterile environment, to a forming unit which delivers selected patterns of pasta for packaging in a sterile environment. The dough is mixed and extruded into thin shapes in the absence of heat prior to cooking and sterilization and is formed into the selected patterns subsequent to being cooled.

Abstract: The dispensing head disclosed comprises a chamber (2) with a bottom outlet (3), and a coaxial hollow plunger (8) the bottom end of which carries a plug (10) that registers in the outlet. The plunger is capable of axial shift between a raised position, and a lowered position in which the plug (10) blocks the outlet (3); on completion of the single batching cycle, the plug is lowered into the outlet and pressurized inert gas is directed through the plunger. The head also comprises a poppet (16) capable of axial movement between a raised position, in which it registers in the bore (11) of the plug (10), and a lowered position in which it is distanced from the mouth of the bore; the poppet is fixed to the bottom end of a slender stem (17) accommodated within the hollow plunger (8), and reciprocated in such a way that it keeps the bore (11) normally closed, and is moved into the lowered position only when the plug (10) happens likewise to be in its lowered position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for refining foodstuffs, and to plant for the implementation of such a process. The basic process is one in which foodstuff is fed into a depressurized environment and refined therein, whereupon the refined end-product, and any waste matter separated during the process, are both drawn off. Plant for the purpose substantially comprises an environment in which a vacuum is created and maintained, such as will house conventional types of machinery which refine the foodstuff, separate any waste matter, and collect the end-product which is then drawn off by a pump. Such a process and plant serve in particular for extracting juice and puree from fruit, vegetable, and market garden produce in general, as well as for reducing meat of all kinds to a paste.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and plant for skinning tomatoes using thermophysical methods. The process consists substantially in scalding the tomatoes in a pressurized environment, then inducing sudden depressurization of the tomatoes by bringing them into contact with tomato juice supplied at a lower temperature, whereupon the skinned tomatoes are separated from the juice. The skinned tomatoes proceed to the next stage of the process, and the juice is conveyed likewise to a further processing step, say, concentration. Plant for implementation of the process comprises a pressure vessel (2) into which tomatoes are conveyed, and from which they exit by way of an outlet valve (3); also, a pump (4) which forces condensation-inducing tomato juice into the outlet valve, and plumbing downstream of the valve which permits of conveying the juice to other processing media.

Abstract: The invention relates to a technological process for deactivating enzymes in fruit and vegetables, and to plant used therefor--tomato being the example adopted. The process basically speaking is one of feeding-in whole tomatoes under vacuum, chopping or mashing them in conditions where residual oxygen is reduced to a minimum--depending upon the degree of vacuum obtainable inside the feeder-tank--and then introducing the tomato in its liquidized state into a pressurized system or circuit designed for operation at whatever temperature represents the optimum for enzyme-deactivation; the introduction of freshly-mashed deaerated tomato into the circuit being such that it mingles with tomato already heated and circulating therein.

Abstract: A continuous-cycle filling-machine for aseptic batching comprises a revolving basin whose floor exhibits a plurality of open-topped cylinders communicating therewith and accommodating respective sliding plungers designed to expel contents of the cylinder toward a filler-jig. A fixed obturator is in direct contact with the basin-floor under which the cylinders are brought to bear by rotation of the basin during the delivery-stroke. An annular chamber located externally and beneath the basin communicates with a source of sterilizer fluid by way of a feed-conduit within the shaft around which the basin rotates. An outer-casing has a bottom-face at least part-created by the basin-floor and an interior which receives slightly-pressurized fluid. Sterile conditions are thus maintained within the machine. Lifting gear is provided for raising the obturator from the basin-floor at will.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for heating/pasteurizing/sterilizing fluids, which comprises a main chamber (1) in which the substance to be heated is brought into direct contact with heating fluid, and a transit chamber (4) in which the substance circulates prior to entering the main chamber, also a tubular element (7) part-contained within the transit chamber and extending forth from within same in order to combine with the transit chamber exit aperture (6) in creating an annular exit collar (10) through which the substance flows in order to reach the main chamber bottom by running down the tubular element side wall; the tubular element and the transit chamber inner wall creating an annular passage (13) immediately up-flow of said exit aperture whose acess-capacity may be adjusted by axial slide of the tubular element thus affording the means by which to regulate flow through the contrivance.