Abstract: An apparatus for continuously aseptically processing a food product comprising delicate food chunks of fruit, vegetables or the like immersed in a liquid. The apparatus comprises a heating enclosure into which the food product and a nonsterile gas are introduced into the food product heated to a sterilization temperature, and a holding enclosure which may be integral with or separate from the heating enclosure for holding the food product and a sterile gas introduced therein at the steriIization temperature for a predetermined time. The apparatus further preferably comprises a cooling enclosure for cooling the food product. In a preferred embodiment, a first separator is interposed between the heating and holding enclosures for separating a nonsterile gas from the food product. The food product and an added sterile gas are fed into a rotatable helical feed pump in the holding enclosure.