Abstract: A method for processing a food product involves transporting the food product through a plurality of stations including a loading station, a pasteurization station, and a closing station. The surface of the food product is pasteurized by convectively transferring heat from the pasteurizing medium to the surface of the food product at a rate such that the surface heat transfer coefficient becomes sufficiently higher than the food product conductance coefficient that the surface temperature of the food product is substantially instantaneously elevated above temperatures which are instantly lethal to microbes which may be present. Preferably, steam is condensed on the food product surface in dropwise condensation, and the onset of film condensation is retarded by removing condensate film from such surface.

Abstract: The present invention has a shaft with a chisel and a ladle at opposed ends. Two stops are welded to the shaft, and a slide assembly is located between the stops. A first handle is between the chisel and the first stop, and a second handle is between the ladle and the second stop. The slide assembly strikes the first stop to make the chisel break through the ice. The ladle is used to scoop out any pieces of ice that are in the hole. A rubber material is on the slide assembly and on the second handle to prevent the user's gloves from freezing thereon. The chisel can be driven into the frozen surface, but not through the frozen surface, to form an anchor. Removal of the anchor is accomplished by striking the slide assembly against the second stop.

Abstract: In a web packaging machine (10) and method packaging a food product (P) between upper and lower webs (14 and 25), wherein the lower web (14) is transported through a series of stations which form the lower web (14) into a component of a package at a forming station (18), and receive the food product (P) at a loading station (20), and close the package with the upper web (25) at a closing station (26), a pasteurization station (300) is provided between the loading station (20) and the closing station (26) and pasteurizing the food product (P).