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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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).

Abstract: As a substrate (10) is carried on a conveyor (20), an image analysis system (40) detects its presence and derives the various data, at least indicative of the footprint. The footprint data are used in selecting appropriate packaging components. Data may also indicate the transverse location and/or orientation and/or alignment of a substrate, and be used to control position adjustors for adjusting one or more of these. Data may also serve for categorizing the substrate, e.g., in terms of size or color. Such data may be used to control rejection of products, or categorization, e.g., by selection of distinguishable packaging.

Abstract: Food is rendered sterile by UV irradiation, preferably with UV at 265.+-.15 nm. A sterilization unit may include UV sources (90, 100, 110, 120) and a heat source, which may be a broad band UV source, a source of IR or microwave radiation. A combined microwave/UV unit can be used to defrost frozen food and simultaneously sterilize it or maintain sterility. Heating prior to UV irradiation can enhance the sterilization, as can rapid cooling after irradiation. Irradiation can also be enhanced by displacing the food during irradiation e.g. by supporting it on a rotatable support (135) and/or by displacing it relative to the support surface.

Abstract: Machine readable marks are applied to articles, particularly primal cuts of meat, preferably before removal from a carcass. They can thus be monitored during progress and data can be fed back to a central computer which may compute a value for the carcass. A preferred mark is a 3.times.3 matrix having two columns of colored dots selected from colors representing 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8; and a modifying column providing binary information indicating that 0 or 1 should be added to the values of adjacent colored dots.