초록 ▼

A method is provided for obtaining an acceptable configuration of a thermally processed container packed with food. Improvement in container configuration is attained by proper container design, by maintaining proper headspace of gases in the container during thermal processing, proper pressure outs

A method is provided for obtaining an acceptable configuration of a thermally processed container packed with food. Improvement in container configuration is attained by proper container design, by maintaining proper headspace of gases in the container during thermal processing, proper pressure outside the container during the cooking cycle and cooling cycle of the process and/or by controlled reforming of the bottom wall of the container. Further improvements are attained by controlling the thermal history of the empty container, such as by pre-shrinking the container before it is filled with food and sealed.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of thermal sterilization of a plastic container packed with food to obtain a thermally sterilized packed container having an acceptable configuration, which comprises filling the container with good, sealing the container, either or both of these steps including selecting an initial headspa

A method of thermal sterilization of a plastic container packed with food to obtain a thermally sterilized packed container having an acceptable configuration, which comprises filling the container with good, sealing the container, either or both of these steps including selecting an initial headspace volume and an amount of gas, taking into account an initial vacuum level, if any, at sealing such as to permit bulging and subsequent reformation of the container bottom wall without significant side wall panelling, thermally sterilizing the packed container in a retort operated at a temperature and pressure for a time sufficient to sterilize the container and its contents and to cause bulging of the container bottom wall, cooling the container and its contents, and, during the cooling step, reforming the bulged container bottom wall to attain an acceptable container configuration by controlling the pressure external of the container and the cooling conditions said controlling step including providing that said pressure is about the same as or less than that employed during the sterilizing step, providing that the plastic of the bulged container bottom wall is at a reformable temperature at which the plastic is soft while providing a pressure differential such that the ambient pressure external of the container exceeds the pressure internal the container, and utilizing the ambient pressure while said plastic is soft to reform the bulged bottom wall.