IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0328899
(2002-12-23)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Conagra Grocery Products Company
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
16 |
초록
▼
A food packaging system wherein one or more food component preparation lines deliver heated, e.g., cooked, components to a packaging station that operates at overpressure to maintain aseptic conditions as a container is filled and sealed. The preparation line may be a high pressure heated conduit, a
A food packaging system wherein one or more food component preparation lines deliver heated, e.g., cooked, components to a packaging station that operates at overpressure to maintain aseptic conditions as a container is filled and sealed. The preparation line may be a high pressure heated conduit, a covered batch conveyer, sealed pocket feeder or similar line, and prepares each component at a temperature and time suitable for the particular ingredient. Plural separate preparation lines may deliver different food components to the pressure chamber in which filling occurs, and each component attains a narrowly-defined degree of cooking or uniform stage of undercooking. A loading lock interfaces the packaging and preparation sections so as to prevent evaporative fluid loss or cooling and preserve aseptic conditions during filling and sealing. The sealed containers may be heated or held in a sterilizing chamber for a brief time, after which they may be cooled, labeled and placed on or in pallets or cartons for shipping or storage. The food preparation lines (if more than one) may be configured to specifically perform cooking a different food component in each line before packaging. When a segmented flow preparation line is used, the segmenting elements may operate as pressure seals to deliver successive batches into the packaging station. For other lines, an entry chamber may include one or more load locks to transfer cooked food components into the station for packaging, and dosing pumps or robotic handlers may apportion, assemble or package the various components. The system extends the range of heat-sensitive food components, and of heat-sensitive packaging materials that may be used, providing a higher quality product.
대표청구항
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1. A method of preparing and packaging a food product, wherein the product comprises a plurality of food components including at least one susceptible component subject to heat degradation from thermal processing, the method comprising the steps of:providing a food preparation and packaging system h
1. A method of preparing and packaging a food product, wherein the product comprises a plurality of food components including at least one susceptible component subject to heat degradation from thermal processing, the method comprising the steps of:providing a food preparation and packaging system having a food component preparation line comprising at least one controlled travel food processing line configured to heat process at least one of the plurality of food components to a precise degree of cooking and controlled temperature as the at least one food component travels along the preparation line, a pressurized aseptic packaging station, including a package handling, filling and sealing assembly for placing the food component in a package and sealing the package, and a holding stage operative to controllably cool the sealed package and pass it out of the system; thermally processing at least one food component of the food product using the food component preparation line until essentially all cooking treatment of the at least one food component is performed, and so that the food product is a sterile food product that has attained a sterile temperature and condition; delivering the sterile food product including the at least one thermally processed food component to the pressurized aseptic packaging station; and packaging and sealing the sterile food product in a sterile package without thermal degradation of the at least one susceptible component contained therein such that no additional heat is added to the sterile food product. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the food component preparation line is configured to perform essentially all cooking treatment of the at least one food component traveling in the line before reaching the aseptic packaging station.3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one food component attains a sterile temperature level before reaching the aseptic packaging station.4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of maintaining the packaging station at an elevated pressure and temperature such that no additional heat is added.5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of sterilizing the package prior to filling the package with the food product.6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of packaging the food product occurs under sterile conditions.7. The method of claim 1, wherein the food component preparation line includes a segmented travel heating line to uniformly heat process the food component.8. The method of claim 1, wherein the food component preparation line includes a multiple-conduit preparation line that substantially cooks or uniformly undercooks a plurality of different food components that have been packaged.9. The method of claim 8, wherein the amount of thermal processing of each of the different food components is related to the length of time each food component spends traveling through the controlled travel food processing line.10. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of thermal processing of the at least one component is related to the length of time the at least one component spends traveling through the controlled travel food processing line.11. The method of claim 1, wherein sterilization of the at least one component is dependent upon the length of time the at least one component spends traveling through the controlled travel food processing line.12. A method of preparing and packaging a food product, wherein the product comprises a plurality of food components including at least one susceptible component subject to heat degradation from thermal processing, the method comprising the steps of:providing a food preparation and packaging system having a food component preparation line comprising at least one controlled travel food processing line configured to heat process at least one of the plurality of food components to a precise degree of cooking and controlled temperature as the at least one food component travels along the preparation line, a pressurized aseptic packaging station, including a package handling, filling and sealing assembly for placing the food component in a package and sealing the package, and a holding stage operative to controllably cool the sealed package and pass it out of the system; thermally processing at least one food component of the food product using the food component preparation line to achieve a sterile food product; delivering the sterile food product including the at least one thermally processed food component to the pressurized aseptic packaging station; and packaging and sealing the sterile food product in a sterile package without thermal degradation of the at least one susceptible component contained therein such that no additional heat is added to the sterile food product; wherein the amount of thermal processing of the at least one component is related to the length of time the at least one component spends traveling through the controlled travel food processing line.
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