Abstract:
In a freezer having an internal space therein in which a blower and an impingement plate are disposed and through which a conveyor for a food product passes, an impingement apparatus, includes a hood disposed at the internal space for coacting with the blower and the impingement plate, the hood including a sidewall defining a sub-chamber in which the blower is received; and a pipe having an end opening into the sub-chamber for introducing a pulse of cryogen to the sub-chamber for increasing a pressure in the sub-chamber and contacting the impingement plate. A related method is also provided.
Abstract:
A cryogenic poultry chilling system including a rotatable carousel having a plurality of stations each configured and arranged to receive a poultry carcass suspended from leg hangers, the poultry carcass having an upward facing cavity opening and a downward facing neck opening, a tundish having an outlet port corresponding to each of the stations, and an injector extending downwardly from each of the tundish outlet ports configured and arranged to deliver cryogen into the cavity opening of a carcass in the corresponding station, and a cryogen delivery apparatus configured to deliver substantially liquid cryogen into the tundish.
Abstract:
A method for improving energy efficiency in a food processing line by heating a flow of liquid food product flowing through said food processing line is presented. The method comprises the steps of: transferring heat from a first flow of said food processing line to an energy transfer medium; increasing the temperature of said energy transfer medium by means of a heat pump; and transferring heat from said energy transfer medium to a flow of food product entering a heater arranged upstream of the first flow in the food processing line.
Abstract:
Un procédé et un dispositif de refroidissement de produits alimentaires par jets impactant dans un tunnel, tunnel qui comporte / un convoyeur des produits au sein du tunnel, au moins une plaque, située en regard du convoyeur, et dotée d'orifices traversants, la ou les plaques étant situées au dessus et/ou au dessous du convoyeur; et au moins un moyen de soufflage d'un fluide froid au travers des orifices traversants et vers les produits, se caractérisant en ce que l'on procède, pendant tout ou partie des périodes de fonctionnement du tunnel et/ou pendant tout ou partie des périodes d'arrêt du tunnel à une opération de désobstruction de tout ou partie desdits orifices traversants, à l'aide d'un réseau de canalisations permettant de distribuer un gaz de soufflage en regard de l'ensemble desdits orifices traversants.
Abstract:
A multi-stage tunnel type immersion freezing system is provided. In the freezing system, food products are quickly frozen by passing the food products through a series of divided zones including a precooling zone, a stiffening zone and an immersion zone to eliminate the reduction of freezing effects resulting from the temperature (energy) of the food products, thus achieving high freezing efficiency within a short time. Further provided is a method for quick freezing of food products using the multi-stage tunnel type freezer. The freezer comprises an external refrigerator and external refrigerant exchange means. In the precooling zone, a cold wind at -40 5 o C is blown on the food products using the external refrigerator to precool the food products. In the stiffening zone, a refrigerant is sprayed on the precooled food products to cool the surface of the food products. In the immersion zone, the refrigerant is circulated while maintaining the temperature at -60 ± 5 o C using an external refrigerant circulator to completely freeze the food products.
Abstract:
A multi-stage continuous liquid chilling system for chilling particulate food product with a chilling liquid. Particulate product is conveyed through a rotating drum as vanes inside the drum control and move the product from the inlet towards the outlet. As the product is conveyed it is tumbled and mixed with the chilling liquid in a succession of processing sections, each including a flood portion and a drain portion. In both sections the food product is exposed to a spray of chilled liquid, which Is drained off and used in an earlier stage in the processing cycle. While product is moved from the inlet to the outlet of the drum the chilling liquid is pumped in the opposite direction with a series of transfer pumps each connected to the drain sections in each chilling zone.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a device for the rapid freezing of the surface or the entirety of starting stubstances, especially food or pharmaceuticals, said device having a treatment region (B) through which a deep-frozen liquefied gas flows as a coolant, said gas freezing at least the surfaces of the starting substances and causing relative movements between the starting substances immersed in the coolant. The treatment region (B) consists of modules (M1, M2, M3, M4) and the length of said region can be modified by adding or removing at least one module.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for freezing products in a fluidised bed. The apparatus (1) comprises an air-permeable conveyor belt (6, 61) which along part of its length forms a bottom surface (4) of a trough (2, 21), which is adapted to receive the products that are to be frozen. An air-directing means (10', 10 10") is arranged along said part of the conveyor belt (6, 61) for directing a flow of air (F', F") which is supplied to the trough via its bottom surface (4). The air directing means (10', 10") is arranged to direct the flow of air (F', F") so that a bed formed of said products in the trough (2, 21) has a first fluidisation in a precooling zone (A', A") of the trough (2, 21) and a second fluidisation in a freezing zone (B', B") of the trough (2, 21) downstream of the precooling zone (A', A"). The second fluidisation is more vigorous than the first and so vigorous that freezing together of adjoining products is counteracted. The invention also relates to a method for performing said freezing.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for preparing a foodstuff, in particular a high-viscosity or particle-containing foodstuff, such as in particular a starch-containing and/or gelatine-containing dairy product, which dairy product may contain grains of rice or pieces of fruit. The method uses a cooler for cooling the foodstuff. The cooler comprises an inlet and an outlet for the foodstuff and a first and a second cooler body. At least one of the cooler bodies is provided with coolants. The first and the second cooler body delimit a product-cooling space, into which the foodstuff that is to be cooled can flow, the inlet and the outlet being in communication with one another via the product-cooling space. The cooler is a cooling tank, of which the first cooler body is an outermost cylindrical cooler body and the second cooler body is an innermost cylindrical cooler body, which outermost cylindrical cooler body and innermost cylindrical cooler body are arranged substantially concentrically with respect to a centre axis, so that the cross section of the product cooling space is substantially annular. The external diameter of the innermost cylindrical cooler body is larger than the diameter of the inlet of the cooling tank.
Abstract:
A process for dry coating a food particle having a size in the range from about 0.5 mm to about 20.0 mm is disclosed. The resulting coated food particle has a moisture level that is substantially the same as the moisture level of the uncoated food particle. A process for encapsulating a frozen liquid particle having a size in the range from 5 micrometers to 5 millimeters with a liquid coating material is also disclosed. Also disclosed are coated food particles and encapsulate frozen liquid particles made by one of the processes of the invention.