Abstract:
A method for producing sterile solution-filled containers includes positioning a cartridge onto a filling machine. The cartridge includes a plurality of containers (26), a filter assembly (34), and a connection line 46 in fluid communication with the filter assembly. Each of the plurality of containers includes a volume and a stem in fluid communication with the volume and in fluid communication with the connection line. The method includes coupling the cartridge to a feed line in fluid communication with a mix tank, activating a pump coupled to the feed line, and at least partially filling one or more of the volumes associated with the plurality of containers by pumping fluid through the feed line, the filter assembly, and the connection line to create one or more at least partially filled containers. Further, the method includes sealing and separating each of the filled and sealed containers from the connection line.
Abstract:
The invention relates to chemical and pharmaceutical industry, in particular to technologies of obtaining sterile drugs, drug substances and cosmetic products used in the form of solutions or emulsions, and comprising poloxamer. The thermal method for sterilizing aqueous poloxamer solutions is provided, the method including: dissolving a poloxamer in water for injection; performing the sterilizing filtration of the aqueous poloxamer solution simultaneously with filling sterile containers with the filtered poloxamer solution; sealing the containers containing the poloxamer solution; applying a thermal sterilization with steam under pressure to the containers containing the poloxamer solution, and cooling them, wherein the thermal sterilization of the containers containing the poloxamer solution with steam under pressure is performed under the pressure between 82.4 and 107.8 kPa.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for reducing pathogens in successive pre-measured units of a flowable food product without substantially increasing the head height requirement of a feed production system. A plurality of containers are moved about a path within a housing. The path has a plurality of stations, such as a receiving station, one or more sanitizing stations, and a dispensing station, and a container cleaning station. A pre-measured unit of the flowable food product is received at the receiving station into a container. The pre-measured unit of the flowable food product is exposed to one or more sanitizing agents at one or more sanitizing stations. The pre-measured unit of the flowable food product is dispensed into the packaging device at the dispensing station. The containers are then cleaned at the container cleaning station to prepare each container to receive a subsequent pre-quantified unit of the flowable feed product.
Abstract:
A controlled environment enclosure comprises a robotic arm manipulation system used to protect and unprotect a fluid path and a swab within the controlled environment enclosure. The apparatus allows the fluid path to be protected against dangerous decontamination vapors and chemicals before the controlled environment enclosure is decontaminated. The apparatus allows the fluid path to be unprotected without the use of gloves or other means that degrade the integrity of the controlled environment enclosure when decontamination is completed. The apparatus and method allow for the protecting, unprotecting and decontaminating sequences to be automated. In some embodiments the fluid path comprises a fill needle that can removably and aseptically be sealed with a disposable monolithic injection moulded polymeric fill needle sheath. The apparatus and method further allow for the use of a swab disposed in a swab holder that is aseptically and removably sealable to a swab cap to protect the swab against decontamination vapors.
Abstract:
A system for packaging a low acid Liquid is provided herein, The system includes feeding unit configured to feed the low acid liquid into a filtration unit. The filtration unit is configured to filter the low acid liquid by using a number or pores provided on a micro sieve membrane. Further, the filtered low acid liquid is provided to an aseptic buffer unit configured to fill the aseptic filtered low acid liquid into packaging containers. The system further includes an automatic cleaning in place unit configured to automatically clean the feeding unit, the filtration unit and the aseptic buffer unit by decontamination using a decontaminating material.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for sterilization in which items to be sterilized are placed in an impervious sealable package and the sterilization process is carried out within the package. The apparatus (10) includes a cabinet (18) in which a package (P) preferably with a carrier (11) located within, can be positioned. A snorkel (17) is inserted into the package (P) and via connector (23) vacuum, pressure and sterilant can be applied to the interior of the package (P). A sealing arrangement (14b, 22b) can seal the package closed after the sterilization process has been completed.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for producing a heterogeneous food in a continuous aseptic thermal process is disclosed herein. The invention involves the combining of two streams of aseptically processed components of a final heterogeneous food product such as potato soup, yogurt or the like. One of the streams is a homogeneous component of the final product and the other stream is a heterogeneous component. The invention involves aseptically processing both streams, then using the homogeneous component or carrier fluid, to partially cool the heterogeneous food product. The invention allows for the holding of the heterogeneous component for a predetermined residence time at a predetermined temperature as set by FDA regulations. The final product may be packaged on an aseptic packaging machine.
Abstract:
The system (1) of activation of packaging machines, comprising: - at least one packaging machine (2) provided with packaging means (7, 8, 9, 10) adapted to package at least one product (3) and command means (4) configured to control the operation of the packaging means (7, 8, 9, 10) to package the product (3); - activation means (5, 6, 11, 12, 13) of the command means (4) between at least one home configuration, in which the command means (4) are deactivated, thus preventing the operation of the packaging means (7, 8, 9, 10) and at least one working configuration, in which the command means (4) are activated, thus allowing the operation of the packaging means (7, 8, 9, 10); wherein the activation means (5, 6, 11, 12, 13) comprise at least one activation device (5) connectable in a removable manner to the packaging machine (2) to activate the command means (4) between the home configuration and the working configuration.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for treating unwashed fruit with fruit bloom that provide a first ultraviolet (UV) energy with one or more flashes using a first set of one or more flash lamps to a first surface of each of a plurality of blueberries and provide a second UV energy with one or more flashes using a second set of one or more flash lamps to a second surface of each of the plurality of blueberries. The system determines a fruit bloom level associated with the plurality of blueberries after provision of the first and second UV energies and determines an adjustment to a parameter of at least one of the first and second UV energies based on the fruit bloom level. The system provides UV energy with the adjusted parameter to a subsequent set of blueberries to remove microorganisms from the blueberries while retaining fruit bloom.
Abstract:
The system of the invention involves monitoring and controlling in a sterilizable environment the peeling of a cover from a tub sealed by the cover. The system and associated method employs a platform having a fiducial source locating structure for holding the tub, a cover removal station disposed to engage with the cover and to peel the cover from the tub. The container assembly for holding nested pharmaceutical container parts comprises a bottom, a top lip that provides a horizontal top sealing surface that has a peripheral outline, and sidewalls located between the bottom and the top lip, a peelable container cover consisting of a sheet of flexible material sealed to the sealing surface of the top lip of the rectangular container to seal the contents of the container, and a cover removal fixture on the container cover.