Claims
- 1. A process for the aseptic preparation of a liquid or jelled food product containing a fraction of reconstituting water and a fraction of concentrate comprising the steps of:
- introducing into a mixing chamber having an adjustable volume a flow of superheated water and a flow of concentrate to form an aseptic reconstituted liquid or jelled food product;
- removing reconstituted food product from said mixing chamber as the reconstituted food product is formed;
- interrupting the flow of superheated water and the flow of concentrate in said mixing chamber for a period of time;
- reducing the volume of said mixing chamber from a preset volume during said period of time in such a manner as to reduce possible degradation of the reconstituted product and to avoid loss of or reacquire aseptic conditions when the flow of superheated water and concentrate is resumed; and
- subsequently resuming the flow of superheated water and the flow of concentrate into said mixing chamber and simultaneously increasing the volume of said mixing chamber back to said preset volume.
- 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said superheated water is deaerated prior to its introduction into said mixing chamber.
- 3. A process according to claim 1 wherein said mixing chamber is defined as a space between a hollow outer tubular member having a tapered end forming a tip with an aperture therein through which reconstituted food product can flow and a coaxially arranged inner tubular member having a tapered end whose shape matches the shape of the outer tubular member, said inner tubular member being coupled to a piston within said outer tubular member for movement along the longitudinal axis of said inner and outer tubular members whereby the volume of said mixing chamber is a function of the proximity of the tapered section of the inner tubular member to the tapered section of the outer tubular member.
- 4. A process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of heating reconstituting water prior to introducing the reconstituting water into the mixing chamber with reconstituted food product removed from the mixing chamber in a heat exchanger.
- 5. A process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of flushing the mixing chamber with water after reducing the volume of the mixing chamber during said period of time.
- 6. The process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of lowering a temperature in the mixing chamber during said period of time between the steps of interrupting the flow of superheated water and subsequently resuming the flow of superheated water.
- 7. The process according to claim 6 wherein the temperature is lowered sufficiently to abate product degradation in the mixing chamber during said period of time.
- 8. The process according to claim 7 wherein the temperature is lowered sufficiently to preclude product degradation in the mixing chamber during said period of time.
- 9. The process according to claim 7 further comprising the step of raising the temperature in the mixing chamber after the step of lowering a temperature and prior to the step of subsequently resuming the flow of superheated water.
- 10. The process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of flushing the mixing chamber with water during the step of reducing the volume of the mixing chamber and prior to the step of resuming the flow of concentrate into the mixing chamber.
- 11. A process for the aseptic preparation of a liquid or jelled food product containing a fraction of reconstituting water and a fraction of concentrate comprising the steps of:
- introducing into a mixing chamber, having an adjustable volume and a certain temperature which creates an aseptic condition therein, a flow of superheated water and a flow of concentrate to form an aseptic reconstituted liquid or jelled food product;
- removing reconstituted food product from said mixing chamber as the reconstituted food product is formed;
- interrupting the flow of superheated water and the flow concentrate in said mixing chamber for a period of time;
- reducing the volume of said mixing chamber from a preset volume during said period of time in such a manner as to reduce possible degradation of the reconstituted product and to avoid loss of or reacquire aseptic conditions when the flow of superheated water and concentrate is resumed;
- controlling the temperature of the mixing chamber during said period of time to maintain or reattain said aseptic condition; and
- subsequently resuming the flow of superheated water and the flow of concentrate into said mixing chamber and simultaneously increasing the volume of said mixing chamber back to said preset volume.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 07/675,778 filed Mar. 27, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,713.
US Referenced Citations (27)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2606598 |
May 1988 |
FRX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
675778 |
Mar 1991 |
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