APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PHYSICALLY MANIPULATING MATERIALS TO REDUCE MICROBE CONTENT

• US 20020017203A1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empirical Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Freezing Machines, Inc.
• Inventors: ROTH, ELDON
• Granted Patent: US 6,565,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/484
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/00 General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/06 Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/066 the materials not being transported through or in the apparatus with or without shaping, e.g. in the form of powder, granules or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/08 with addition of chemicals or treatment with chemicals before or during cooling , e.g. in the form of an ice coating or frozen block
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/16 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/20 Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/24 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/015 by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/36 Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/363 the materials not being transported through or in the apparatus with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules, or flakes

Abstract

A manipulating apparatus (10) receives a plurality of previously frozen pieces of foodstuffs or workpieces (23) and physically manipulates or stresses the workpieces while they remain at least partially in a frozen state. The physical manipulation causes relative movement between various points within the volume of the workpieces (23) and kills microbes within the foodstuff. The treatment process may include physically manipulating the foodstuff in multiple cycles to enhance microbe kill.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing microbe content in foodstuffs, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a freezer for cooling a foodstuff to a process temperature no greater than the freezing point of the foodstuff; and

(b) a manipulating arrangement for manipulating the foodstuff within a working area, the manipulation producing relative movement between points within the volume of the foodstuff while the foodstuff remains within a temperature range comprising temperatures no greater than the freezing point of the foodstuff.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) a manipulator temperature control system for controlling the temperature of the surfaces of the manipulating arrangement which come in contact with the foodstuff.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the foodstuff comprises a pH modified foodstuff and further comprising:

(a) a pH modifying arrangement for modifying the pH of an initial foodstuff to produce the pH modified foodstuff.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pH modifying arrangement includes a supply of pH increasing material and an application device within which the initial foodstuff is exposed to the pH increasing material for a period of time sufficient to raise the pH of the foodstuff.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pH increasing material comprises NH₃ gas.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process temperature is no greater than approximately 28 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the freezing device operates to bring the foodstuff from an initial temperature over the freezing point of the foodstuff to no greater than 28 degrees Fahrenheit in no more than thirty minutes.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the manipulating arrangement comprises:

(a) a first roller;

(b) a second roller having a rotational axis substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the first roller, the second roller being spaced apart from the first roller such that the clearance between the first roller and second roller is less than an initial thickness of the foodstuff so that the foodstuff is compressed and allowed to expand laterally as the foodstuff is drawn between the first roller and second roller.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

(a) a plurality of spaced apart, longitudinal ridges formed on at least one of the first roller and second roller.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the foodstuff is formed into a plurality of workpieces and the manipulating arrangement comprises:

(a) a first plate in a spaced apart relationship with a second plate, the area between the first and second plates defining the working area and being adapted to contain a plurality of the workpieces with voids there between said workpieces; and

(b) an actuator system for decreasing the distance between the first plate and second plate to manipulate the workpieces contained there between.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

(a) a forming device for receiving the foodstuff and producing a plurality of the workpieces, each workpiece comprising a discrete piece of foodstuff.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each workpiece has an initial thickness no greater than approximately 0.25 inches.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the manipulating arrangement comprises:

(a) a grinder having an auger which compresses the foodstuff against a grinder screen, and further having a cutting surface driven repeatedly over the grinder screen.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the foodstuff comprises a pH modified foodstuff, and further comprising the step of:

(a) modifying the pH of an initial foodstuff to be processed to produce the pH modified foodstuff.

16. The process of claim 15 further comprising the step of forming the pH modified foodstuff into at least one workpiece.

17. The process of claim 14 further comprising the step of cooling the pH modified foodstuff to a process temperature comprising a temperature no greater than the freezing point of the foodstuff.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein the step of cooling the pH modified foodstuff to the process temperature comprises bringing the foodstuff from an initial temperature over the freezing point of the foodstuff to no greater than approximately 28 degrees Fahrenheit in no more than thirty minutes.

19. The process of claim 17 further comprising the step of blending the pH modified material prior to cooling pH modified foodstuff to the process temperature.

20. The process of claim 17 wherein the foodstuff is maintained in a temperature range from approximately twenty degrees Fahrenheit to approximately twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit while manipulating the foodstuff, and further comprising the step of:

(a) cooling the pH modified foodstuff to a temperature no greater than approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit after manipulating the foodstuff.

21. The process of claim 20 wherein the step of cooling the pH modified foodstuff to a temperature no greater than approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit is performed in no less than approximately twenty-four hours.

22. The process of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

(a) maintaining the temperature of the foodstuff in a temperature range from approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit to approximately twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit;

(b) manipulating the foodstuff in a second manipulation while the foodstuff is maintained within the temperature range from approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit to approximately twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, the second manipulation producing relative movement between points within the foodstuff.

23. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

(a) controlling the temperature of surfaces which come in contact with the foodstuff when the foodstuff is manipulated.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of modifying the pH of the initial foodstuff to be processed to produce the pH modified foodstuff comprises:

(a) placing the initial foodstuff to be processed in contact with NH₃ gas.

25. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

(a) increasing the pressure on the foodstuff as the foodstuff is manipulated to cause at least a portion of the foodstuff to go to an un-frozen state as the foodstuff is manipulated; and

(b) placing back in a frozen state that portion of the foodstuff which went to an un-frozen state as the foodstuff was manipulated.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the foodstuff is maintained in a temperature range from approximately twenty degrees Fahrenheit to approximately twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit while manipulating the foodstuff, and further comprising the step of:

(a) cooling the foodstuff to a temperature no greater than approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit after manipulating the foodstuff.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein the step of cooling the foodstuff to a temperature no greater than approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit is performed in no less than approximately twenty-four hours.

28. The process of claim 26 further comprising the steps of:

(a) maintaining the temperature of the foodstuff to a temperature range from approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit to approximately twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit;

(b) manipulating the foodstuff in a second manipulation while the foodstuff is maintained within the temperature range from approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit to approximately twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, the second manipulation producing relative movement between points within the foodstuff.

14. A process for decreasing live microbe content in a foodstuff, the process comprising:

(a) manipulating the foodstuff while the foodstuff is maintained within a temperature range comprising temperatures no greater than the freezing point of the foodstuff, the manipulation producing relative movement between points within the foodstuff.