Apparatus and methods for cooling and tempering processed food products

• US 5,816,053 A
• Filed: 05/08/1997
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cloverdale Foods Co.
• Original Assignee: Cloverdale Foods Co.
• Inventors: Huether, Larry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/855,708
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 62/62, 62/65, 62/177, 62/180, 62/186, 62/190, 62/231, 62/93, 276/78 B
• US Class Current: 62/65
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/00 General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
• 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: A23L 3/00 Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs preserving foods or foodstuffs in association with packaging B65B55/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 13/067 with circulation of gaseous cooling fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for cooling and tempering bacon slabs supported upon wheeled trucks (24) which can be rolled on the floor (14) inside a cooler (12) includes an evaporator (26) having multiple fans (34) for moving air through refrigerated coils (32) and in the cooler (12). Moisture collecting on the refrigerated coils (32) drops into a drain pan (30) and is drained through pipes (38) outside the cooler (12). The fans (34) are alternately rotated in opposite directions for equal time segments and baffles (40) are provided inside of the cooler (12) to assure uniform air chilling. A controller (46) operates the evaporator (26) so that the air inside of the cooler (12) is cooled to a temperature less than the internal product temperature which is greater than freezing and specifically in the preferred form at a desired temperature differential of 20° F. (11° C.) until an intermediate internal product temperature is reached. Then the evaporator (26) maintains the air temperature inside the cooler (12) below the final internal product temperature until the final internal product temperature is reached when the air is then maintained in the cooler (12) at the final internal product temperature.

Claims

1. Method for cooling and tempering processed food products to a final internal temperature in a period of time comprising the steps of:

introducing the processed food products into a cooler, with the introduced processed food products having an initial internal temperature greater than the final internal temperature;

cooling the air within the cooler at a temperature differential slightly below the internal temperature of the processed food products with the cooled air resulting in heat transfer from the processed food products to the cooled air resulting in a reduced internal temperature;

maintaining the air at the temperature differential until the processed food products have an intermediate internal temperature;

then maintaining the air in the cooler at the temperature differential at the intermediate internal temperature until the processed food products have the final internal temperature; and

then cooling the air within the cooler at the final internal temperature for a time necessary to create tempering of the processed food products.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cooling steps include the step of eliminating moisture from the cooler.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the intermediate internal temperature is greater than the final internal temperature.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the cooling steps include the step of moving the air around baffles in the cooler.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the moving step comprises the step of alternately moving the air in the cooler in a first direction and an opposite direction for equal time segments, with the period of time being a multiple of the time segments.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the cooling steps include the step of alternately moving the air in the cooler in a first direction and an opposite direction for equal time segments, with the period of time being a multiple of the time segments.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the cooling steps include the step of moving the air past a refrigerated coil;

and wherein the eliminating step comprises the steps of;

collecting moisture as droplets on the refrigerated coil, dropping the droplets into a drain pan located below the refrigerated coil, and draining the droplets dropping into the drain pan to outside the cooler.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the cooling steps include the step of moving the air past a refrigerated coil;

and wherein the eliminating step comprises the steps of;

collecting moisture as droplets on the refrigerated coil, dropping the droplets into a drain pan located below the refrigerated coil, and draining the droplets dropping into the drain pan to outside the cooler.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of cooling the air at the temperature differential comprises the step of cooling the air at a temperature in the order of 20°

F. (11°

C.) less than the internal temperature of the processed food products.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of cooling the air at the final internal temperature comprises the step of cooling the air at a temperature in the order of 24°

F. (-4.5°

C.).

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of maintaining the air at the temperature differential at the intermediate internal temperature comprises the step of maintaining the air at a temperature in the order of 18°

F. (-7.8°

C.).

12. Method for cooling and tempering processed food products to a final internal temperature in a period of time comprising the steps of:

introducing the processed food products into a cooler, with the introduced processed food products having an initial internal temperature greater than the final internal temperature;

alternately rotating at least one fan about an axis in a first direction and an opposite direction for equal time segments for moving the air in the cooler, with the period of time being a multiple of the time segments; and

cooling the air within the cooler for a first portion of time to a temperature less than the internal temperature which is greater than a temperature for freezing the processed food products, with the first portion of time being less than the period of time; and

cooling the air within the cooler for a second portion of time after the first portion of time to a temperature less than or equal to the final internal temperature, with the same of the first and second portions of time being equal to the period of time.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

eliminating moisture from within the cooler while the air is being cooled.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of cooling the air within the second portion of time comprises the steps of cooling the air within the cooler for a first subportion of time to a temperature less than the final internal temperature and then cooling the air within the cooler after the first subportion of time to a temperature equal to the final internal temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of moving the air around baffles in the cooler.