Process and equipment for sanitizing and packaging food using ozone
First Claim
1. A device for mixing ozone with a carrier fluid for use in reducing the microbial content of food, comprising:
- venturi nozzle including an outlet and two inlets;
a blender, said outlet of said venturi nozzle being connected to said blender; and
a source of liquid cryogenic carrier fluid and a source of ozone connected to the venturi nozzle via said inlets such that delivery of said liquid cryogenic carrier fluid to said venturi nozzle creates a vacuum which is sufficient to draw ozone at or near atmospheric pressure into said venturi nozzle.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and processes are described for sanitizing a food product with ozone gas. The ozone gas is generated using a low pressure, low volume ozone gas generator and is delivered to a fluid injector. The fluid injector receives high pressure carrier fluid from a carrier fluid source and causes the ozone to be entrained in a stream of carrier fluid. The entrainment is created by passing the carrier fluid through a venturi diffuser inside the injector which creates a negative pressure in the sanitizing fluid line, thus drawing the sanitizing fluid into the carrier fluid and creating a highly homogenized fluid jet. The fluid jet is then injected into a container which contains a food product to be sanitized by the ozone. The container may also be provided with a mixing paddle to vigorously mix the food product while the ozone/carrier fluid jet is injected into the food product, which further ensures that the food product is contacted with sanitizing ozone gas. The container can be sealed to be pressurized by the ozone/carrier fluid jet by selective opening and closing of a vent. The ozone/carrier fluid jet may also be selectively humidified before injection into the container.
107 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A device for mixing ozone with a carrier fluid for use in reducing the microbial content of food, comprising:
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venturi nozzle including an outlet and two inlets; a blender, said outlet of said venturi nozzle being connected to said blender; and a source of liquid cryogenic carrier fluid and a source of ozone connected to the venturi nozzle via said inlets such that delivery of said liquid cryogenic carrier fluid to said venturi nozzle creates a vacuum which is sufficient to draw ozone at or near atmospheric pressure into said venturi nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A device for reducing the microbial content of a product comprising:
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a container including an interior space for containing said product; mixing means in said interior space, wherein when a product is contained in said interior space said mixing means is capable of mixing said product; a first injector including a fluid lumen in fluid communication with said interior space, a first inlet for connection to a source of pressurized carrier fluid, and a second inlet; means for generating a sanitizing gas at a first pressure in fluid communication with said second inlet; wherein said injector is capable of delivering said sanitizing gas through said fluid lumen to said interior space when a source of pressurized carrier fluid is in fluid communication with said first inlet; and whereby when a product is contained in said container, said injector is capable of delivering sanitizing gas to said interior space in an amount effective to sanitize said product; a source of carrier fluid at a second pressure higher than said first pressure in fluid communication with said injector first inlet; and wherein said high pressure carrier fluid is a liquid cryogenic fluid selected from the group consisting of CO2, N2, and mixtures thereof. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification