Method of processing food products

• US 6,447,827 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cabinplant International AS (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cabinplant International AS (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Andersen, Jørgen
• Primary Examiner(s): YEUNG, GEORGE CHAN PUI
• Application Number:
  US09/828,443
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 426/231, 426/510, 426/511, 426/523, 426/524, 993/25, 994/68, 994/70, 994/74
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/07 Thawing subsequent to freezing
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 17/00 Food-from-the-sea products; Fish products; Fish meal; Fish-egg substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/365 Thawing subsequent to freezing
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/13 using water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/17 in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of processing fish in a food processing unit (72), which method comprises the following steps: thawing (44, 62) during a thawing period by ejecting steam and water within the food processing unit (72) while continuously re-circulating air, cooking (46, 64) during a cooking period by firstly discontinuing ejecting water while continuing ejecting steam into the food processing unit, and secondly re-circulating air to maintain the ambient temperature at a predetermined temperature, cooling (48, 66) during a cooling period by discontinuing ejecting steam while ejecting water and continuously re-circulating exterior air communicated to the food processing unit (72). The food processing unit (72) is calibrated for determining the duration of the thawing, cooking, and cooling periods by using a temperature sensitive device to measure a core temperature of the fish and to establish the duration of the three periods according to the core temperature.

Claims

1. A method of processing a food product in a food processing unit defining an interior space having an ambient temperature and a relative humidity controllable by said food processing unit, and comprising the steps of:

(a) thawing said food product during a thawing period by inserting said food product in said interior space of said food processing unit and ejecting steam and water into said interior space while continuously re-circulating air within said interior space so as to increase said ambient temperature to a first temperature and said relative humidity to a pre-set relative humidity value;

(b) cooking said food product in said interior space of said food processing unit during a cooking period by first discontinuing ejecting water into said interior space while continuing ejecting steam into said interior space so as to increase said ambient temperature from said first temperature to a second temperature, and secondly, as said ambient temperature reaches said second temperature, recirculating air within said interior space to maintain said ambient temperature at said second temperature;

(c) cooling said food product in said interior space of said food processing unit during a cooling period by discontinuing ejecting steam into said interior space while ejecting water into said interior space and continuously re-circulating exterior air within said interior space communicated from outside of said interior space so as to decrease said ambient temperature to a third temperature; and

(d) calibrating said food processing unit by determining the duration of said thawing period, the duration of said cooking period and the duration of said cooling period by utilizing temperature sensitive means measuring a core temperature of said food product and establishing said duration of said thawing period, said duration of said cooking period and said duration of cooling period according to said core temperature of said food product so as to terminate said thawing when said core temperature reaches a predetermined first core temperature, terminate said cooking when said core temperature reaches a predetermined second core temperature and terminate said cooling when said core temperature reaches a predetermined third core temperature;

so as to establish an interior environment in said interior space enabling energy transfer between said food product and said interior environment while limiting dehydration of said food product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein thawing, cooking and cooling are performed as a continuous sequence so as to achieve low energy consumption of said food processing unit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said food product is selected from the group consisting of diary products, vegetable products, fruit products, poultry products, meat products, fish products, and any combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said interior space of said food processing unit defines a single compartment for receiving said food product and for sequentially performing said thawing, said cooking and said cooling of said food product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said interior space of said food processing unit defines a plurality of compartments for sequentially receiving said food product and for performing said thawing, said cooking and said cooling of the food product in separate compartments.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said pre-set relative humidity value is defined in a relative humidity range between 80% and 100%, wherein said first temperature is defined in a temperature range between 30°

C. and 50°

C., wherein said second temperature is defined in a temperature range between 90°

C. and 100°

C., and wherein said third temperature is defined in a temperature range between 15°

C. and 35°

C., all temperatures measured at normal atmospheric pressure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined first core temperature terminating said thawing period is in a temperature range between −

5°

C. and +5°

C., said predetermined second core temperature terminating said cooking period is in a temperature range between 40°

C. and 70°

C., and said predetermined third core temperature terminating said cooling period is in a temperature range between 10°

C. and 40°

C.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said thawing period is in a range between 20 and 500 minutes, said cooking period is in a range between 10 and 200 minutes, and said cooling period is in a range between 40 and 400 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises monitoring of air pressure in said interior space by utilizing pressure sensor means for measuring said air pressure and providing a pressure signal, monitoring of said ambient temperature of said interior space by utilizing interior temperature sensor means, for measuring said ambient temperature and providing a temperature signal, and controlling said air pressure and said ambient temperature of said interior space by utilizing computing means for receiving said pressure signal and said temperature signal during said thawing period, said cooking period and said cooling period by operating controllable valves ejecting steam and water into said interior space and by operating a controllable fan to circulate air within said interior space.

10. A plant for processing a food product in a food processing unit defining an interior space having an ambient temperature and a relative humidity controllable by said food processing unit and comprising:

(a) a casing for thawing said food product during a thawing period by inserting said food product in an interior space of said casing and ejecting steam and water into said interior space while continuously re-circulating air within said interior space so as to increase said ambient temperature to a first temperature and said relative humidity to a pre-set relative humidity value, for cooking said food product in said interior space during a cooking period by first discontinuing ejecting water into said interior space while continuing ejecting steam into said interior space so as to increase said ambient temperature from said first temperature to a second temperature, and secondly as said ambient temperature reaches said second temperature re-circulating air within said interior space to maintain said ambient temperature at said second temperature, and for cooling said food product in said interior space during a cooling period by discontinuing ejecting steam into said interior space while ejecting water into said interior space and continuously re-circulating exterior air within said interior space communicated from outside of said interior space so as to decrease said ambient temperature to a third temperature;

(b) steam generating means for generating and communicating steam to said interior space during said thawing and said cooking of said food product;

(c) sprinkling means for generating and communicating a water mist to said interior space during said thawing and said cooling of said food product;

(d) ventilating means for re-circulating air within said interior space and for circulating exterior air inside said interior space during said thawing, said cooking and said cooling of said food product;

(e) controllable valve means for controlling the flow of steam and water to said steam generating means, communicating steam to said interior space and to said sprinkling means, and communicating said water mist to said interior space;

(f) a control unit for controlling said steam generating means, said sprinkling means, said ventilating means and said controllable valve means during said thawing, said cooking and said cooling periods of said food processing unit and said control unit calibrated by determining the duration of said thawing period, the duration of said cooking period and the duration of said cooling period by utilizing temperature sensitive means for measuring a core temperature of said food product, and establishing said duration of said thawing period, said duration of said cooking period and said duration of cooling period according to said core temperature of said food product so as to terminate said thawing when said core temperature reaches a predetermined first core temperature, terminate said cooking when said core temperature reaches a predetermined second core temperature and terminate said cooling when said core temperature reaches a predetermined third core temperature, so as to establish an interior environment in said interior space enabling energy transfer between said food product and said interior environment while limiting dehydration of said food product.

11. A plant for processing a food product in a food processing unit controlling ambient temperature and relative humidity within said food processing unit and comprising:

(a) a first station for thawing said food product during a thawing period by inserting said food product in a first interior space of said first station and ejecting steam and water into said first interior space while continuously re-circulating air within said first interior space so as to maintain ambient temperature of said first interior space at a first temperature and relative humidity of said first interior space at a pre-set relative humidity value;

(b) a second station for cooking said food product in a second interior space during a cooking period by inserting said food product in said second interior space, ejecting steam into said second interior space and re-circulating air within said second interior space so as to maintain the ambient temperature of said second interior space at a second temperature;

(c) a third station for cooling said food product in a third interior space during a cooling period by inserting said food product in said third interior space, ejecting water into said third interior space and continuously re-circulating exterior air within said third interior space communicated from outside of the food processing unit so as to decrease the ambient temperature to a third temperature;

(d) steam generating means for generating and communicating steam to said first and second interior spaces during said thawing and said cooking of said food product;

(e) sprinkling means for generating and communicating a water mist to said first and third interior spaces during said thawing and said cooling of said food product;

(f) ventilating means for re-circulating air within said interior space and for circulating exterior air inside said first, second and third interior spaces during said thawing, said cooking and said cooling of said food product;

(g) controllable valve means for controlling the flow of steam and water to said steam generating means, communicating steam to said first and second interior space and to said sprinkling means, and communicating said water mist to said first and third interior spaces, and

(h) a control unit for controlling said steam generating means, said sprinkling means, said ventilating means and said controllable valve means during said thawing, said cooking and said cooling periods of said food processing unit and said control unit calibrated by determining the duration of said thawing period, the duration of said cooking period and the duration of said cooling period by utilizing temperature sensitive means for measuring a core temperature of said food product and establishing said duration of said thawing period, duration of said cooking period and said duration of cooling period according to said core temperature of said food product so as to terminate said thawing when said core temperature reaches a predetermined first core temperature, terminate said cooking when said core temperature reaches a predetermined second core temperature and terminate said cooling when said core temperature reaches a predetermined third core temperature, so as to establish an interior environment in said food processing unit enabling energy transfer between said food product and said interior environment while limiting dehydration of said food product.