Apparatus and methods for pasteurizing in-shell eggs
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A process for pasteurizing in-shell eggs, comprising enveloping at least one stack of a plurality of layers of said eggs in at least one heated fluid until said eggs are pasteurized by transferring heat from said fluid to said eggs without substantially impairing functionality of said eggs.
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Abstract
An apparatus, a method and a flat for pasteurizing a plurality of layers of in-shell eggs without substantially impairing the functionality of the in-shell eggs. The apparatus includes a fluid bath, heat exchangers, a means for vertically perturbating the entire surface of in-shell eggs loosely held in a plurality of flats forming at least one stack thereof.
53 Citations
41 Claims
- 1. A process for pasteurizing in-shell eggs, comprising enveloping at least one stack of a plurality of layers of said eggs in at least one heated fluid until said eggs are pasteurized by transferring heat from said fluid to said eggs without substantially impairing functionality of said eggs.
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9. A process for pasteurizing in-shell eggs, comprising:
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immersing and holding at least one stack of a plurality of layers of said eggs in a first heated fluid until said eggs are substantially uniformly pre-heated throughout said at least one stack; and enveloping said at least one stack in a second heated fluid until said eggs are pasteurized by absorbing heat from said fluid, all without substantially impairing functionality of said eggs. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A flat for holding a layer of eggs, comprising:
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a plurality of raised contours projecting from a horizontal plane, said contours having a top and said contours being discontinuous to provide openings in said contours; a plurality of lower contours projecting from said horizontal plane spaced for accepting said plurality of raised contours from a vertically adjacent flat, whereby adjacent upper and lower contours of adjacent flats together form at least one cavity for loosely holding at least one egg; wherein said cavity is sufficiently open to allow bubbles to propagate through said cavity and along the entire surface of said at least one egg in said cavity when a pair of vertically adjacent said flats loosely holding at least one egg is immersed in a liquid bath; and wherein said cavity is sufficiently closed to prevent said at least one egg from escaping from the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus for pasteurizing in-shell eggs, comprising:
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means for immersing and holding at least one stack of a plurality of layers of said eggs in heated fluid until said eggs are substantially uniformly preheated throughout said at least one stack; and means for transporting said at least one stack through heated fluid until said eggs are pasteurized by absorbing heat from said fluid, all without substantially impairing functionality of said eggs. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. An apparatus for pasteurizing in-shell eggs, comprising:
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at least one bath for holding a heated fluid, said at least one bath having a receiving zone, a pre-heating zone, a heating zone, and an exit zone; a loader configured to load at least one stack of a plurality of layers of said eggs into said receiving zone; at least one conveyor configured to move said at least one stack from said receiving zone to said pre-heating zone, to move any eggs in said heating zone towards said exit zone, and to move pre-heated eggs from said pre-heating zone to said heating zone; and an unloader configured to remove eggs from said exit zone. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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Specification