Extraction method and apparatus of juice and/or puree, in particular from partially or completely frozen vegetables

Abstract

A rotating machine operated along an axis (3a) by a motor (3), for extraction at room temperature of puree or juice from animal or vegetable food, comprises an inlet duct (1) where the animal or vegetable food (2) is loaded, for example fruit or vegetables, conveyed by a feeding screw conveyor not shown. The food pulps of the products (2) are loaded in frozen condition and enter then a shredding section comprising an armature (4) rotatable at a high speed in a stator (5) where the product is subjected to pressure pulses in quick succession by the movement of the frozen product (2) between the armature (4) and the stator (5), which have inner surfaces that are facing each other and have protrusions and recesses in order to apply to frozen food pulps also a strong friction. This way, there is a significant transformation of the mechanical energy into thermal energy that assists partial defrosting (at least 10%) of the product, obtaining a desired, temperature course of the product at least up to the end of the extraction with respect to the defrosting temperature (T*) of the product, which can be 00C or even less, a fluid material is obtained that has the consistency of a puree even if it contains still small frozen parts that are sized like the holes of a sieve. On the external wall of the stator (5) thermal power can be applied contemporaneously to the pressure pulses, in order to heat the inner surface of the stator (5) or the rotor (4), by applying vapour or by means of electric resistance.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the food industry, in particular, the present invention relates to the extraction of fruit juice and fruit puree in plant food or animal food. [0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a method for optimizing the extraction efficiency of purees or juices in said food products. [0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a machine for carrying out the method. Background technique [0004] It is well known that there is a variety of types of rotary machines, especially milling machines and refiners, for extracting juices and purees, mainly from vegetable foodstuffs of fruits and vegetables and from animal foodstuffs of meat and fish. [0005] As a rule, the product to be processed is softened or chopped more or less finely beforehand in a first step in order to be subsequently placed in the extraction machine in a second step. The extraction machines of the prior art consist essentially of a stationary...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Even in this case, there is the problem that the inevitable heating at higher temperatures has to be carried out as late as possible before the extraction, until the aforementioned fresh product is brought to room temperature, in order to delay the enzymatic phenomena to the greatest extent possible.

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