Solid sterilizing method and sterilizer thereof

Abstract

Providing a method for sterilizing a solid material, by which the solid material can continuously be treated in prescribed portions. A plurality of pressure containers 3 are sequentially transferred from a prescribed charging portion 12 to a discharging portion 13 in an aseptic region Z1. In the charging portion 12, the prescribed number of holders 8 each receiving a prescribed amount of the solid material are inserted into each pressure container 3, and each pressure container 3 is then closed. A treatment for sterilizing the solid material 10 is carried out in each pressure container 3, while each pressure container 3 is transferred from the charging portion to the discharging portion. In the discharging portion 13, each pressure container 3 is opened, and the holders 8 and the solid material 10 are taken out from the pressure container 3. Each empty pressure 3 is returned from the discharging portion 13 to the charging portion 12.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sterilizing solid matter contained in processed food contained in a container by directly contacting a heating medium such as steam. Background technique [0002] Conventionally, as a method of sterilizing processed food, an indirect heat sterilization method in which processed food is packaged and sealed, and the bag is placed in a retort to sterilize the contents by high-temperature heating has been used. However, in the method of indirect sterilization by bag, since both the liquid component and the solid are heated under the same condition and are sterilized according to the heat transfer of the liquid component to the center of the solid gradually, there is a variation in the sterilization time. Long, solid and liquid components are overheated to change the flavor and other issues. [0003] Therefore, various direct heat sterilization methods in which solid objects are directly sterilize...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, it is difficult to hermetically separate the inside of a single processing tank in multiple processing chambers, and it is difficult to transport the cups inside the processing tank because the inside of the processing tank is exposed to a vacuum and high temperature environment.

Therefore, even in the apparatus of this publication, the processing tank itself is rocked into a seesaw shape and the cup is transported, but it is difficult to actually use this type of mechanism as a practical problem.

Images