Food processing system and method

Abstract

In one aspect, a food processing system is provided that includes a first flow line and a second flow line. The first flow line includes a mixer and a pump for pumping fluid from the mixer. The second flow line has a first conduit extending from the hopper containing solid particles to the rotary feeder and a second conduit extending from the rotary feeder to the first flow line.

Description

Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 407,499, filed September 9, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to food processing systems and, more particularly, to systems for metering particles into a flow. Background Art

[0003] Many food processing systems can include a processing flow path along which the food composition is transported for processing. For example, the food composition can be a flowable food composition that is pumped from a mixing system via a tube, a conduit, etc., and the food composition is sterilized by a sterilization system before packaging.

[0004] In some food processing applications, the processed food composition includes rigid particles or solids in the fluid. Over time, passing the rigid particles through the pump may cause damage to the pump, such as damaging the impeller, blades, screws, etc. used in the pump. Additionally, as the rigid particles are pumped through the pump, the pump may break the rigid particles into smaller fragments, which may be undesirable. In addition, as the rigid particles travel along the channel, the rigid particles easily gather together, which may cause the processing channel to become blocked or cause an undesirable flow profile.

[0005] In view of these and other problems, it would be desirable to have a system and method for metering particles into a food processing stream in a more controlled, consistent manner and with reduced damage to processing equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system including a first process line and a second process line.

[0007] Figure 2A yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the holding section of a food processing system.

[0008] Figure 2B According to another embodiment Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the holding section of a food processing system.

[0009] Figure 3 Includes a rotary feeder system Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the second process line of the food processing system.

[0010] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A front view of the second process pipeline.

[0011] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for processing a food component according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method for processing a food component according to another embodiment.

[0013] Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method for processing a food component according to another embodiment.

[0014] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a method for processing a food component according to another embodiment.

[0015] Fig. 9 A cross-sectional view of a mixing tank.

[0016] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 Top view of the interior of the mixing tank.

[0017] Fig.11 is a side view of one version of the inlet flow path to the rotary feeder.

[0018] Fig.12 is a cross-sectional view of a rotary feeder.

[0019] Fig.13 is used for Fig.12 A side view of one form of a rotary feeder blade. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present disclosure relates to systems, processing equipment and methods for transporting and combining food materials, processing fluids, etc. The present disclosure also relates to the distribution of other solid particles, such as markers, indicators, etc. for analyzing flow characteristics in systems, equipment and methods. As used herein, the term "flow path" generally refers to pipes, conduits, inlets, outlets and other related equipment used to transport solids, fluids, etc. It should be understood that the term "fluid" can include both liquids and gases. As used herein, the term "process pipeline" generally refers to a group and / or series of processing operations, equipment, etc. along one or more flow paths.

[0021] Reference Figure 1, a food processing system 100 is provided. The food processing system 100 includes a first process line 102 and a second process line 104. The first process line 102 includes a mixing tank 106, a pump 108, a processing section 109 (e.g., sterilization and / or heating section), a holding section 110 and a packaging section 112. Various flow paths can be used to interconnect components and be connected to additional flow paths. For example, a fluid channel or conduit extends between these elements so that one or more food components flow from the mixing tank 106 to the pump 108, to the processing section 109, to the holding section 110 and to the packaging section 112. More specifically, the food component flows from the mixing tank 106 to the pump 108 along a pipeline 113, flows from the pump 108 to the processing section along a pipeline 114, flows from the processing section 109 to the holding section 110 along a pipeline 117, and flows from the holding section 110 to the packaging section 112 along a pipeline 119. The conduit can be formed of a food-safe material that is easy to clean. In other forms, the food processing system 100 can have other configurations, such as those described below. Figure 5-8 The structures discussed.

[0022] The mixing tank 106 includes a container 116 for receiving a processing fluid, such as a food component to be processed and / or relatively fine particles. For example, the processing fluid in the mixing tank can be broth, sauce, water, starch slurry, oil, milk, cream, etc. For example, the particles received in the container 116 of the mixing tank 106 can have a maximum size (e.g., diameter) in the range of 3 mm to 25 mm. The container 116 can include a lower portion 118 having a funnel shape and / or gradually converging inwardly toward an outlet 120, which is connected to the pipeline 113 to guide the mixture from the container 116 to the pipeline 113. The mixing tank 106 can include an agitator or mixer 122 to mix the fluid and / or particles received in the container 116 together. The mixer 122 can include a mixing blade 124 coupled to a rotatable shaft 126. The mixer 122 may include a motor 128 that rotates a shaft to turn the mixing blades 124 to mix the fluids and / or particles together.

[0023] The mixture flows from the mixing tank 106 to the pump 108 through the pipeline 113. As an example, the pump 108 can be a twin screw pump, a piston pump, a rotary lobe pump, a sinusoidal lobe pump, or other positive displacement pumps operable to control the flow rate. The pump 108 can include an upstream end to extract the mixture from the mixing tank 106 and force the mixture along the first line 102 to the downstream end for processing. For example, the pump 108 pumps the mixture along a flow path such as the pipeline 114 toward the processing section 109. The outlet end 170 of the second process line 104, which will be discussed in detail below, is connected to the pipeline 114 between the pump 108 and the processing section 109 to inject particles into the mixture flow flowing out of the pump 108.

[0024] The processing section 109 can be a section of the processing system 100 where the mixture in the pipe is processed, such as heat treatment, sterilization, etc. For example, electromagnetic radiation, such as radio waves or microwave radiation, can be applied to the mixture in the pipe 114 of the processing section 109 to sterilize the mixture. As another example, heat can be applied to the mixture in the processing section 109 to sterilize the mixture. For example, a hot fluid (e.g., a liquid or a gas) can contact and / or flow through the pipe 114 of the processing section 109 to indirectly heat the mixture in the pipe to sterilize the mixture in the pipe.

[0025] The mixture flows from the processing section 109 to the holding section 110 along the pipe 117. The holding section 110 has an inlet 110A and an outlet 110B. The mixture (and particles from the second process line 104) flows into the holding section from the inlet 110A and may be maintained at a processing temperature (e.g., a sterilization temperature) until it reaches the outlet 110B to completely process the mixture and / or the particles. The pipe forming the holding section 110 between the inlet 110A and the outlet 110B may have a long length to increase the length of time the mixture is in the holding section 110 and is processed, which is referred to as the residence time. For example, the length of the pipe forming the holding section 110 may be selected based on the flow rate of the mixture through the pipe so that the mixture is within the holding section 110 and maintained at the processing temperature long enough to completely process the mixture. Reference Figure 2A , the conduit 117 of the holding section 110 can be spirally wound into a coil to reduce the size or footprint of the holding section 110 portion of the food processing system 100. Figure 2B , shows a conduit 117 of a holding segment 110 according to another configuration. As shown, the conduit 117 has a plurality of straight segments 115A connected by U-shaped bends 115B, such that the conduit 117 meanders back and forth to increase the length of the flow path through the holding segment 110 while maintaining the holding segment relatively compact (e.g., compared to a straight conduit of the same length).

[0026] The mixture and particles flow from the holding section 110 to the packaging section 112 along the conduit 117. In the packaging section 112, the mixture and / or particles may be dispensed into packages for storage and / or dispensing.

[0027] about Figure 3-4 , respectively, provide a schematic diagram and a stereogram of the second process line 104. The second process line 104 includes a particle feed source, such as a hopper 130 and a rotary feeder 132. The rotary feeder can provide various advantages for combining particles into different flow paths. The rotary feeder, particularly when used with the pipeline configuration described herein, can allow the particles to be distributed more evenly. In addition, the rotary feeder can be configured to reduce deformation / crushing of the particles, as will be understood in the further discussion below. In addition, the rotary feeder can provide reduced interference to the flow of other production streams, such as may occur when diverting and / or recombining streams. Other advantages are that the number of particles that can be distributed will increase as less blockage occurs.

[0028] A flow path, such as conduit 134A, extends from the hopper 130 to the rotary feeder 132. A flow path, such as conduit 134B, connects from the rotary feeder 132 and extends to conduit 114 of the first process line 102 downstream of the pump 108 and upstream of the holding section 110. Connecting conduit 134B downstream of the pump 108 can be advantageous in preventing solid particles from traveling past the pump 108. However, in other embodiments, conduit 134B can be connected at another location of the food processing system 100. For example, conduit 134B can be connected to the first process line 102 upstream of the pump 108 or downstream of the holding section 110. For example, conduit 134B can be arranged to deposit solid particles into the mixing tank 106 upstream of the pump 108.

[0029] Hopper 130 has wall 136, and wall 136 forms chamber 137 for receiving particles. The lower part 136A of wall 136 forms a funnel or gradually narrows inwardly towards outlet 138, and outlet 138 is connected to pipeline 134A. Therefore, the particles received in hopper 130 are guided under gravity towards the narrowed lower part 136A of outlet 138 and hopper 130. The particles in the hopper can be rigid and / or semi-rigid. The particles can be bulk food, and food includes, for example, potatoes, carrots, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, beef, chicken, etc. The particles can also and / or alternatively include test particles. For example, alginate particles with RFID or other traceable components can be used, as described in further detail below.

[0030] The hopper 130 may include a stirring rod 140 that can be used to stir or move particles in the hopper 130, for example, to unclog particles in the hopper 130 and / or break bridges between particles so that the particles flow through the outlet 138 and into the conduit 134. In one embodiment, the stirring rod 140 includes a hook 142 at an end portion thereof to help move the particles. For example, the stirring rod 140 can extend substantially vertically into the hopper 130 and be rotatable so that the hook 142 rotates about an axis to contact and move the particles. In some forms, such as Fig. 9 As shown in FIG. 1 , the hook 142 is only slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the outlet 138 and the conduit 134A. It should be understood that other shapes other than hooks may be used on the stirring rod 140. For example, the stirring rod may have a paddle, flange, or other shape to help move the particles.

[0031] In some embodiments, the hopper 130 has a cover 144 that is removably attached to the body of the hopper 130. The cover 144 can be removed to fill the cavity 137 of the hopper 130 with particulates. When attached to the hopper 130, the cover 144 can form a fluid-tight seal with the wall 136 of the hopper 130. The cover 144 allows the hopper 130 to be pressurized to prevent the mixture flowing through the first process line 102 from flowing upward through the second process line 104 and, for example, overflowing from the hopper 130. A rubber gasket can be positioned between the cover and the hopper 130 to form a fluid-tight seal. In addition, the cover 144 can be secured with a clamp 146 (see Figure 4 ) is clamped to the hopper 130 to secure the cap 144 to the hopper 130 and maintain a fluid seal therebetween. In some embodiments, the hopper 130 may be pressurized, for example, by applying compressed air in the hopper 130 to increase the pressure of the hopper 130 and provide sufficient back pressure to prevent the mixture of the first process line 102 from flowing upward to the second process line 104 and allow the particles dispensed from the rotary feeder 132 to enter the pipe 114 of the first process line 104. The second process line 104 may be pressurized so that the pressure of the hopper 130, the rotary feeder 132, and / or the pipes 134A, 134B equals or exceeds the pressure of the first flow line 102. In some forms, the pressure may be about 0.5 bar, 1.0 bar, 1.5 bar, 2.0 bar, 2.5 bar, 3.0 bar, 3.5 bar, or more. The hopper 130 and / or the cover 144 may include a pressure relief valve to regulate the pressure in the hopper 130 in the event of a buildup of pressure in the food processing system 100, and / or a safety valve.

[0032] The conduit 134A extends from the outlet 138 of the hopper 130 to the inlet 157 of the rotary feeder 132. The conduit 134A can extend vertically so that particles flowing into the conduit 134A are pulled toward the hopper 130 along the conduit 134A under the action of gravity. The conduit 134A can include an inclined portion 150 that extends horizontally at an oblique angle relative to the horizontal. Including the inclined portion 150 on the conduit 134A can help control the flow of particles by preventing the particles from free falling as they travel through the conduit 134A to the rotary feeder 132, where the fall would normally cause the conduit 134A to become blocked, while providing sufficient slope to allow particles to be drawn through the conduit 134A under the action of gravity. Fig.11 An exemplary form is shown in FIG. 1 , as shown by angle B relative to horizontal line 153. For example, inclined portion 150 may extend at an angle of about 15° to about 60° relative to the horizontal plane. In some forms, the angle is about 20° to about 40° relative to the horizontal axis, and in some forms, the angle is about 25° to about 35°.

[0033] In some forms, the conduit 134A is generally positioned in a substantially vertical orientation, such as Fig. 9 As shown. In addition, the duct 134A has a length A before the inclined portion 150. The length A can help to make the particles entering the inclined portion 150 fall slightly to allow the desired momentum of the particles. In some forms, the length A is about 5 cm to about 25 cm. In some forms, the length A is about 10 cm to about 18 cm.

[0034] Similarly, other portions of the flow path may be oriented in a substantially vertical or other orientation. Figure 3 As shown in, pipeline 151 and pipeline 134B can be configured to be oriented substantially vertically. In addition, pipeline 151 can have a substantially vertical length C, and pipeline 134B can have a substantially vertical length D. Lengths C and D can be selected to provide a desired drop distance before entering rotary feeder 132 and end portion 135 and / or pipeline 114. In some forms, length A is about 5cm to about 20cm. In other forms, the distance is about 10cm to about 15cm. In some forms, length D is about 15cm to about 30cm. In other forms, the distance is about 20cm to about 25cm.

[0035] In some forms, such as Fig.10 As shown in FIG. 1 , one end of the stirring rod 140, such as the hook 142, is positioned a distance from the outlet 138 and / or the inner diameter of the conduit 134A. The distance is as shown in FIG. Fig.10143 in the figure. This distance can be selected to provide suitable spacing and also reduce damage to the particles, while also allowing the particles to pass through the outlet 138 and the pipe 134A. In some forms, the distance is about 1 cm to about 8 cm. In other forms, the distance is about 2 cm to about 5 cm.

[0036] The particles flow to the rotary feeder 132 through the conduit 134A. The rotary feeder 132 includes a housing 152 having an inlet 157 and an outlet 158. The housing 152 includes a substantially cylindrical inner surface 154. The rotary feeder 132 also includes a rotor 156 having a hub 159, with a plurality of blades 160 extending radially from the hub 159 to the inner surface 154. The blades 160 can be formed of a flexible material (e.g., rubber) to prevent the blades 160 from breaking, cracking or deforming the particles. In some forms, the radially outer portion or tip 161 of the blade 160 is formed of a flexible rubber, while the radially inner portion 163 of the blade is formed of a rigid material. The rotor 156 includes a recess 162 between adjacent blades 160. The rotor 156 can rotate within the housing 152 so that the recess 162 is rotated by the inlet 157 and the outlet 158 ​​of the housing 152. As the pockets 162 pass through the inlet 157 of the housing 152, particles from the conduit 134 fall into the pockets 162. As the rotor 156 rotates, the vanes 160 form a closed cavity with the inner surface 154 until the pockets 162 are aligned with the outlet 158, at which point the particles exit the pockets 162 and fall into the conduit 134B. In some forms, when the pockets 162 are not aligned with the inlet 157 or the outlet 158, the vanes 160 extend to the inner surface 154 to form a sealed cavity.

[0037] The rotary feeder 132 may include an end wall at the end of the housing 152 that closes the axial end of the cylindrical inner surface 154. A gasket may be positioned between the end wall and the housing 152 to form a fluid-tight connection therebetween. The axial end of the rotor 156 may contact the end wall of the rotary feeder 132 so that the end wall defines a recess 162 of the rotor 156. For example, the blades 160 of the rotor 156 extend axially from one end wall to the opposite end wall. In some forms, one or more of the end walls of the rotary feeder 132 are formed of a transparent material (e.g., acrylic) so that the recess 162 is visible from the outside of the rotary feeder 32, for example, to allow an operator to monitor the operation of the rotary feeder 132.

[0038] The particles flow through conduit 134B and into conduit 114 of first process line 102, whereupon the conduits merge, such as Fig.12As shown in . Therefore, the rotary feeder 132 is able to control the flow of particles flowing out of the hopper 130 and into the first process line 102. Through the tests discussed in further detail below, it has been found that the rotary feeder 132 can distribute particles from the hopper 130, and compared with the existing methods, with significantly reduced particle blockage in the pipeline, allowing particles to be uniformly and evenly distributed to the mixture of the first process line 102. For example, the rotor 156 can rotate at a certain speed to distribute the desired amount of particles to the mixture of the first process line 102. The speed of the rotor 156 can be selected based on the flow rate of the mixture and the desired amount of particles per unit volume of the fluid to evenly distribute the particles to the mixture. In some forms, a motor (e.g., an AC motor or a DC motor) is connected to the rotor 156 to rotate the rotor 156 in the housing 152 of the rotary feeder 132 to distribute particles.

[0039] The end portion 135 of the pipe 134B of the second process line 104 connected to the pipe 114 of the first process line 102 may be curved (see FIG. Figure 4 ) to direct the particles to flow through the conduit 114 of the first process line 103 in the direction of the mixture. Bending the end portion 135 of the conduit 134B also helps to prevent the mixture of the first process line 102 from flowing upward through the conduit 134B. A vacuum pump can also be installed downstream of the rotary feeder 132 to help distribute the particles from the rotary feeder 132 into the mixture flowing through the conduit 114. For example, the vacuum pump can be operated to reduce the pressure downstream of the rotary feeder 132, for example, on the conduit 134B or anywhere along the first process line 102 downstream of the second flow line 104 (for example, before the processing section 109, the holding section 110 and / or the packaging section 112). Installing a vacuum pump along the first process line 102 downstream of the second flow line 104 can help reduce the upward flow of the mixture in the conduit 134B, which helps the particles travel along the conduit 134B to enter the mixture in the conduit 114. Subsequently, the mixture and particles flow through the holding section 110 and to the packaging section 112 of the first process line 102 as described above.

[0040] As described above, using the second process line 104 including the rotary feeder 132 to distribute solid particles to the mixture of the first process line 102 has been found to solve the problems of the prior art. More specifically, the second process line 104 is capable of distributing solid particles in a controlled manner so that when the solid particles are added to the mixture in the first process line 102, the solid particles are sufficiently spaced apart from each other and the blockage of solid particles in the pipe 114 is alleviated. Controlling the distribution of particles in the mixture also allows the ratio of solid particles to the mixture (e.g., the ratio of potatoes to broth) to be controlled as desired. Distributing the solid particles uniformly into the mixture allows the solid particles to be carried by the mixture through the holding section 110 for a desired period of time, for example, so that the particles are not over-processed or under-processed.

[0041] The effectiveness of the food processing system 100 was experimentally verified. For example, experiments were conducted to analyze the residence time of solid particles in the holding section 110. For example, experiments were conducted to analyze the average particle residence time and the minimum particle residence time. In order to measure the position of the solid particles as they pass through the food processing system 100, the solid particles are formed of an alginate material with an embedded RFID tag or transponder. RFID readers 180 are positioned at various points along the conduit 114 of the food processing system 100. For example, referring to Figure 2A RFID readers 180 are installed at the inlet 110A and the outlet 110B of the holding section 110 to monitor the time period of the alginate particles in the holding section 110, which time period corresponds to the residence time of the particles being processed in the holding section 110. Figure 2B , the RFID reader 180 may also be installed at various portions of the pipe 114 inside the holding section 110. The RFID reader 180 may continuously transmit radio frequency waves, and as the alginate particles pass through the RFID reader 180, the radio frequency waves activate the RFID tags of the alginate particles, which causes the RFID tags to send back signals identifying the RFID tags to the RFID reader 180. The RFID reader 180 may include a signal generator that sends RF signals to the RFID tags, a receiver that receives feedback signals from the RFID tags, and a microcontroller that processes information. The RFID tags may be active, passive, or semi-passive RFID tags. In the case where the RFID tag is a passive RFID tag, the RFID tag may include a transponder and a rectifier circuit, the transponder receives the signal and sends the signal to the RFID reader 180, the rectifier circuit uses the radio waves from the RFID reader 180 to store energy in a capacitor, and powers the controller and memory unit of the RFID tag.

[0042] RFID reader 180 is connected to a computer, and this computer collects and stores the data relevant to RFID tag collected by RFID reader 180.For example, RFID reader 180 transmits the identifier (for example, the serial number of RFID tag) received from the RFID tag passing through RFID reader 180 and / or the time of receiving signal from RFID tag.Therefore, RFID reader 180 is used to track alginate particles when they travel through food processing system 100, for example, to determine the spacing between alginate particles and / or the time consumed by each alginate particle traveling between two RFID readers 180.For example, RFID reader 180 is used to determine the time period of each alginate particle in holding section 110, to determine whether alginate particles have resided in holding section in order to correctly handle (for example, sterilize) particle minimum time period.Additionally, it has been determined by this test that using rotary feeder 132 to distribute solid particles to the mixed flow of the pipeline 114 flowing through the first process line 102 is more advantageous than existing system. For example, the solid particles can be evenly spaced from one another due to the degree of control over the solid particles distributed into the conduit 114 using the rotary feeder 132. As a result, it was found that using the rotary feeder 132, a greater number of solid particles can be distributed into the first process line 102 without clogging the conduit 114 as the particles pass through.

[0043] about Figure 5, a process 200 for processing a food component is provided, for example, using the above-mentioned food processing system 100. The ingredients of the food component are mixed 202 together to form a pumpable or flowable mixture. For example, a fluid and fine particles can be mixed together to form a mixture. For example, the ingredients can be added to the container 116 of the mixing tank 106 and mixed together with the mixer 122. The mixture is pumped 204 from the mixing tank 106 along a flow path, such as a pipeline 114, by a pump 108. Solid particles are injected 206 into the mixture pumped along the pipeline 114 from the mixing tank 106 to introduce the solid particles into the mixture to form a food component. For example, a rotary feeder 132 can be operated to distribute a controlled amount of solid particles into the mixture, as described above. Heat is applied 208 to the food component to process the particles and / or the mixture. For example, heat can be applied to cook and / or sterilize the food component. Heat can be applied to the food component by applying microwave radiation to the food component in the pipeline 114 and / or the holding section 110. Once the food components are heated, the food components are maintained 210 at a temperature high enough to process the food components, and maintained 210 for a time long enough to fully process the food components. For example, the food components are maintained at the processing temperature as they flow through the holding section 110 of the food processing system 100. Radio frequency processing can also be used to process particles and / or mixtures at one or more points in the overall process. Subsequently, the food components are cooled 212 and packaged 214 (e.g., packaged in a package) for storage and / or distribution.

[0044] about Figure 6, another process 230 for processing food components is provided, similar to the process 200 described above, so that the differences are highlighted. In process 230, the mixing step of mixing 232 ingredients to form a mixture and the pumping step of pumping 234 the pumping step of the mixture are similar to the corresponding steps of process 200. However, in process 230, before the heating step, solid particles are not added to the mixture. On the contrary, the heating 236 step, the holding 238 step and the cooling 240 step can be performed on the mixture without solid particles, similar to the corresponding steps described above. Once the mixture has cooled, the solid particles are injected 242 into the mixture and packaged 244 for storage and / or distribution. For example, as the mixture is pumped along the pipeline after cooling, the solid particles are added to the mixture flowing through the pipeline, as described above with respect to the food processing system 100. For example, the rotary feeder 132 can be operated to distribute the particles into the cooled mixture. This process 230 can be performed when the particles are processed independently of the mixture, for example, when the particles are pre-sterilized or do not need to be sterilized. As another example, process 230 may be performed where the particles need to be processed differently than the mixture, such as at a higher temperature and / or the particles cannot withstand the heating 236 and / or holding 238 steps.

[0045] Although the above processes 200, 230 disclose specific examples of injecting particles before or after a heating step or a cooling step, in other embodiments, the particles may be injected at any point between the pumping step and the packaging step.

[0046] about Figure 7 According to another embodiment, a process 250 for processing a food component is provided. The process 250 may be similar in many respects to the process described above, and the main difference is that the particles are injected 252 together with other ingredients of the food component and mixed 254 with these other ingredients. For example, the particles may be distributed into a mixing tank 106 and mixed with other ingredients by a mixer 122. One or more rotary feeders 132 may be used to meter a controlled amount of particles into the mixing tank 106 together with other ingredients of the food component. In this embodiment, the particles may be fine enough to pass through a pump 108 without causing damage to the pump and / or the particles. The mixture may be pumped 256 from the mixing tank 106 for packaging 258. In some embodiments, the above-mentioned heating step, holding step, and / or cooling step may also be applied to the mixture before the packaging 258 step.

[0047] about Figure 8According to yet another embodiment, a process 270 for processing food components is provided. The process 270 is similar to the process described above, the main difference being that particles are added to the mixture in the packaging step. The ingredients of the food component can be mixed 272 together to form a mixture, and pumped 274 along a flow path (e.g., a pipeline), as described above. In some embodiments, as the mixture is pumped along the flow path, a heating step, a holding step, and / or a cooling step can be applied to the mixture. Subsequently, the mixture can be packaged 276 with solid particles. For example, the mixture can be distributed in a package for storage or distribution. Solid particles can also be injected 278 into the package to add solid particles to the mixture to form the food component. For example, a rotary feeder 132 can be operated to distribute a controlled amount of particles to each package. In some forms, before the mixture is added to the package, the solid particles are distributed in the package. In some forms, after the mixture is added to the package, the solid particles are distributed in the package. In some forms, the solid particles are distributed in the package simultaneously with the mixture.

[0048] Although the above process describes the injection of solid particles into the mixture at various points along the food processing system, these processes can be combined. For example, the rotary feeder 132 can be used for injecting solid particles at multiple points along the food processing system. For example, the food component can include two or more different types of solid particles injected at different points of the process. For example, one type of solid particles may need to be sterilized and added before the heating step and the holding step, and another type of solid particles is pre-sterilized and added to the mixture after the heating step and the holding step. Those skilled in the art will recognize that using the above process to inject solid particles at one or more points along the food process line, such as using one or more rotary feeders 132 described above to inject, various modifications can be carried out.

[0049] Unless otherwise specified herein or clearly contradicted by context, singular terms such as "a", "an", etc. are intended to cover both the singular and the plural. The terms "include", "have", "encompass", and "comprise" are to be interpreted as open-ended terms. The phrase "at least one" as used herein is intended to be interpreted in a separated sense. For example, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to cover A, B, or A and B.

[0050] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, changes and combinations may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and such modifications, changes and combinations should be deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A food processing system, comprising: a pump configured to cause a food component to flow from an upstream end to a downstream end of the pump; a first flow path operably coupled to a downstream end of the pump; as well as A rotary feeder having an inlet end, a rotor, and an outlet end, wherein the inlet end is operably connected to a particle feed source via a second flow path, the outlet end is operably connected to the first flow path via a third flow path, and the rotor has at least one recess, the recess is configured to receive at least one solid particle from the second flow path, and the rotor is rotatable to transfer the at least one solid particle from the recess to the first flow path via the third flow path.

2. The food processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotor of the rotary feeder has a plurality of blades, and the at least one pocket is formed between two blades of the plurality of blades.

3. The food processing system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plurality of blades include a first portion extending from a central axis and a second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion being more flexible than the first portion.

4. The food processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The third flow path is pressurized and has a pressure that is equal to or exceeds the pressure of the first flow path.

5. The food processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pressure of the third flow path and / or the second flow path exceeds the pressure of the first flow path by approximately 0.5 bar to 2.0 bar.

6. The food processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second flow path includes an inclined portion extending at an oblique angle relative to the horizontal axis at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to 60 degrees relative to the horizontal axis.

7. The food processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: An end portion of the third flow path is curved to guide the at least one solid particle from the third flow path into the first flow path in a downstream direction.

8. A food processing system comprising: a first flow path configured to direct a first fluid; a particle feed source configured to contain and dispense a plurality of solid particles; a rotary feeder having an inlet and an outlet; a second flow path extending from the particle feed source to direct a second fluid and at least one of the plurality of solid particles to an inlet of the rotary feeder, at least a portion of the second flow path extending at an angle of about 15 degrees to about 60 degrees relative to a horizontal axis; as well as A third flow path extends from the outlet of the rotary feeder to the first flow path, the pressure of the third flow path exceeding the pressure of the first flow path by at least about 0.2 bar to 2.0 bar.

9. The food processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The rotor of the rotary feeder has a plurality of blades, and at least one pocket is formed between two blades of the plurality of blades.

10. The food processing system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The plurality of blades include a first portion extending from a central axis and a second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion being more flexible than the first portion.

11. The food processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pressure of the third flow line and / or the second flow line exceeds the pressure of the first flow line by approximately 0.5 bar to 1.5 bar.

12. The food processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that The second flow path also includes a substantially vertical portion.

13. The food processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The inclined portion of the second flow path extends at an angle of approximately 20 degrees to 50 degrees relative to the horizontal axis.

14. The food processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that An end portion of the third flow path is curved to guide the at least one solid particle from the third flow path into the first flow path in a downstream direction.

15. The food processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that Also included is an agitator positioned in at least one of the particle feed source and the second flow path.

16. The food processing system according to claim 15, characterized in that The agitator is configured to perform at least one movement selected from rotation and axial movement.

17. A method comprising: pumping a food component along a first flow path; as well as A rotor of a rotary feeder is rotated to distribute solid particles into a food component pumped through a first flow path, the rotary feeder having an inlet connected to a second flow path extending from a particle feed source and an outlet connected to a third flow path connected to the first flow path.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that Also included is pressurizing at least the third flow path to inhibit the food component from flowing along the third flow path from the first flow path to the rotary feeder.

19. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that Also included is measuring a flow rate of the food component along the first flow path, and wherein rotating the rotor includes rotating the rotor at a speed based at least in part on the flow rate.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that The speed of the rotor is selected to add a specified amount of solid particles per unit volume of the food component in the first flow path.

21. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that The rotor includes at least one pocket rotatable to transport solid particles from the second flow path to the third flow path.

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