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 including a mixer and a pump for pumping fluid from the mixer, and the second flow line including a first conduit extending from a hopper containing solid particles to a rotary feeder and a second conduit extending from the rotary feeder to the first conduit.

Description

Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 407,499, filed September 16, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [Technical Field]

[0002] The present disclosure relates to food processing systems, and more particularly to systems for dispensing particles into a stream. [Background technology]

[0003] Many food processing systems include a processing flow path through which a food composition travels as it is conveyed for processing. For example, the food composition may be a flowable food composition that is pumped from a mixing system, through tubing, piping, etc., and through a sterilization system that sterilizes the food composition before packaging.

[0004] In some food processing applications, processed food compositions contain hard particles or solids in the fluid. Passing hard particles through a pump can cause damage to the pump over time, for example, by damaging the impeller, blades, screws, etc. used in the pump. Furthermore, the pump can break the hard particles into smaller pieces as they are pumped through the pump, which can be undesirable. Furthermore, hard particles tend to agglomerate as they travel along the channel, which can clog the processing channel or otherwise result in undesirable flow profiles. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In view of these and other issues, it would be desirable to have a system and method for dispensing particles into a food processing flow path in a manner that is more controllable, consistent, and reduces damage to processing equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system including a first processing line and a second processing line. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a holding section of the food processing system of FIG. 1. [Figure 2B] 2 is a schematic diagram of a holding section of the food processing system of FIG. 1 according to another embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a second processing line of the food processing system of FIG. 1 including a rotary feeder system. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of the second processing line of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for processing food ingredients according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for processing food ingredients according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for processing food ingredients according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for processing food ingredients according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a mixer tank. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a top view of the interior of the mixer tank of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a side view of one form of inlet passage to a rotary feeder. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rotary feeder. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of one form of blade for the rotary feeder of FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present disclosure relates to systems, processing apparatus, and methods for transporting and combining food materials, processing fluids, and the like. The disclosure also relates to the distribution of other solid particles, such as tags, indicators, and the like, used to analyze flow characteristics in the systems, apparatus, 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, and the like. It is understood that the term fluid includes both liquids and gases. As used herein, the term processing line generally refers to a group and / or series of processing operations, equipment, and the like along one or more flow paths.

[0008] Referring to FIG. 1 , a food processing system 100 is provided. The food processing system 100 includes a first processing line 102 and a second processing line 104. The first processing line 102 includes a mixer tank 106, a pump 108, a treatment section 109 (e.g., a pasteurization section and / or heating section), a holding section 110, and a packaging section 112. Various flow paths can be used to interconnect the components and connect to additional flow paths. For example, fluid flow paths or conduits extend between these elements such that one or more food ingredients flow from the mixer tank 106, to the pump 108, to the treatment section 109, to the holding section 110, and to the packaging section 112. More specifically, the food ingredients flow from mixer tank 106 along pipe 113 to pump 108, from pump 108 along pipe 114 to the treatment section, from treatment section 109 along pipe 117 to holding section 110, and from holding section 110 along pipe 119 to packaging section 112. The pipes may be formed of food-safe materials that are easily cleaned. In other embodiments, food processing system 100 may have other configurations, as described with respect to Figures 5-8 below.

[0009] The mixer tank 106 includes a container 116 for receiving a processing fluid, such as a processed food ingredient and / or relatively fine particles. By way of example, the processing fluid in the mixer tank may be broth, sauce, water, starch slurry, oil, milk, cream, or the like. By way of example, the particles received in the container 116 of the mixer tank 106 may have a maximum dimension (e.g., diameter) ranging from 3 mm to 25 mm. The container 116 may include a funnel-shaped and / or inwardly tapering lower portion 118 toward an outlet 120 connected to the pipe 113 for directing the mixture from the container 116 into the pipe 113. The mixer tank 106 may include an agitator or mixer 122 for mixing together the fluid and / or particles received in the container 116. The mixer 122 may include mixer blades 124 coupled to a rotatable shaft 126. The mixer 122 may include a motor 128 for rotating the shaft to rotate the mixer blades 124 to mix the fluid and / or particles together.

[0010] The mixture flows from the mixer tank 106 through a pipe 113 to a pump 108. The pump 108 may be, by way of example, a twin-screw pump, a piston pump, a rotary lobe pump, a sinusoidal lobe pump, or other positive displacement pump operable to control a flow rate. The pump 108 may include an upstream end for drawing the mixture from the mixer tank 106 and forcing the mixture to a downstream end along the first line 102 to be processed. For example, the pump 108 pumps the mixture along a flow path, such as a pipe 114, toward a treatment section 109. An outlet end 170 of a second processing line 104, described in further detail below, is connected to the pipe 114 between the pump 108 and the treatment section 109 to inject particles into the mixture stream flowing from the pump 108.

[0011] The treatment section 109 may be a portion of the processing system 100 in which the mixture in the pipes undergoes a treatment, such as, for example, heat treatment, sterilization, etc. For example, electromagnetic radiation, such as radio frequency or microwave radiation, may be applied to sterilize the mixture in the pipes 114 of the treatment section 109. As another example, heat may be applied to the mixture in the treatment section 109 to sterilize it. For example, a hot fluid (e.g., liquid or gas) may contact and / or flow over the pipes 114 of the treatment section 109 to indirectly heat the mixture in the pipes to sterilize it.

[0012] The mixture flows from the treatment section 109 along pipe 117 to the holding section 110. The holding section 110 has an inlet 110A and an outlet 110B. The mixture (and particles from the second processing line 104) enters the holding section from the inlet 110A and may be held at a treatment temperature (e.g., a sterilization temperature) until it reaches the outlet 110B to fully process the mixture and / or particles. The pipe forming the holding section 110 between the inlet 110A and the outlet 110B may have a length that extends the period of time the mixture resides and is processed within the holding section 110—known 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 resides within the holding section 110 and is held at the treatment temperature for a time sufficient to fully process the mixture. With reference to FIG. 2A , the pipe 117 of the holding section 110 may be coiled or spirally wound to reduce the size or footprint of the holding section 110 portion of the food processing system 100. 2B, the pipe 117 of the retainer 110 is shown according to an alternative configuration. As shown, the pipe 117 has multiple straight sections 115A connected by U-shaped bends 115B such that the pipe 117 can be coiled back and forth to increase the length of the flow path through the retainer 110 while keeping the retainer relatively compact (e.g., compared to a straight pipe of the same length).

[0013]

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

[0014] 3-4, respective schematic and perspective views of the second processing line 104 are provided. The second processing line 104 includes a particle source, such as a hopper 130, and a rotary feeder 132. The rotary feeder may offer various advantages for incorporating particles into various flow paths. The rotary feeder, particularly when used with the piping configurations described herein, may provide a more uniform dispersion of particles. Additionally, the rotary feeder may be configured to reduce particle deformation / crushing, as will be appreciated from the further discussion below. Additionally, the rotary feeder may cause less disruption to other processing streams, such as may occur when splitting and / or recombining streams. Another advantage is reduced clogging, which may also allow for increased particle volume distribution.

[0015] A flow path, such as pipe 134A, extends from the hopper 130 to the rotary feeder 132. A flow path, such as pipe 134B, extends from the rotary feeder 132 and connects to pipe 114 of the first processing line 102 downstream of the pump 108 and upstream of the holding section 110. Connecting pipe 134B downstream of the pump 108 may be beneficial to prevent solid particles from passing through the pump 108. However, in other embodiments, pipe 134B may be connected to another location in the food processing system 100. For example, pipe 134B may be connected to the first processing line 102 upstream of the pump 108 or downstream of the holding section 110. For example, pipe 134B may be positioned to deposit solid particles in the mixer tank 106 upstream of the pump 108.

[0016] Hopper 130 has a wall 136 that forms a cavity 137 for receiving particles. A lower portion 136A of wall 136 forms an inward funnel or taper toward outlet 138, which is connected to pipe 134A. Thus, particles received in hopper 130 are directed toward outlet 138 by gravity and the tapered lower portion 136A of hopper 130. Particles within the hopper may be rigid and / or semi-rigid. Examples of particles may include chunks of food, including potatoes, carrots, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, beef, chicken, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, particles may also include test particles. For example, alginate particles with RFID or other traceable components may be used, as described in more detail below.

[0017] The hopper 130 may include an agitator 140 that can be used to agitate or move particles within the hopper 130, for example, to unclog particles and / or break up particle connections within the hopper 130 so that the particles can flow through the outlet 138 and into the pipe 134. In one embodiment, the agitator 140 includes a hook 142 at its end portion to aid in moving the particles. For example, the agitator 140 may extend substantially vertically into the hopper 130 and be rotatable such that the hook 142 pivots about an axis to contact and move the particles. In some configurations, such as that shown in FIG. 9 , the hook 142 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the outlet 138 and the pipe 134A. It should be understood that shapes other than hooks may be used for the agitator 140. For example, the agitator may have a paddle, a flange, or other shape to aid in moving the particles.

[0018] In some embodiments, the hopper 130 has a lid 144 that is removably attached to the body of the hopper 130. The lid 144 can be removed to fill the cavity 137 of the hopper 130 with particles. When attached to the hopper 130, the lid 144 forms a fluid-tight seal with the wall 136 of the hopper 130. The lid 144 can pressurize the hopper 130 to prevent the mixture flowing through the first processing line 102 from flowing upward through the second processing line 104, for example, from overflowing the hopper 130. A rubber gasket can be disposed between the lid and the hopper 130 to form a fluid-tight seal. Additionally, the lid 144 can be clamped to the hopper 130 with a clamp 146 (see FIG. 4 ) to secure the lid 144 to the hopper 130 and maintain a fluid-tight seal therebetween. In some embodiments, the hopper 130 may be pressurized, for example, by applying compressed air within the hopper 130 to increase the pressure in the hopper 130 and provide sufficient backpressure to inhibit the mixture in the first processing line 102 from ascending the second processing line 104 and allow particles dispensed from the rotary feeder 132 to enter the pipe 114 of the first processing line 102. The second processing line 104 may be pressurized such that the hopper 130, the rotary feeder 132, and / or the pipes 134A, 134B have a pressure equal to or greater than the pressure in the first flow line 102. In some embodiments, this 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 lid 144 may include a pressure reducing valve to regulate the pressure in the hopper 130 and / or a relief valve in the event of pressure buildup within the food processing system 100 .

[0019] The pipe 134A extends from the outlet 138 of the hopper 130 to the inlet 157 of the rotary feeder 132. The pipe 134A may extend vertically so that particles entering the pipe 134A are drawn along the pipe 134A toward the hopper 130 by gravity. The pipe 134A may include a sloped section 150 extending horizontally at an angle to the horizontal. The inclusion of the sloped section 150 in the pipe 134A can help control the flow of particles as they pass through the pipe 134A toward the rotary feeder 132 by providing a sufficient slope to allow the particles to be drawn through the pipe 134A by gravity while suppressing free fall, which would otherwise result in clogging the pipe 134A. One exemplary configuration is shown in FIG. 11 as represented by angle B relative to the horizontal line 153. For example, the sloped section 150 can extend at an angle ranging from about 15° to about 60° relative to the horizontal. In some embodiments, the angle is from about 20° to about 40° relative to the horizontal axis, and in some embodiments, the angle is from about 25° to about 35° relative to the horizontal axis.

[0020] In some embodiments, pipe 134A is generally oriented substantially vertically, as shown in FIG. 9. Additionally, pipe 134A has a length A before sloped portion 150. This length A may help provide a slight drop for particles to enter sloped portion 150 and allow for a desired momentum of the particles. In some embodiments, length A is from about 5 cm to about 25 cm. In other embodiments, length A is from about 10 cm to about 18 cm.

[0021] Similarly, other portions of the flow path may be substantially vertical or at other orientations. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, pipe 151 and pipe 134B may be configured in a substantially vertical orientation. Further, pipe 151 may have a substantially vertical length C, and pipe 134B may have a substantially vertical length D. Lengths C and D may be selected to provide a desired drop distance before entering rotary feeder 132 and end portion 135 and / or pipe 114. In some embodiments, length C is about 5 to about 20 cm. In other embodiments, this distance is about 10 to about 15 cm. In some embodiments, length D is about 15 to about 30 cm. In other embodiments, this distance is about 20 to about 25 cm.

[0022] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10, the end of the stirring rod 140, such as a hook 142, is spaced a distance from the inner diameter of the outlet 138 and / or pipe 134A. This distance is shown in FIG. 10 as reference 143. This distance can be selected to provide adequate clearance and reduce damage to particles while allowing them to pass through the outlet 138 and pipe 134A. In some embodiments, this distance is from about 1 cm to about 8 cm. In other embodiments, this distance is from about 2 cm to about 5 cm.

[0023] The particles flow through pipe 134A into rotary feeder 132. Rotary feeder 132 includes a housing 152 having an inlet 157 and an outlet 158. Housing 152 includes a substantially cylindrical inner surface 154. Rotary feeder 132 further includes a rotor 156 having a hub 159 with a plurality of blades 160 extending radially from hub 159 to inner surface 154. The blades 160 may be formed of a flexible material (e.g., rubber) to inhibit the blades 160 from crushing, breaking, or otherwise deforming the particles. In some forms, a radially outer portion or tip 161 of the blade 160 is formed of flexible rubber, and a radially inner portion 163 of the blade is formed of a rigid material. Rotor 156 includes pockets 162 between adjacent blades 160. Rotor 156 is rotatable within housing 152 such that the pockets 162 rotate due to the inlet 157 and outlet 158 ​​of housing 152. As pocket 162 passes inlet 157 of housing 152, particles from pipe 134 fall into pocket 162. As rotor 156 rotates, vanes 160 form a closed cavity with interior surface 154 until pocket 162 aligns with outlet 158, at which point particles fall from pocket 162 and into pipe 134B. In some embodiments, vanes 160 extend to interior surface 154 to form a sealed cavity when pocket 162 is not aligned with inlet 157 or outlet 158.

[0024] The rotary feeder 132 may include end walls at the ends of the housing 152 that close the axial ends of the cylindrical inner surface 154. A gasket may be disposed between the end walls and the housing 152 to form a fluid-tight connection therebetween. The axial ends of the rotor 156 may contact the end walls of the rotary feeder 132 such that the end walls define pockets 162 in 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 embodiments, one or more of the end walls of the rotary feeder 132 are formed of a transparent material (e.g., acrylic) so that the pockets 162 are visible from outside the rotary feeder 132, for example, to allow an operator to monitor the operation of the rotary feeder 132.

[0025] The particles flow through pipe 134B into pipe 114 of first processing line 102 as the pipes converge, as shown in FIG. 12 . Rotary feeder 132 can thus control the flow of particles from hopper 130 to first processing line 102. Through testing, described in more detail below, it has been found that rotary feeder 132 dispenses particles from hopper 130 with significantly less particle clogging in the pipe compared to prior approaches, allowing particles to be consistently and uniformly dispensed into the mixture of first processing line 102. For example, rotor 156 can be rotated at a speed that dispenses a desired amount of particles into the mixture of first processing line 102. The speed of rotor 156 can be selected based on the flow rate of the mixture and the desired amount of particles per unit volume of fluid to uniformly dispense the particles into the mixture. In some forms, a motor (eg, an AC or DC motor) is connected to the rotor 156 to rotate the rotor 156 within the housing 152 of the rotary feeder 132 to dispense the particles.

[0026] The end 135 of the pipe 134B of the second processing line 104 that connects to the pipe 114 of the first processing line 102 may be curved to direct the particles to flow in the direction of the mixture through the pipe 114 of the first processing line 102 (see FIG. 4). Curving the end 135 of the pipe 134B may also help prevent the mixture from the first processing line 102 from flowing upward through the pipe 134B. A vacuum pump may also be installed downstream of the rotary feeder 132 to assist the particles discharged from the rotary feeder 132 in entering the mixture flowing through the pipe 114. For example, the vacuum pump may be operated to reduce pressure downstream of the rotary feeder 132, e.g., on the pipe 134B, or anywhere along the first processing line 102 downstream of the second flow line 104 (e.g., before the treatment section 109, the holding section 110, and / or the packaging section 112). Installing a vacuum pump along first process line 102 downstream of second flow line 104 can help reduce the flow of the mixture up pipe 134B, which helps the particles move along pipe 134B and into the mixture in pipe 114. The mixture and particles then flow through holding section 110 and into filling section 112 of first process line 102 as described above.

[0027] As described above, the use of the second processing line 104, including the rotary feeder 132 for dispensing solid particles into the mixture of the first processing line 102, has been found to overcome the problems of prior approaches. More specifically, the second processing line 104 can dispense the solid particles in a controlled manner so that the solid particles are sufficiently spaced apart when added to the mixture of the first processing line 102, which mitigates clogging of the solid particles in the pipe 114. Controlling the distribution of the particles in the mixture also allows for desired control of the ratio of solid particles to the mixture (e.g., potato to broth ratio). Uniformly distributing the solid particles in 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, to prevent the particles from being over- or under-processed.

[0028] 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. To measure the position of solid particles moving through the food processing system 100, solid particles were formed from alginate material with embedded RFID tags or transponders. RFID readers 180 were placed at various points along the pipe 114 of the food processing system 100. Referring to FIG. 2A, for example, RFID readers 180 were attached to the inlet 110A and outlet 110B of the holding section 110 to monitor the time period during which the alginate particles remained in the holding section 110, corresponding to the residence time of the particles as they were processed in the holding section 110. Referring to FIG. 2B, RFID readers 180 may also be attached to various portions of the pipe 114 inside the holding section 110. The RFID reader 180 may continuously transmit radio frequency waves that activate the RFID tag of the alginate particle as it passes through the RFID reader 180, causing the RFID tag to transmit a signal identifying the RFID tag back to the RFID reader 180. The RFID reader 180 may include a signal generator that transmits RF signals to the RFID tag, a receiver that receives feedback signals from the RFID tag, and a microcontroller that processes the information. The RFID tag may be an active RFID tag, a passive RFID tag, or a semi-passive RFID tag. If the RFID tag is a passive RFID tag, it may include a transponder that receives and transmits signals to the RFID reader 180 and a rectifier circuit that uses radio waves from the RFID reader 180 to store energy in a capacitor and power the RFID tag's controller and memory unit.

[0029] The RFID reader 180 is connected to a computer that collects and stores data about the RFID tags collected by the RFID reader 180. For example, the RFID reader 180 transmits an identifier (e.g., the RFID tag's serial number) received from the RFID tag as it passes through the RFID reader 180 and / or the time the signal was received from the RFID tag. Thus, the RFID reader 180 was used to track alginate particles moving through the food processing system 100, for example, to determine the spacing between alginate particles and / or the time it takes each alginate particle to travel between two RFID readers 180. For example, the degree to which the rotary feeder 132 was used to control the solid particles dispensed into the pipe 114 allowed the solid particles to be uniformly spaced from one another. As a result, it was found that by using the rotary feeder 132, more solid particles could be dispensed into the first processing line 102 without clogging the pipe 114 as the particles passed through it.

[0030] With reference to FIG. 5 , a processing method 200 is provided for processing a food ingredient using, for example, the food processing system 100 described above. The ingredients of the food ingredient are mixed 202 together to form a pumpable or flowable mixture. For example, a fluid and particulates may be mixed together to form the mixture. For example, the ingredients may be added to the container 116 of the mixer tank 106 and mixed together in the mixer 122. The mixture is pumped 204 from the mixer tank 106 along a flow path, such as pipe 114, by the pump 108. Solid particles are injected 206 into the mixture being pumped from the mixer tank 106 along pipe 114, thereby introducing the solid particles into the mixture and thereby forming the food ingredient. For example, the rotary feeder 132 can be operated to discharge a controlled amount of solid particles into the mixture, as described above. Heat 208 is applied to the food ingredients to process the particles and / or the mixture. For example, heat can be applied to cook and / or sterilize the food ingredients. Heat may be applied to the food components by applying microwave radiation to the pipes 114 and / or the food components in the holding section 110. Once heated, the food components are held in the holding section 210 at a temperature high enough to process the food components and for a time long enough to completely process the food components. For example, the food components are held at a processing temperature as they flow through the holding section 110 of the food processing system 100. Radio frequency processing may also be used to treat the particles and / or mixtures at one or more points throughout the processing method. The food components are then cooled (212) and packaged (214) (e.g., in a package) for storage and / or distribution.

[0031] With reference to FIG. 6 , another processing method 230 for processing food ingredients is provided, similar to processing method 200 described above, with the differences emphasized. In processing method 230, the steps of mixing 232 ingredients to form a mixture and pumping 234 the mixture are similar to the corresponding steps in processing method 200. However, in processing method 230, solid particles are not added to the mixture prior to the heating step. Instead, heating step 236, holding step 238, and cooling step 240 may be performed on a mixture without solid particles, similar to the corresponding steps described above. Once the mixture is cooled, solid particles are poured 242 into the mixture and packaged 244 for storage and / or distribution. For example, once the mixture is pumped down a pipe after cooling, solid particles are added to the mixture flowing through the pipe, as described above with respect to food processing system 100. For example, rotary feeder 132 may be operated to distribute particles into the cooled mixture. This processing method 230 may be performed when the particles are processed separately from the mixture, for example, when the particles are pre-sterilized or do not require sterilization. As another example, this processing method 230 may be performed when the particles need to be processed differently from the mixture, such as at higher temperatures and / or when the particles cannot withstand the heating step 236 and / or the holding step 238.

[0032] Although the above processing methods 200, 230 disclose specific examples in which particles are injected before the heating step or after the cooling step, in other embodiments, the particles may be injected at any time between the pumping step and the filling step.

[0033] With reference to FIG. 7 , a processing method 250 for processing a food ingredient according to another embodiment is provided. The processing method 250 may be similar in many respects to the processing methods described above, with the primary difference being that the particles are injected 252 with the other ingredients of the food ingredient and mixed 254 with the other ingredients. For example, the particles may be dispensed into the mixer tank 106 and mixed with the other ingredients by the mixer 122. One or more rotary feeders 132 may be used to dose a controlled amount of the particles with the other ingredients of the food ingredient into the mixer tank 106. In this embodiment, the particles may be sufficiently fine to pass through the pump 108 without damaging the pump and / or the particles. The mixture may be pumped 256 from the mixer tank 106 to be packaged 258. In some embodiments, the heating, holding, and / or cooling steps described above may also be applied to the mixture prior to the packaging 258 step.

[0034] With reference to FIG. 8 , a processing method 270 for processing a food ingredient according to yet another embodiment is provided. The processing method 270 is similar to the processing methods described above, with the primary difference being that particles are added to the mixture at the packaging step. The ingredients of the food ingredient can be mixed together 272 to form a mixture and pumped 274 along a flow path (e.g., a pipe) as described above. In some embodiments, heating, holding, and / or cooling steps can be applied to the mixture as it is pumped along the flow path. The mixture can then be packaged 276 with solid particles. For example, the mixture can be dispensed into packages for storage or distribution. Solid particles can also be injected 278 into the packages to add the solid particles to the mixture and form the food ingredient. For example, the rotary feeder 132 can be operated to dispense a controlled amount of particles into each package. In some forms, the solid particles are dispensed into the packages before the mixture is added to the packages. In some aspects, the solid particles are dispensed into the packages after the mixture is added to the packages. In some embodiments, the solid particles are dispensed into the package simultaneously with the mixture.

[0035] While the above processing methods describe injecting solid particles into a mixture at various points along a food processing system, these processing methods may be combined. For example, a rotary feeder 132 may be used to inject solid particles at multiple points along a food processing system. For example, a food ingredient may contain two or more different types of solid particles that are injected at various points in the processing method. For example, one type of solid particle may need to be sterilized and added before the heat holding step, while another type of solid particle may need to be pre-sterilized and added to the mixture after the heat holding step. Those skilled in the art will recognize the wide variety of modifications that can be made to the above processing methods, for example, to inject solid particles at one or more points along a food processing line using one or more rotary feeders 132 described above.

[0036] The use of singular terms such as "a" and "an" is intended to cover both the singular and the plural unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms. The phrase "at least one" as used herein is intended to be construed in its conjunction sense. For example, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to encompass A, B, or both A and B.

[0037] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications, changes, and combinations can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that such modifications, changes, and combinations are deemed to be within the scope of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. 1. A food processing system comprising: a pump having an upstream end and a downstream end and configured to cause the food ingredient to flow from the upstream end to the downstream end; a first flow path operably coupled to the downstream end of the pump; a rotary feeder having an inlet end, a rotor, and an outlet end; the inlet end is operably coupled to a particle source via a second flow path; the outlet end is operably coupled to the first flow path via a third flow path; the rotor has at least one pocket configured to receive at least one solid particle from the second flow path; The rotor is rotatable to transport the at least one solid particle from the at least one pocket through the third flow path and into the first flow path. Food processing systems.

2. 10. The food processing system of claim 1, the rotor of the rotary feeder has a plurality of blades, the at least one pocket is formed between two of the plurality of wings; Food processing systems.

3. 3. The food processing system according to claim 2, The plurality of blades have a first portion extending from a central axis and a second portion extending from the first portion, The second portion has greater flexibility than the first portion. Food processing systems.

4. 10. The food processing system of claim 1, wherein the third flow path is pressurized and has a pressure equal to or greater than the pressure of the first flow path.

5. 5. The food processing system according to claim 4, wherein the pressure in the third flow path and / or the second flow path exceeds the pressure in the first flow path by about 0.5 to 2.0 bar.

6. 10. The food processing system according to claim 1, wherein the second flow path has an inclined portion extending at an oblique angle of 15° to 60° relative to a horizontal axis.

7. 10. The food processing system of claim 1, wherein an end of the third flow path is bent to direct the at least one solid particle downstream from the third flow path into the first flow path.

8. 1. A food processing system comprising: a first flow path configured to conduct a first fluid; a particle source containing and dispensing a plurality of solid particles; a rotary feeder having an inlet and an outlet; a second flow path extending from the particle source, at least a portion of which extends at an angle of about 15° to 60° relative to a horizontal axis, the second flow path directing at least one of a second fluid and the plurality of solid particles to the inlet of the rotary feeder; a third flow path extending from the rotary feeder to the first flow path and having a pressure at least about 0.2 to 2.0 bar greater than the pressure of the first flow path; A food processing system comprising:

9. 9. The food processing system according to claim 8, The rotor of the rotary feeder has a plurality of blades, the at least one pocket is formed between two of the plurality of wings; Food processing systems.

10. 10. The food processing system according to claim 9, The plurality of blades have a first portion extending from a central axis and a second portion extending from the first portion, The second portion has greater flexibility than the first portion. Food processing systems.

11. 9. The food processing system according to claim 8, wherein the pressure in the third flow path and / or the second flow path exceeds the pressure in the first flow path by about 0.5 to 1.5 bar.

12. 9. The food processing system of claim 8, wherein the second flow path further comprises a substantially vertical portion.

13. 9. The food processing system of claim 8, wherein the inclined portion of the second flow path extends at an oblique angle of between 20° and 50° relative to the horizontal axis.

14. 9. The food processing system of claim 8, wherein an end of the third flow path is bent to direct the at least one solid particle downstream from the third flow path into the first flow path.

15. 9. The food processing system of claim 8, further comprising an agitator disposed within at least one of the particle source and the second flow path.

16. 16. The food processing system according to claim 15, wherein the agitator is configured to perform at least one of a rotational movement and an axial translation movement.

17. pumping a food ingredient along a first flow path; rotating a rotor of a rotary feeder to dispense solid particles into the food ingredient pumped through the first flow path; 1. A method comprising: the rotary feeder has an inlet connected to a second flow path extending from a particle supply source, and an outlet connected to a third flow path connected to the first flow path. method.

18. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising pressurizing at least the third flow path to inhibit the food ingredient from flowing from the first flow path along the third flow path to the rotary feeder.

19. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising measuring a flow rate of the food component along the first flow path, and wherein rotating the rotor comprises rotating the rotor at a speed based at least in part on the flow rate.

20. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the speed of the rotor is selected to add a specific amount of solid particles per unit volume of the food ingredient in the first flow path.

21. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the rotor has at least one pocket rotatable to transfer solid particles from the second flow path to the first flow path.

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