Liquid food manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a device for manufacturing a liquid food product, the device making it possible to reduce or prevent loss of a food product to the greatest extent possible. [Solution] This device 1 for manufacturing a liquid food product comprises: a liquid food product passage line 2 through which a liquid food product Q passes, the liquid food product Q conforming to product standards; a recovery line 3A that recovers, from the liquid food product passage line 2, a lean solution Q3 of the liquid food product Q that has been diluted by water Q2 remaining in the liquid food product passage line 2; and a supply line 4 that, in the stage in which the liquid food product Q is passing through the liquid food product passage line 2, supplies the lean solution Q3 from the recovery line 3A to the liquid food product passage line 2 and mixes the lean solution Q3 with the liquid food product Q.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid food manufacturing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] For example, an apparatus for manufacturing liquid or semi-liquid foods such as soup and ice cream products is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a first container for heat-treating a liquid or semi-liquid base product, a second container 3 for supplying the base product to the first container, a stirrer 4 for mixing the base product in the first container 2, and the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a liquid food manufacturing apparatus such as the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the inside of the apparatus may be periodically washed with water. Thereby, the base product can be hygienically manufactured over a long period. However, the water used for washing may remain inside the apparatus and may dilute the liquid food produced after washing. In this case, the diluted liquid food does not meet the product specifications and is therefore discarded, leading to a problem of food loss. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid food manufacturing apparatus capable of reducing or preventing food loss as much as possible.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the liquid food manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is a liquid food passage line through which a liquid food conforming to product specifications passes, A recovery line for recovering the dilute liquid of the liquid food diluted by the water remaining in the liquid food passage line, and a supply line for supplying the dilute liquid from the recovery line to the liquid food passage line and mixing the dilute liquid with the liquid food in the process of the liquid food passing through the liquid food passage line.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, the dilute liquid that has been conventionally discarded can be mixed with the liquid food and reused. Thereby, it is possible to suppress or prevent as much as possible the wasteful disposal of the dilute liquid. That is, it is possible to reduce or prevent food loss as much as possible.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, the liquid food manufacturing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail based on a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0009] The liquid food manufacturing apparatus (liquid food manufacturing facility) 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 is an apparatus for manufacturing a liquid food Q1 that conforms to product specifications. The liquid food Q1 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include soft drinks such as juice, and liquid seasonings such as noodle soup. In addition, "conforming to product specifications" means a state in which the concentration (component concentration) of the liquid is formulated so as to be marketable and sellable.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1 (the same applies to FIGS. 2 to 7), the liquid food manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a liquid food passage line 2, a recovery line (first recovery line) 3A, a recovery line (second recovery line) 3B, a supply line 4, and a waste line 5. In FIG. 1, the liquid food passage line 2 is hatched diagonally from the upper left to the lower right, the recovery line 3A is hatched diagonally from the upper right to the lower left, the recovery line 3B is cross-hatched, and the supply line 4 is hatched diagonally from the upper left to the lower right (denser than the hatching of the liquid food passage line 2), and the waste line 5 is hatched diagonally from the upper right to the lower left (denser than the hatching of the supply line 3A).

[0011] The liquid food passage line 2 is a flow path through which the liquid food Q1 that conforms to product specifications passes (see FIG. 2), and is composed of, for example, a pipe or the like. The upstream side of the liquid food passage line 2 is connected to a blender 11 that mixes the raw material liquid of the liquid food Q1 and water at a predetermined mixing ratio to generate the liquid food Q1. The downstream side of the liquid food passage line 2 is connected to a filling machine 12 that fills the liquid food Q1 into a container or the like.

[0012] Further, the liquid food manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a first tank (balance tank) 21 provided in the middle of the liquid food passage line 2, a concentration detection unit 22, a pump 23, a flow rate detection unit 24, a functional unit 25, and a second tank 26. The first tank 21, the concentration detection unit 22, the pump 23, the flow rate detection unit 24, the functional unit 25, and the second tank 26 are arranged in this order from the upstream side.

[0013] The first tank 21 is a storage unit that temporarily stores the liquid food Q1. Thereby, a desired fixed amount of the liquid food Q1 can be stably made to flow down toward the second tank 26. Also, the first tank 21 can stir the liquid food Q1. Thereby, the concentration of the liquid food Q1 in the first tank 21 can be made uniform. And when filling the liquid food Q1 into each container from the filling machine 12, the concentration of the liquid food Q1 can be made constant.

[0014] As will be described later, in the liquid food passage line 2, for example, water Q2 used for cleaning may remain. Due to this water Q2, the liquid food Q1 is diluted and becomes a thin liquid (diluted liquid) Q3 that deviates from the product standard. When manufacturing the liquid food Q1, the liquid food manufacturing apparatus 1 can mix the thin liquid Q3 with the liquid food Q1 to generate a mixed liquid Q4. The concentration detection unit 22 is a concentration meter that detects the concentration of the mixed liquid Q4. The concentration detection unit 22 is not particularly limited, and for example, a concentration meter that measures the concentration from the refractive index of light, a density meter that measures the density of a liquid, etc. can be used.

[0015] Based on the detection result of the concentration detection unit 22, it is possible to determine whether the mixed liquid Q4 (the liquid food Q1 mixed with the thin liquid Q3) conforms to the product standard. When the mixed liquid Q4 conforms to the product standard, the mixed liquid Q4 can be filled into containers by the filling machine 12 and distributed in the market (see Fig. 6). On the other hand, when the mixed liquid Q4 does not conform to the product standard, the mixed liquid Q4 is reused as the thin liquid Q3. The determination of whether or not the mixed liquid Q4 conforms to the product standard is performed by a determination unit 10 electrically connected to the concentration detection unit 22. The determination unit 10 is not particularly limited, and for example, a personal computer can be used.

[0016] The pump 23 is a pump that forcibly passes the liquid food Q1 (mixed liquid Q4) through the liquid food passage line 2. The flow rate detection unit 24 is a flow meter that detects the flow rate of the liquid food Q1 (mixed liquid Q4) passing through the liquid food passage line 2.

[0017] The functional unit 25 includes a heating unit 251 for heating the liquid food Q1 (mixed liquid Q4) and a cooling unit 252 for cooling the liquid food Q1 (mixed liquid Q4). When the liquid food Q1 (mixed liquid Q4) passes through the heating unit 251, the heating unit 251 can heat and sterilize the liquid food Q1. Thus, the heating unit 251 has the function of sterilizing the liquid food Q1.

[0018] The cooling unit 252 can fill the container with the liquid food Q1 in a state where the liquid food Q1 (mixed liquid Q4) after sterilization is sufficiently cooled, and can prevent the re-proliferation of miscellaneous bacteria in the liquid food Q1 even after filling. The second tank 26 is a storage unit for temporarily storing the liquid food Q1. Thereby, a desired fixed amount of the liquid food Q1 can be stably flowed down toward the filling machine 12.

[0019] The recovery line 3A and the recovery line 3B are flow paths for recovering the thin liquid Q3 from the liquid food passage line 2 (see FIG. 2), and are composed of, for example, pipes. The upstream side of the recovery line 3A is connected via a valve 61 between the functional unit 25 and the second tank 26 of the liquid food passage line 2. By the operation of the valve 61, the flow toward the second tank 26 (FIGS. 2, 3, 6) and the flow toward the recovery line 3A (FIGS. 4, 5, 7) can be switched.

[0020] On the downstream side of the recovery line 3A, a thin liquid storage section 31 is connected. The thin liquid storage section 31 is a storage section that temporarily stores the thin liquid Q3. Thereby, until the thin liquid Q3 is supplied to the liquid food passage line 2 via the supply line 4, the thin liquid Q3 can be continuously stored. And when supplying the thin liquid Q3 to the liquid food passage line 2, the supply can be performed quickly.

[0021] Also, the recovery line 3A has a branch line 32 branched via a valve 62 in the middle thereof. The downstream side of the branch line 32 is connected to the first tank 21. By the operation of the valve 62, it is possible to switch between the flow toward the thin liquid storage section 31 and the flow toward the branch line 32.

[0022] The upstream side of the recovery line 3B is connected via a valve 63 between the first tank 21 and the blender 11 of the liquid food passage line 2. The downstream side of the recovery line 3B is connected to the thin liquid storage section 31. By the operation of the valve 63, it is possible to switch between the flow toward the first tank 21 and the flow toward the thin liquid storage section 31.

[0023] The liquid food manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a gas supply section 33A connected in the middle of the recovery line 3A and a gas supply section 33B connected in the middle of the recovery line 3B. The gas supply section 33A can inject and supply gas to the recovery line 3A. The gas supply section 33B can also inject and supply gas to the recovery line 3B. Thereby, the thin liquid Q3 remaining in the recovery line 3A or the recovery line 3B can be forced to flow toward the thin liquid storage section 31, and the thin liquid Q3 can be recovered with as little waste as possible. This recovery leads to the reduction or prevention of food loss described later. Note that the gas is not particularly limited, and for example, an inert gas such as air or nitrogen gas is preferable. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the gas from affecting the components of the thin liquid Q3.

[0024] Also, a concentration detector (thin liquid concentration detector) 34 is provided downstream of the gas supply section 33A of the recovery line 3A and upstream of the thin liquid storage section 31. The concentration detector 34 is a concentration meter that detects the concentration of the thin liquid Q3 passing through the recovery line 3A. The concentration detector 34 is not particularly limited, and for example, a concentration meter that measures the concentration from the refractive index of light, a densitometer that measures the density of a liquid, etc. can be used.

[0025] And, the determination unit 10 determines whether or not the thin liquid Q3 is within a predetermined concentration range based on the detection result of the concentration detector 34. As described above, the determination unit 10 can also determine whether or not the mixed liquid Q4 conforms to the product specifications based on the detection result of the concentration detector 22.

[0026] The waste line 5 is a flow path for discarding the thin liquid Q3 when the determination unit 10 determines that the thin liquid Q3 is not within a predetermined concentration range, and is composed of, for example, a pipe or the like. The upstream side of the waste line 5 is connected via a valve 64 between the concentration detector 34 of the recovery line 3A and the thin liquid storage section 31. The downstream side of the waste line 5 is connected to, for example, a sewer or a wastewater treatment facility into which the thin liquid Q3, the water Q2 used for washing, etc. flow. By the operation of the valve 64, it is possible to switch between the flow toward the thin liquid storage section 31 (see FIG. 4) and the flow toward the sewer or the wastewater treatment facility (waste line 5) (see FIG. 5). Note that, in the recovery line 3A, the portion from the valve 64 to the thin liquid storage section 31 may be referred to as the "reuse line 35".

[0027] The supply line 4 is a flow path for supplying the thin liquid Q3 from the thin liquid storage section 31 (recovery line 3A) to the liquid food passage line 2 in the process of the liquid food Q1 passing through the liquid food passage line 2 (see FIG. 6), and is composed of, for example, a pipe or the like. By this supply, a mixed liquid Q4 in which the thin liquid Q3 is mixed with the liquid food Q1 is obtained.

[0028] The upstream side of the supply line 4 is connected to the thin liquid storage section 31. The downstream side of the supply line 4 is connected to the upstream side of the functional part 25 of the liquid food passage line 2. In the present embodiment, the downstream side of the supply line 4 is connected between the functional part 25 of the liquid food passage line 2 and the valve 63. Thereby, the thin liquid Q3 can be joined to the liquid food Q1 at the upstream side as much as possible, and thereafter, before reaching the concentration detection unit 22, it is possible to secure a time and a distance for sufficiently mixing the liquid food Q1 and the thin liquid Q3. Also, the functional part 25 often has a heating function for sterilization. In that case, the thin liquid Q3 is not necessarily heated to a predetermined temperature and sterilized in the functional part 25. Therefore, in the thin liquid storage part 31, there are a sterilized thin liquid Q3 and a non-sterilized thin liquid Q3 mixed. Therefore, when reusing the thin liquid Q3, the thin liquid Q3 is joined to the liquid food Q1 upstream of the functional part 25 of the liquid food passage line 2, and the mixed liquid Q4 generated by this joining needs to be heated and sterilized in the functional part 25.

[0029] Also, the liquid food manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a pump 41 provided in the middle of the supply line 4, a flow rate detection unit 42, a concentration detection unit (concentration detection unit for thin liquid) 43, and a valve 44. The pump 41, the flow rate detection unit 42, the concentration detection unit 43, and the valve 44 are arranged in this order from the upstream side. The pump 41 is a pump that forcibly passes the thin liquid Q3 through the supply line 4. The flow rate detection unit 42 is a flow meter that detects the flow rate of the thin liquid Q3 passing through the supply line 4.

[0030] The concentration detection unit 43 is a concentration meter that detects the concentration of the thin liquid Q3. The concentration detection unit 43 is not particularly limited, and for example, a concentration meter that measures the concentration from the refractive index of light, a density meter that measures the density of a liquid, etc. can be used. Based on the detection result of the concentration detection unit 43, the determination unit 10 can determine whether the thin liquid Q3 has reached a predetermined concentration. When the thin liquid Q3 has reached the predetermined concentration, the thin liquid Q3 can be used. On the other hand, when the thin liquid Q3 has not reached the predetermined concentration, the thin liquid Q3 is discarded as described above. Alternatively, the flow rate of the thin liquid Q3 passing through the supply line 4 can also be adjusted according to the concentration of the thin liquid Q3.

[0031] The valve 44 is a throttle valve that functions as a flow rate adjustment unit for adjusting the flow rate of the thin liquid Q3 based on the detection result of the flow rate detection unit 42. Thereby, the supply amount of the thin liquid Q3 to the liquid food passage line 2 can be adjusted. Note that the use of the valve 44 is not limited to being used as the flow rate adjustment unit. For example, a pump 41 may be used. In this case, the flow rate of the thin liquid Q3 can be adjusted by adjusting the rotation speed of the pump 41. Also, the arrangement order of the pump 41, the flow rate detection unit 42, the concentration detection unit 43, and the valve 44 along the supply line 4 is not limited to that shown in the figure.

[0032] Next, an example of the usage method of the liquid food manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the liquid food Q1 is sent from the blender 11 to the filling machine 12 through the liquid food passage line 2. Thereby, the container can be filled with the liquid food Q1. The liquid food Q1 becomes a state in which it can be circulated as a commodity (product).

[0033] Then, after the production of a predetermined lot of the commodity is completed, as shown in FIG. 3, water Q2 is passed through the liquid food passage line 2. Thereby, the liquid food passage line 2 can be washed. Note that the supply locations (injection locations) of the water Q2 to the liquid food passage line 2 are not shown in the figure, but there are a plurality of them. After washing the liquid food passage line 2, the water Q2 is discharged from the liquid food passage line 2. At this time, since not all of the water Q2 in the liquid food passage line 2 can be discharged, there are a plurality of locations where the water Q2 remains in the liquid food passage line 2.

[0034] Next, as shown in FIG. 4, liquid food Q1 is supplied from blender 11 to liquid food passage line 2. As a result, in liquid food passage line 2, liquid food Q1 is diluted by water Q2 to become thin liquid Q3. Then, by switching valve 61 in liquid food passage line 2, thin liquid Q3 is directed toward recovery line 3A.

[0035] Also, the concentration of thin liquid Q3 is detected by concentration detector 34 in recovery line 3A. If this concentration is within the range of a predetermined threshold value, thin liquid Q3 is recovered and stored in thin liquid storage section 31 as being suitable for mixing with liquid food Q1. On the other hand, when the concentration of thin liquid Q3 is outside the range of the predetermined threshold value, thin liquid Q3 is considered to be too thin and not suitable for mixing with liquid food Q1. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, valve 64 in recovery line 3A is switched to direct thin liquid Q3 toward waste line 5. Thereby, thin liquid Q3 can be discarded.

[0036] Then, when restarting lot production of the product, as shown in FIG. 6, liquid food Q1 is supplied from blender 11 to liquid food passage line 2. As a result, liquid food Q1 passes through liquid food passage line 2. With the passage of liquid food Q1, thin liquid Q3 is supplied to liquid food passage line 2 via supply line 4. As a result, in liquid food passage line 2, liquid food Q1 and thin liquid Q3 are mixed to generate mixed liquid Q4.

[0037] Note that the supply amount of thin liquid Q3 to liquid food passage line 2 is adjusted by the operation of valve 44 in supply line 4 or the operation of pump 41. Also, the concentration of thin liquid Q3 is detected again by concentration detector 43 in supply line 4. If this concentration is within the range of a predetermined threshold value, thin liquid Q3 can be supplied to liquid food passage line 2 as being suitable for mixing with liquid food Q1.

[0038] On the other hand, when the concentration of the thin liquid Q3 is outside the range of a predetermined threshold value, the thin liquid Q3 is considered to be too thin and not suitable for mixing with the liquid food Q1, and the supply to the liquid food passage line 2 is stopped. This stop can be achieved by stopping the operation of the pump 41. Alternatively, the flow rate of the thin liquid Q3 passing through the supply line 4 can also be adjusted according to the concentration of the thin liquid Q3.

[0039] The concentration of the mixed liquid Q4 generated in the liquid food passage line 2 is detected by the concentration detection unit 22. When this concentration is within the range of a predetermined threshold value, the mixed liquid Q4 is regarded as conforming to the product standard and is sent to the filling machine 12. As a result, the mixed liquid Q4 is filled into a container and can be circulated as a commodity (product) in the same manner as the liquid food Q1.

[0040] On the other hand, when the concentration of the mixed liquid Q4 is outside the range of a predetermined threshold value, the mixed liquid Q4 is regarded as not conforming to the product standard. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the valve 61 of the liquid food passage line 2 is switched to direct the mixed liquid Q4 toward the recovery line 3A. Then, by switching the valve 64, the mixed liquid Q4 is directed to the thin liquid storage unit 35 via the reuse line 35. As a result, the mixed liquid Q4 is recovered in the thin liquid storage unit 35 and can be reused as the thin liquid Q3.

[0041] As described above, in the liquid food manufacturing apparatus 1, the thin liquid Q3 that has been conventionally discarded can be mixed with the liquid food Q1 and reused. Thereby, it is possible to suppress or prevent, as much as possible, the wasteful disposal of the thin liquid Q3. That is, it is possible to reduce or prevent food loss as much as possible.

[0042] And when the mixed liquid Q4 in which the liquid food Q1 and the thin liquid Q3 are mixed conforms to the product standard, it can be treated as a commodity in the same manner as the liquid food Q1. For example, the branch line 32 may supply a part of the mixed liquid Q4 to the branch line 32 by adjusting the opening degree of the valve 62 and supply it to the first tank (balance tank) 21 (the rest is switched to the reuse line 35 by the valve 64). Accordingly, even if it is a small amount of the mixed liquid Q4, it can be made to conform to the product plan without significantly reducing the concentration, and the thin liquid Q3 can be reused. Also, during a predetermined period after cleaning, the recovery line 3B may supply the thin liquid to the thin liquid storage unit 31 by controlling the valve 63. After cleaning, since the thin liquid Q3 with a low concentration is present between the valve 63 and the blender 11, it is supplied to the thin liquid storage unit 31. Thereby, the concentration of the liquid food passage line 2 can be quickly converged to a concentration conforming to the product plan. Alternatively, although not shown in the drawings, a recovery line may be provided for the thin liquid Q3 generated by the filling machine 12 from the second tank 26 as well, and it can be recovered and reused.

[0043] As described above, the liquid food manufacturing apparatus of the present invention has been described with respect to the illustrated embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and each part constituting the liquid food manufacturing apparatus can be replaced with any configuration that can exhibit the same function. Also, any components may be added. In addition to those shown in the drawings, there are also some concentration detection units and flow rate detection units whose illustrations are omitted. Also, one of the heating unit and the cooling unit of the functional unit may be omitted.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0044] 1 Liquid food manufacturing apparatus (liquid food manufacturing facility) 2 Liquid food passage line 21 First tank (balance tank) 22 Concentration detection unit 23 Pump 24 Flow rate detection unit 25 Functional unit 251 Heating unit 252 Cooling unit 26 Second tank 3A Recovery Line (First Recovery Line) 3B Recovery Line (Second Recovery Line) 31 Dilute Liquid Storage Section 32 Branch Line 33A Gas Supply Section (First Gas Supply Section) 33B Gas Supply Section (Second Gas Supply Section) 34 Concentration Detection Section (Dilute Liquid Concentration Detection Section) 35 Reuse Line 4 Supply Line 41 Pump 42 Flow Rate Detection Section 43 Concentration Detection Section (Dilute Liquid Concentration Detection Section) 44 Valve 5 Disposal Line 61 Valve 62 Valve 63 Valve 64 Valve 10 Judgment Section 11 Blender 12 Filler Q1 Liquid Food Q2 Water Q3 Dilute Liquid (Diluent) Q4 Mixed Liquid

Claims

1. A liquid food passage line through which a liquid food conforming to product specifications passes, a recovery line for recovering a thin liquid of the liquid food diluted by water remaining in the liquid food passage line from the liquid food passage line, and a supply line for supplying the thin liquid from the recovery line to the liquid food passage line and mixing the thin liquid with the liquid food in the process of the liquid food passing through the liquid food passage line. A liquid food manufacturing apparatus characterized by comprising.

2. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a concentration detection unit provided in the liquid food passage line for detecting the concentration of a mixed liquid in which the liquid food and the thin liquid are mixed.

3. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a determination unit for determining whether or not the mixed liquid conforms to the product specifications based on the detection result of the concentration detection unit.

4. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a line for recovering and reusing the mixed liquid as the thin liquid when the determination unit determines that the mixed liquid does not conform to the product specifications.

5. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a functional unit provided in the liquid food passage line and having at least one of a function of sterilizing the liquid food and a function of cooling the liquid food.

6. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the supply line is connected upstream of the functional unit of the liquid food passage line.

7. a flow rate detection unit provided in the supply line for detecting the flow rate of the thin liquid; The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a flow rate adjustment unit provided in the supply line for adjusting the flow rate of the thin liquid based on the detection result of the flow rate detection unit.

8. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a concentration detection unit for the thin liquid provided in the supply line for detecting the concentration of the thin liquid.

9. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a thin liquid storage unit provided in the recovery line for temporarily storing the thin liquid.

10. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a gas supply unit for forcibly directing the thin liquid to the thin liquid storage unit by supplying gas to the recovery line.

11. The liquid food manufacturing apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising a thin liquid concentration detector that is provided in the recovery line and upstream of the thin liquid storage unit to detect the concentration of the thin liquid.

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