Manufacturing method for sterilized products

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a disinfection treatment product in which two or more type of contents having different physical properties are subjected to disinfection treatment and stored in a container.SOLUTION: The present invention includes: a first storage process in which a first content is stored in a container body including an opening on the top; a primary seal process in which the container body is covered with a lid member, the container body and the lid member are sealed along a circumference of the opening, and a circulation passage is formed through which an inside and an outside of the container body can communicate when the container body and the lid member are sealed; a disinfection process in which a disinfection gas is introduced into the container body through the circulation passage and the first content is disinfected by the disinfection gas; a second storage process in which a second content is stored in the container body through the circulation passage; and a secondary seal process in which the container body and the lid member are sealed to close the circulation passage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a sterilized product containing sterilized contents.

Background Art

[0002] Among packaged foods, there are those in which foods cooked and processed at a food factory or the like are housed in a container having an opening, and the container is distributed with a top sheet or a lid cover. However, since the packaged foods using a top sheet or a lid cover are not completely sealed, there is a possibility that outside air may enter the container. Therefore, these packaged foods have a very short shelf life of generally 1 to 2 days, and there is a problem that the waste loss rate is very high (the product yield is poor).

[0003] Recently, as such packaged foods, there are packaged foods in which the container and the lid are heat-sealed so that the inside of the container is completely sealed and the shelf life is extended. Among them, there are also packaged foods whose shelf life exceeds two weeks by refrigerated storage.

[0004] However, even though sealing the container by heat-sealing or the like can prevent the intrusion of bacteria from the outside, the inside of the formed container is not in a completely sterile state. Therefore, it is quite conceivable that bacteria in the container may multiply due to changes in the environment during the distribution process. Therefore, in order to further extend the shelf life, it is required to strictly manage the cleanliness so that the working environment in the food factory is as close to a sterile state as possible. Conventionally, a method has been proposed in which after heat-sterilizing the food in a container, the container body is sealed with a lid member in a clean room (sterile room) (Patent Document 1). For example, the cleanliness of the working environment for handling cooked and processed foods may be managed up to a high level such as the 10,000 or 1,000 level of the NASA standard clean room. However, when introducing such a clean room, there is a problem that the installation and maintenance management of air conditioning equipment require a great deal of cost.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-9937 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In recent years, the contents of packaged foods have become more diverse, and the manufacturing process has become complicated when producing packaged foods containing two or more types of contents with different physical properties, such as solid food and seasoning liquids. In addition, there are various other items besides food that must be sterilized before being distributed to the market as products, and there is a need for efficient sterilization of these items.

[0007] The object of this invention is to provide a method for producing a sterilized product in which two or more contents with different physical properties are contained in a container with as few bacteria as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to the present invention is: The invention is characterized by comprising: a first storage step of storing a first contents in a container body having an opening at the top; a primary sealing step of covering the container body with a lid member and sealing the container body and the lid member along the periphery of the opening, wherein when the container body and the lid member are sealed, a flow passage is formed that allows the inside and outside of the container body to flow; a sterilization step of introducing a sterilizing gas into the container body through the flow passage and sterilizing the first contents with the sterilizing gas; a second storage step of storing a second contents into the container body through the flow passage; and a secondary sealing step of sealing the container body and the lid member so as to close the flow passage.

[0009] With this configuration, the passage for introducing sterilizing gas into the container body also serves as the part for housing the second contents within the container body. Therefore, a sterilized product can be easily manufactured in which the first and second contents, which have different physical properties, are housed in the container body in a state with as few bacteria as possible.

[0010] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing the sterilized product, the second contents may be at least one of a solid, liquid, powder, and gel.

[0011] With this configuration, a sterilized product can be manufactured in which a solid, liquid, powder, or gel-like content is contained in the container as the second content.

[0012] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing the sterilized product, the container body may include a flange portion provided along the periphery of the opening, and the flow passage may include a through hole formed in the flange portion.

[0013] With this configuration, a sterilizing gas can be introduced into the container body through a through-hole formed in the flange, and a second contents can be housed in the container body.

[0014] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing the sterilized product, the container body may include a flange portion provided along the periphery of the opening, and the flow passage may include a gap formed between the flange portion and the lid member.

[0015] With this configuration, a sterilizing gas can be introduced into the container body through the gap between the flange and the lid member, and the second contents can be contained within the container body.

[0016] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing the sterilized product may further include a gas replacement step of supplying an inert gas to the inside of the container body through the flow passage.

[0017] According to such a configuration, by discharging air from the inside of the container body with an inert gas, the sterilized contents can be maintained in quality for a long time.

Effects of the Invention

[0018] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing a sterilized product in which two or more types of contents having different physical properties are contained in a container in a state with as few bacteria as possible.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a plan view of a packaging container used in the method for producing a sterilized product according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken at the I-I position of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing each step in the method for producing the sterilized product. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a schematic view of the packaging container before the first accommodation step in the method for producing the sterilized product. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a schematic view of the packaging container after the first accommodation step. [Figure 3C] FIG. 3C is a schematic view of the through-hole forming step of the packaging container. [Figure 4A] FIG. 3D is a schematic view of the packaging container after the through-hole forming step. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4A is a schematic view of the packaging container after the through-hole forming step. [Figure 5A] FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the primary sealing step of the packaging container. <​​​​​​​​​​ [Figure 6C] Figure 6C is a schematic diagram of the second filling process of the packaging container. [Figure 7A] Figure 7A is a schematic diagram of the gas replacement process for the packaging container. [Figure 7B] Figure 7B is a schematic diagram of the secondary sealing process of the packaging container. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A is a plan view of a packaging container used in a method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8B] Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view taken at position VIII-VIII in Figure 8A. [Figure 9A] Figure 9A is a schematic diagram of the second packaging container filling step used in a method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9B] Figure 9B is a schematic diagram of the second filling process of the packaging container. [Figure 10A] Figure 10A is a schematic diagram of the second packaging container filling step used in a method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10B] Figure 10B is a schematic diagram of the second filling process of the packaging container. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 7B. Figures 1A and 1B show one embodiment of a packaging container used in the method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to the present invention, and Figures 3A to 7B show each step of the method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to the present invention in order.

[0021] First, the structure of the packaging container used in the manufacturing method of this sterilized product will be described. This packaging container is for sterilization, in which a solid contents (e.g., food) as an example of the first contents contained inside is sterilized by exposing it to heated steam as an example of a sterilizing gas, and then a liquid contents (e.g., seasoning liquid) as an example of the second contents is contained inside, and the first and second contents are then sealed to produce a sterilized product (e.g., packaged food) for distribution.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the packaging container 1 comprises a container body 2 having an opening 20 at the top. The container body 2 also includes a storage section 3 for containing the contents. Furthermore, the container body 2 includes a flange section 4 provided along the periphery of the opening 20.

[0023] In the following, the vertical direction of the packaging container 1 coincides with the vertical direction in Figures 1B and 3A to 7B. Also, the inner and outer sides of the flange portion 4 coincide with the side of the flange portion 4 that is closer to and farther from the opening edge 21 of the container body 2.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the container body 2 is a container that can be closed with a lid member. In this embodiment, the container body 2 is tray-shaped, but any shape such as cup-shaped or bottle-shaped can be used. The material of the container body 2 is synthetic resin. The thickness of the container body 2 is uneven depending on the part, but it may be the same in all parts. In the container body 2 of this embodiment, the thickness of the flange part 4 is greater than the thickness of the storage part 3. In this embodiment, the storage part 3 and the flange part 4 are made from a single piece of material. Specifically, the container body 2 is made by molding a single sheet. The material of the container body 2 may be a material other than synthetic resin, for example, paper, metal, glass (specifically, a sheet of glass fiber), etc.

[0025] Furthermore, the lid member of this embodiment is flexible. The lid member is made of, for example, a film material made of synthetic resin. Specifically, the film material constituting the lid member is a biaxially stretched plastic film material.

[0026] The storage section 3 is the part that stores contents (for example, food). In this embodiment, the storage section 3 includes a bottom plate 31 located below it. The storage section 3 also includes a side wall 33 that extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate 31.

[0027] The side wall 33 is configured such that, for example, the upper part of the wall widens in a plan view. The upper edge of the side wall 33 forms the opening edge 21 of the container body 2.

[0028] The flange portion 4 is the part that is sealed with the lid member. The flange portion 4 also extends outward from the opening edge 21 of the container body 2 (see Figure 1A). Furthermore, the flange portion 4 is provided around the entire circumference of the opening edge 21 in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the flange portion 4 is substantially plate-shaped and is arranged in an annular shape so as to surround the housing portion 3 in a plan view. Specifically, the flange portion 4 is an annular shape with four corners in a plan view.

[0029] Furthermore, the flange portion 4 has a primary sealing region 41 that is sealed in the primary sealing process with the lid member that covers the opening 20, and a secondary sealing region 42 that is sealed in the secondary sealing process with the lid member. In addition, the flange portion 4 has an upward-facing flange upper surface 43 and a downward-facing flange lower surface 44. In this embodiment, a through hole 45 is formed in the flange portion 4.

[0030] The primary sealing area 41 is part of the flange portion 4 and is an area for temporarily sealing the lid member and the flange portion 4 by the primary sealing process. The primary sealing process is performed after food is placed in the storage portion 3 but before the stored food is sterilized.

[0031] In this embodiment, the primary seal region 41 is located on the outer periphery of the flange portion 4. Furthermore, the primary seal region 41 is continuous in the circumferential direction of the opening edge 21. Specifically, the primary seal region 41 extends continuously in the circumferential direction, inside the outer edge of the flange portion 4. More specifically, the primary seal region 41 extends continuously around the entire circumferential direction of the opening edge 21, inside the outer edge of the flange portion 4.

[0032] The secondary sealing region 42 is the region where the lid member and the flange portion 4 are sealed during the secondary sealing process, which is a sealing step. The secondary sealing process is performed after sterilizing the first contents contained in the containment portion 3. The secondary sealing region 42 is at least a part of the flange portion 4. Furthermore, the secondary sealing region 42 may include an area that overlaps with (is the same as) the primary sealing region 41. In this embodiment, the secondary sealing region 42 is the portion that overlaps with the through hole 45, but it may also be the entire flange portion 4.

[0033] The through-hole 45 is located inside the primary seal area 41. Furthermore, the through-hole 45 penetrates between the upper flange surface 43 and the lower flange surface 44.

[0034] Furthermore, the flange portion 4 of this embodiment is provided with multiple through holes 45. While the number of through holes 45 in the flange portion 4 may be one, it is preferable to have multiple through holes, as it is desirable to provide both through holes for introducing gas into the flange portion 4 and through holes for releasing gas from the flange portion 4. Specifically, in this flange portion 4, the number of through holes 45 is the same as the number of corners of the flange portion 4 (four in this embodiment).

[0035] The through holes 45 are, for example, located at opposing positions on either side of the housing portion 3. If the flange portion 4 is an annular shape with four corners, it is preferable to form one through hole 45 at each corner of the flange portion 4 in a plan view, for a total of four holes. It is preferable that the shape and size of each through hole 45 be the same.

[0036] In this embodiment, the through hole 45 is located inside the U-shaped slit 450 formed in the flange portion 4. Specifically, the through hole 45 is formed in the flange portion 4 by bending the inner portion of the U-shaped slit 450 upward compared to other areas of the flange portion 4.

[0037] Next, a method for manufacturing a sterilized product will be described. This method for manufacturing a sterilized product mainly comprises: a first filling step of filling a container body 2 with a first contents C1; a primary sealing step of covering the container body 2 with a lid member 5 and sealing the container body 2 and the lid member 5 along the periphery of the opening 20, wherein when the container body 2 and the lid member 5 are sealed, a flow passage R is formed that allows the inside and outside of the container body 2 to flow; a sterilization step of introducing a sterilizing gas into the container body 2 through the flow passage R and sterilizing the first contents C1 with the sterilizing gas; a second filling step of filling a second contents C2 into the container body 2 through the flow passage R; and a secondary sealing step of sealing the container body 2 and the lid member 5 so as to close the flow passage R. In this embodiment, the method for manufacturing a sterilized product further comprises a gas replacement step of supplying an inert gas into the container body 2 through the flow passage R.

[0038] More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the first containment step (step S1), through-hole formation step (step S2), primary sealing step (step S3), degassing step (step S4), sterilization step (step S5), cooling step (step S6), second containment step (step S7), gas replacement step (step S8), and secondary sealing step (step S9) are performed in order. The following describes each step in this embodiment. Furthermore, the method of this embodiment will be described using the packaging container 1 of the above embodiment.

[0039] First, as shown in Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C, a first filling step is performed in which the first contents C1 are placed in the packaging container 1. Then, a through-hole forming step is performed in which a through-hole 45 is formed inside the primary seal area 41 of the flange portion 4.

[0040] In this embodiment, first, the container body 2 is placed on a bucket 7A used in the first sealing process (see Figure 3A). The bucket 7A includes, for example, a bucket recess 70 which is a recess in which the container body 2 can be placed, and a bucket passage 71 which penetrates the bucket 7A. In this embodiment, the upper surface of the bucket 7A is a flat surface. The bucket passage 71 extends along the vertical direction.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first containment step, through-hole formation step, primary sealing step, second containment step, gas replacement step, and secondary sealing step are performed with the packaging container 1 placed on the bucket 7A. In the container body 2, the flange portion 4 has a bent piece 451 through which a through-hole 45 is provided. The bucket 7A has a bucket passage 71 positioned so as to overlap with the bent piece 451 (the through-hole 45 that is formed later) of the container body 2 when the packaging container 1 is placed on it.

[0042] In the first containment step, the first contents C1 are contained inside the container body 2 through the opening 20 of the container body 2 (see Figure 3B).

[0043] The first content C1 is at least one of solid, liquid, powder, and gel forms, and is, for example, a solid food. As the first content C1, any food can be used, such as daily fresh food, i.e., food cooked and processed in a food factory or chilled processed food.

[0044] In this embodiment, a through-hole 45 is formed in the flange portion 4 by performing a through-hole forming process (see Figure 3C). Specifically, the through-hole 45 is formed when a folded piece 451, which is part of the flange portion 4, is deformed upward with respect to a slit 450. In the flange portion 4, the boundary of the folded piece 451 is a U-shaped slit 450. This slit 450 is formed in advance in the container body 2 (flange portion 4). More specifically, the through-hole 45 is formed when a slit 450 is formed in a flat folded piece 451, and the folded piece 451 is bent upward with respect to a straight line 452 connecting the base ends of the slits 450 as the boundary. The folded piece 451 is deformed, for example, by a push-up mechanism 72. Specifically, the folded piece 451 is deformed by a push-up mechanism 72 (push-up rod) inserted from below into the bucket passage 71.

[0045] As a result of the through-hole forming process of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4A, the bent piece 451 is continuous with the area surrounding the bent piece 451 of the flange portion 4 by a straight line 452, and is located above this surrounding area. In other words, the bent piece 451 is located above the area surrounding the bent piece 451 of the flange portion 4, with the outer peripheral edge of the bent piece 451 as the boundary.

[0046] Next, as shown in Figures 4B and 5A, a primary sealing process is performed to seal the lid member 5 that covers the opening 20 of the container body 2 and the primary sealing area 41 of the flange portion 4.

[0047] In this embodiment, first, the lid member 5 is positioned to cover the opening of the container body 2 (see Figure 4B). Furthermore, the primary seal region 41, which is the outer circumference of the flange portion 4, and the lid member 5 are sealed linearly in the circumferential direction of the outer circumference of the flange portion 4 (see Figure 5A). In this primary sealing process, the lid member 5 is heat-welded to the primary seal region 41, for example, by using a first heat sealing machine. Note that the primary sealing process may be performed by a sealing method other than linear sealing, for example, a spot seal that seals at least one point.

[0048] Specifically, the first heat sealing machine comprises a bucket 7A and a mold 8 that presses the lid member 5 from above. The mold 8 comprises a flat mold body portion 80 and a mold projection portion 81 that protrudes downward from the mold body portion 80. The mold 8 also comprises a cutter 82 that protrudes downward from a position on the outer circumference of the mold body portion 80, relative to the mold projection portion 81. The lower surface of the mold body portion 80 is a flat surface. The heated mold 8 is pressed against the container body 2 from above, and the primary sealing is completed when the mold projection portion 81 presses the primary sealing area 41 via the lid member 5.

[0049] In this embodiment, during the primary sealing process, the bent piece 451 is lifted from below by the support mechanism 73. Specifically, during the primary sealing process, the bent piece 451 is lifted from below by the support mechanism 73 so that the through hole 45 of the flange portion 4 is open, or more specifically, so that the bent piece 451 maintains a position above the area surrounding it. For example, the bent piece 451 is lifted from below by the support mechanism 73 (support rod) inserted into the bucket through passage 71 from below.

[0050] Furthermore, the primary sealing process allows the cutter 82 to cut off the unnecessary portion of the lid member 5, thereby removing this unnecessary portion.

[0051] In the first sealing process, a flow passage R is formed between the flange portion 4 and the lid member 5, as shown in Figure 5B. In this embodiment, the flow passage R includes a through hole 45 formed in the flange portion 4.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5C, a sterilization process is performed in which heated steam S is circulated into the containment section 3 via the flow passage R, and the first contents C1 are sterilized by being exposed to the heated steam S.

[0053] In this embodiment, we will describe a case in which the sterilization process is carried out using a short-time cooking sterilization device RIC (hereinafter also simply referred to as RIC) manufactured by Hisaka Works, Ltd. Here, the short-time cooking sterilization device RIC (not shown) comprises a processing tank capable of accommodating the food in a container to be processed, a steam supply device that supplies steam to the processing tank, a degassing device that creates a vacuum inside the processing tank, and a heating device that heats the inside of the processing tank.

[0054] In the manufacturing method of the sterilized product of this embodiment, a degassing step is performed to degas the inside of the containment section 3 before the sterilization step. When performing the degassing step, the packaging container 1 containing the first contents C1 and with the lid member 5 pre-sealed is removed from the bucket 7A, and multiple of these packaging containers 1 are arranged on a tray (not shown). Furthermore, these trays are stacked in multiple layers in the vertical direction and placed in the processing tank that constitutes the RIC. Next, the lid of the processing tank is closed to seal the processing tank, and then the inside of the processing tank is degassed to a vacuum state. When the inside of the processing tank is degassed to a vacuum state, the air inside the containment section 3 is also degassed through the flow passage R, and the inside of the containment section 3 becomes the same vacuum state as the inside of the processing tank.

[0055] In the sterilization process, heated steam S is supplied to the treatment tank as a sterilizing gas, and the temperature inside the treatment tank is set to, for example, 70°C to 145°C. The heated steam S supplied to the treatment tank flows into the containment section 3 from below the flange section 4 through the flow passage R (through hole 45). As a result, the first contents C1 contained in the containment section 3 are sterilized by the heated steam S.

[0056] Next, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6A, a cooling step is performed to cool the first contents C1 after the sterilization step. In the cooling step, the pressure inside the processing tank is reduced to discharge the heated steam S, and then the processing tank is made into a vacuum state, causing the water to evaporate and latent heat to be removed from the first contents C1, thereby cooling the first contents C1.

[0057] Next, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6B, a vacuum breaking step is performed to reduce the first contents C1 from a vacuum state to atmospheric pressure. In the vacuum breaking step, air A (clean air) is introduced into the container body 2 through the flow passage R, returning the first contents C1 to an atmospheric pressure state. Furthermore, after the first containment step (in this embodiment, the first containment step and the cooling step), the lid of the processing tank is opened and the packaging container 1 containing the first contents C1 is removed together with the tray.

[0058] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6C, a second filling step is performed in which the second contents C2 are placed inside the container body 2. In this embodiment, first, the container body 2 is placed on the bucket 7B used in the second sealing step. The bucket 7B used in the second sealing step has the same configuration as the bucket 7A used in the first sealing step, but it may have a different configuration.

[0059] The second contents C2 is at least one of solid, liquid, powder, and gel forms, and is, for example, a liquid food (specifically, a seasoning liquid). The second contents C2 is contained inside the container body 2 through a portion of the flow passage R1, called flow passage R1. At this time, the air A contained inside the container body 2 is pushed out by the second contents C2 and discharged to the outside through the remaining flow passage R2 of flow passage R1. In this embodiment, the second contents C2 flows through the bucket passage 71 of the bucket 7B and is contained inside the container body 2 through the flow passage R (for example, flow passage R1). That is, the second contents C2 flows directly through the bucket passage 71.

[0060] Furthermore, if the second content C2 is solid, it may be in the form of flakes such as dried bonito flakes or granular contents such as tapioca, and the flake or granular second content C2 may be carried by nitrogen gas or the like through a portion of the flow passage R1 and contained inside the container body 2. As the second content C2, for example, ingredients used in daily fresh foods, i.e., foods cooked and processed in food factories, or chilled processed foods, can be used. It is preferable that the second content C2 has been sterilized in advance.

[0061] After the second containment process, a gas replacement process is carried out as shown in Figure 7A. In this gas replacement process, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, argon gas, helium gas, or a mixture of several of these gases is supplied into the containment section 3 via the flow passage R. This inert gas is supplied after sterilization, for example, by sterilization using a filter. Specifically, the inert gas is supplied through a portion of the flow passage R1. At this time, the air A inside the container body 2 that is pushed out by the inert gas I is discharged to the outside through the remaining flow passage R1.

[0062] After the gas replacement process, a secondary sealing process is performed to seal the lid member 5 and the secondary sealing area 42, as shown in Figure 7B. This results in a packaged food 6 consisting of the packaging container 1, the lid member 5, the first contents C1, and the second contents C2.

[0063] Furthermore, in the gas replacement process, the through-hole 45, which supplies the sterilizing gas, also serves as the part that supplies the inert gas, thus making the gas replacement process easier to carry out.

[0064] The secondary sealing step in this embodiment is a step of partially sealing (spot sealing) the secondary sealing region 42 and the lid member 5. In the secondary sealing step, the lid member 5 is heat-welded to the secondary sealing region 42 by using a second heat sealing machine. Note that the secondary sealing step may also be a sealing other than spot sealing, for example, a step of sealing the entire flange portion 4 and the lid member 5 in a planar manner, or a line seal.

[0065] Specifically, the second heat sealing machine comprises a bucket 7B on which the container body 2 is placed and which is subjected to gas replacement, and a mold 9 that presses down on the lid member 5 from above. The mold 9 comprises a flat mold body portion 90 and a mold projection portion 91 that protrudes downward from the mold body portion 90. The lower surface of the mold body portion 90 is a flat surface. The heated mold 9 is pressed against the container body 2 from above, and the mold projection portion 91 presses down on the secondary sealing area 42 via the lid member 5, thereby completing the secondary sealing.

[0066] In this embodiment, in the secondary sealing process, after gas replacement, the packaging container is quickly sealed while still placed on the bucket 7B, thereby maintaining an extremely low oxygen concentration inside the packaging container 1.

[0067] Furthermore, in this secondary sealing process, a bucket 7B on which the container body 2 is placed is used, and in the gas replacement process, inert gas is supplied into the containment section 3 through a bucket through passage 71 provided in the bucket 7B, so that the gas replacement process can be easily performed on the packaging container 1 placed on the bucket 7B after the secondary sealing process.

[0068] Furthermore, the secondary sealing region 42 of the packaging container 1 is the region that overlaps with the folded piece 451, and the through hole 45 is closed by the secondary sealing region. That is, in the packaging container 1 after secondary sealing, the through hole 45 is closed by the deformed (crushed) folded piece 451 in addition to the lid member 5. Note that the secondary sealing region 42 of the packaging container 1 may be the entire area of ​​the flange portion 4.

[0069] In the above method for manufacturing sterilized products, the flow passage R through which sterilizing gas (e.g., heated steam S) is introduced into the container body 2 also serves as the part that houses the second contents C2 within the container body 2. Therefore, a sterilized product (e.g., packaged food 6) can be easily manufactured in which the first contents C1 and the second contents C2, which have different physical properties, are housed in the container body 2 with as few bacteria as possible.

[0070] Furthermore, conventional methods of mixing and sterilizing two or more types of food (for example, the manufacturing method of retort foods in which multiple types of food are filled and sealed in a container and then sterilized by heating at a high temperature, or the manufacturing method of long-life chilled foods in which multiple types of food are filled and sealed in a container and then heated at a low temperature from outside the container) may result in a decrease in the taste of the food. In contrast, in the manufacturing method of packaged food 6, the first contents C1 (solid food) are instantly sterilized by direct heating with steam, and the second contents C2 (liquid food) are instantly sterilized separately in a sterilization device that sterilizes liquids in a short time. By mixing the foods while maintaining the taste of each, it is possible to manufacture packaged food 6 that retains its deliciousness.

[0071] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to this embodiment can be used to produce a sterilized product (for example, packaged food 6) containing a solid, liquid, powder, or gel-like content as the second content C2.

[0072] In the manufacturing method of the sterilized product of this embodiment, a sterilizing gas (for example, heated steam S) can be introduced into the container body 2 through a through-hole 45 formed in the flange portion 4 via the flow passage R, and the second contents C2 can be contained in the container body 2.

[0073] In the manufacturing method of the sterilized product of this embodiment, by expelling air from inside the container body 2 with an inert gas during the gas replacement step, the sterilized contents (first contents C1 and second contents C2) can be maintained in quality for a long period of time.

[0074] Furthermore, in the packaging container 1 used in the manufacturing method of the sterilized product of this embodiment, through holes 45 are arranged on either side of the containment section 3 (see Figure 1A). By circulating heated steam as a sterilizing gas from both sides of the containment section 3 through these through holes 45 (see Figure 5C), uneven heating of the first contents C1 can be suppressed.

[0075] It should be noted that the packaging container used in the method for manufacturing the sterilized product of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the configuration of one embodiment can be added to the configuration of another embodiment, and a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be deleted.

[0076] In the above embodiment, through holes 45 were provided at all of the multiple corners of the flange portion 4, but they may be provided at only some of these corners. For example, only one pair of through holes 45 may be provided at the corners of the flange portion 4 that sandwich the housing portion 3.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the shape and size of each through hole 45 formed in the flange portion 4 were the same, but they may be different.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the through hole 45 was located at the corner of the flange portion 4, but the through hole 45 may be located in a region other than the corner of the flange portion 4.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the through hole 45 was formed by deforming the bent piece 451 of the flange portion 4 upward, but it may also be formed by piercing the bent piece 451 with a drilling needle (i.e., breaking the bent piece 451). Alternatively, the through hole 45 may be formed by punching out the bent piece 451 of the flange portion 4.

[0080] Furthermore, although the folded piece 451 had a flat shape in the above embodiment, it may have a different shape, for example, a recess that is indented downwards. In this case, the folded piece 451 may be circular in shape when viewed from above. Specifically, the folded piece 451 may be a recess that is indented downwards in a roughly hemispherical shape.

[0081] In the manufacturing method for packaged food according to the above embodiment, the first filling step, through-hole formation step, primary sealing step, sterilization step, and secondary sealing step were performed in order, but the first filling step may be performed after the through-hole formation step.

[0082] In the packaging container 1 of the above embodiment, a bent piece 451 was provided on the flange portion 4, but instead of the bent piece 451, a through hole 45 may be provided in the flange portion 4 beforehand. In this case, the manufacturing method of the packaged food 6 does not include a through hole formation step, but includes a first filling step, a primary sealing step, a sterilization step, a second filling step, and a secondary sealing step.

[0083] Furthermore, a protrusion projecting upward may be provided near the bent piece 451 in the flange portion 4 of the above embodiment. This protrusion may be, for example, a mound shape such as a hemisphere. The shape of the protrusion may also be a cone, a frustocone, a cylinder, a polygonal prism, a polygonal pyramid, or any other shape. When a protrusion is provided on the flange portion 4, the primary seal area 41 may be linear in shape that includes the protrusion. The primary seal area 41 may also be located outside the protrusion.

[0084] Alternatively, the flange portion 4 may be provided with only a protrusion instead of a through hole 45. For example, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, a protruding ridge 46 may be provided on the flange portion 4, excluding the corners. Specifically, the protrusion 46 extends in an elongated shape in the circumferential direction of the opening edge 21, with gaps at the four corners of the flange portion 4. This protrusion 46 also serves as the primary sealing area 41. In this configuration, after the primary sealing process, a gap C is created between the lower surface of the lid member 5 and the upper surface 460 of the protrusion 46. Specifically, the flow path R includes the gap C formed between the flange portion 4 and the lid member 5. Furthermore, the secondary sealing area may encompass the entire flange portion 4.

[0085] In this configuration, the flow passage R introduces a sterilizing gas (e.g., heated steam S) into the container body 2 through the gap C between the flange portion 4 and the lid member 5, and the second contents C2 can be contained in the container body 2. Furthermore, since this gap C is located at the four corners of the flange portion 4, the heated steam S flows from the four corners of the flange portion 4 into the containment portion 3.

[0086] The protrusions 46 may be provided continuously in the circumferential direction of the opening edge 21. In this case, the protrusions 46 provided continuously around the entire circumference of the opening edge 21 also serve as the primary sealing area 41.

[0087] Furthermore, instead of protrusions or ridges, recesses may be provided on the flange portion 4. For example, the recesses may be arranged with gaps in the circumferential direction of the opening edge 21, and specifically, they may be located at the four corners of the flange portion 4. In this configuration, after the primary sealing process, a gap C is created between the lower surface of the lid member 5 and the upper surface of the recess, and since this gap C is located at the four corners of the flange portion 4, heated steam S and the second contents C2 flow from the four corners of the flange portion 4 into the containment portion 3.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the flange portion 4 was provided around the entire circumference of the opening edge 21 in the circumferential direction, but it may also be provided in a discontinuous manner (with gaps) in this circumferential direction.

[0089] In the packaging container 1 of the above embodiment, the storage section 3 and the flange section 4 were made of a single component, but they may be made of separate components. For example, the container body 2 may be constructed by forming the storage section 3 and the flange section 4 as separate components and connecting them by bonding the storage section 3 and the flange section 4 with an adhesive.

[0090] Furthermore, although the packaging container 1 in the above embodiment had one storage compartment 3, it may have multiple storage compartments 3.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the bottom plate 31 of the storage section 3 was approximately rectangular, but it is possible that it be approximately square. The bottom plate 31 may also be other shapes besides square, such as polygonal or circular.

[0092] Furthermore, the top surface of the bottom plate may have an uneven shape. With this configuration, when sterilizing the first contents (for example, solid contents) contained in the container body 2 with a sterilizing gas (for example, steam), steam can flow in not only from the top and sides of the first contents but also from the bottom of the first contents through the steam flow passage formed at the bottom. This makes it possible to sterilize the first contents more evenly and efficiently with steam.

[0093] The height of the uneven surface on the top of the bottom plate is preferably 10% to 40% of the depth of the container body 2 (i.e., the distance from the opening 20 of the container body 2 to the lowest part of the inner surface in the vertical direction). With this configuration, the cross-sectional area of ​​the steam flow passage increases, making it easier for steam to flow into the steam flow passage, and enabling more effective steam sterilization of the lower side of the first contents.

[0094] In the above embodiment, in the second containment step, the second contents C2 flowed directly through the bucket passage 71 of the bucket 7B and was contained inside the container body 2 via the flow passage R. However, it is not necessary for the contents C2 to flow directly through the bucket passage 71. For example, as shown in Figures 9A to 10B, in the second containment step, the second contents C2 may flow through the nozzle 10 and be contained inside the container body 2 via the flow passage R. The nozzle 10 is a tubular body through which a fluid can pass. The nozzle 10 may be made of metal or resin, or it may be formed from a combination of metal and resin.

[0095] Specifically, as shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the tip portion 100 of the nozzle 10 may be provided with a nozzle hole 101 that penetrates the thickness direction of the nozzle 10 and faces horizontally, and the liquid may be ejected horizontally from the nozzle hole 101. The tip surface 102 of the tip portion 100 of the nozzle 10 may be shaped along the folded piece 451, for example, an inclined surface where the part closer to the housing portion 3 is located higher. In this case, the nozzle 10 may be made of a rigid material, for example, metal.

[0096] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the first region 103 (in this embodiment, the tip portion 100), which includes at least the tip portion 100 of the nozzle 10, may be made of a material that is more flexible than the second region 104 (in this embodiment, the portion other than the tip portion 100), which is different from the first region 103. In this case, since the tip portion 100 of the nozzle 10 is made to be flexible, it can enter the flow passage R more easily, and the second contents C2 can be injected directly into the flow passage R.

[0097] The diameter of the nozzle 10 may be uniform in the extension direction, or the tip portion 100 may be thinner than the other parts. In this case, the tip portion 100 may be tapered.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the first containment step, through-hole formation step, primary sealing step, second containment step, gas replacement step, and secondary sealing step were performed with the packaging container 1 placed on buckets 7A and 7B. However, some of these steps do not need to be performed with the packaging container 1 placed on buckets 7A and 7B. For example, the second containment step does not need to be performed with the packaging container 1 placed on bucket 7B. In this case, the second contents C2 may be contained in the container body 2, for example, via a nozzle 10 inserted into the flow passage R.

[0099] Furthermore, in the present invention, various first contents C1 and second contents C2 can be contained as the objects to be sterilized. The first contents C1 and second contents C2 are, for example, articles that do not need to come into contact with contaminants such as bacteria and dust or oxygen during storage or transport, and include food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, medical devices, sanitary products, scientific and chemical supplies, and bio-related products. Among these, food is preferred, and in particular, its appearance is preserved during steam sterilization under high temperature and pressure. Foods that can maintain their quality (for example, foods that are solid when stored) are preferred.

[0100] Furthermore, although heated steam was used as the sterilizing gas in the present invention in the above embodiment, other gases with sterilizing properties such as ozone gas, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethylene oxide, and chlorine dioxide may be used depending on the first contents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 1...Packaging container, 2...Container body, 3...Storage section, 4...Flange section, 5...Lid member, 6...Packaged food, 7A, 7B...Bucket, 8, 9...Mold, 10...Nozzle, 20...Opening, 21...Opening edge, 31...Bottom plate, 33...Side wall, 41...Primary sealing area, 42...Secondary sealing area, 43...Flange upper surface, 44...Flange lower surface, 45...Through hole, 46...Protrusion, 70...Bucket recess, 71...Bucket through passage, 72...Push-up mechanism, 7 3…Support mechanism, 80, 90…Mold body, 81, 91…Mold projection, 82…Cutter, 100…Tip, 101…Nozzle hole, 102…Tip surface, 103…First area, 104…Second area, 451…Folded piece, 452…Straight line, 460…Top surface, C…Gap, C1…First contents, C2…Second contents, R, R1, R2…Flow passage, RIC…Short-time cooking sterilization device, S…Heated steam, A…Air, I…Inert gas

Claims

1. A first storage step involves placing the first contents into a container body having an opening at the top, A primary sealing step in which a lid member is placed over the container body and the container body and the lid member are sealed along the periphery of the opening in a primary sealing region, wherein when the container body and the lid member are sealed, a flow passage is formed that allows the inside and outside of the container body to flow. A sterilization step is performed by introducing a sterilizing gas into the container body through the aforementioned flow passage and sterilizing the first contents with the sterilizing gas. A second storage step involves storing the second contents inside the container body via the aforementioned flow passage, The system includes a secondary sealing step of sealing the container body and the lid member so as to block the flow passage, The container body includes a flange portion provided along the periphery of the opening, The flow passage includes a through hole formed in the flange portion and a gap formed between the flange portion and the cover member. The primary sealing region is continuous in the circumferential direction of the opening edge of the opening, A method for manufacturing a sterilized product, characterized in that a through-hole forming step is performed between the first containment step and the primary sealing step to form the through-hole in the flange portion located inside the primary sealing region.

2. A first storage step involves placing the first contents into a container body having an opening at the top, A primary sealing step in which a lid member is placed over the container body and the container body and the lid member are sealed along the periphery of the opening in a primary sealing region, wherein when the container body and the lid member are sealed, a flow passage is formed that allows the inside and outside of the container body to flow. A sterilization step is performed by introducing a sterilizing gas into the container body through the aforementioned flow passage and sterilizing the first contents with the sterilizing gas. A second storage step involves storing the second contents inside the container body via the aforementioned flow passage, The system includes a secondary sealing step of sealing the container body and the lid member so as to block the flow passage, The container body includes a flange portion provided along the periphery of the opening, The flange portion is an annular shape having four straight sides and four corners in a plan view. Each of the four straight sides of the flange portion is provided with a protruding ridge that also serves as the primary sealing area and protrudes upward. The aforementioned protrusions extend in an elongated manner in the circumferential direction of the periphery of the opening, with gaps at the four corners of the flange portion. A method for manufacturing a sterilized product, characterized in that the flow passage includes a gap formed between the region of the flange portion where the protrusions are not provided and the lid member.

3. A method for producing a sterilized product according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second content is at least one of a solid, liquid, powder, and gel.

4. Furthermore, the method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a gas replacement step of supplying an inert gas to the inside of the container body through the flow passage.

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