Method and apparatus for disinfecting a product by surface treatment thereof
A method and an apparatus in form of a disinfecting apparatus comprising a steam device for combating germs on the surface of products, in particular of food products. The apparatus employs a combination of steam and ultrasound to kill germs on the surface of a product which is conveyed past the steam device. Pressurized steam is fed through a steam passage to an opening conveying the steam to a cavity, in which the steam is made to oscillate at a ultrasonic frequency. The oscillations in the steam prevent the steam from heating the products excessively, while germs presents on the surface of the products are heated and killed.
1. A method of disinfecting a solid product by the surface treatment thereof with steam, said method comprising:
providing a supply of steam;
oscillating said steam at an ultrasonic frequency such as to oscillate individual molecules of said steam supply at a sufficiently high acoustic pressure that said individual molecules of steam migrate a distance that exceeds the dimensions of any particles to be disinfected from said solid product;
discharging said oscillating steam onto said solid product and preventing condensation on a surface of said solid object by pumping water molecules of said steam alternatively toward and away from said surface of said solid product.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein ultrasound is generated without inducing cavitation.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the simultaneous ultrasonic generation is provided by conveying steam through an ultrasound generating device causing the steam to oscillate at a frequency in the ultrasonic range.
4. Method according to claim 3 , wherein the ultrasound generating device is formed of a jet stream and a cavity.
5. Method according to claim 3 , wherein the ultrasound generating device is formed of a whistle for generating steam and ultrasound.
6. Method according to claim 1 comprising a relatively short processing time.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said solid product is a food product.
8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said oscillating steam is discharged onto said solid product at a subsonic velocity.