Granted Patent B2

US 12,642,278 · App. 14/322,854 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventors: John R. Strong (Bellevue, WA); Richard Daniel Stockard (Kirkland, WA); Jon A. Hocker (Bothell, WA)

Assignee: JBT Marel Corporation

A23B4/0053A23B2/22A23B2/25A23L5/13A23L5/15

Abstract

Claims (68)

1 . A time-temperature method for continuously pasteurizing food products in a heating chamber, the method comprising:

(a) subjecting the food product comprising a first food product and a second food product to a singular pasteurization step in a heating chamber, the heating chamber comprising an airborne pasteurization medium, wherein:

the food product is selected from the group consisting of beef, pork, lamb, fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, and combinations thereof,

the first food product enters the heating chamber before the second food product,

a set point chamber temperature of the airborne pasteurization medium is greater than a kill temperature of 125.6° F., wherein the set point chamber temperature comprises a first dry bulb temperature and a first wet bulb temperature,

the set point chamber temperature does not exceed 158° F.,

the first food product contacts the airborne pasteurization medium at a first operational chamber temperature set to the set point chamber temperature for a first pasteurization time of about 55 minutes or less that is sufficient to kill bacteria on and in the first food product,

the first pasteurization time is sufficient such that a first internal maximum temperature of the first food product does not exceed a fat rendering temperature when the food product contacts the airborne pasteurization medium for the first pasteurization time and at the set point chamber temperature,

the fat rendering temperature is about 151° F. when the food product is beef, pork, or lamb, about 140° F. when the food product is fish, about 149° F. when the food product is chicken or turkey, and about 153° F. when the food product is eggs;

(b) conveying the first food product loaded on a continuous spiral conveyor within the heating chamber during the singular pasteurization step at a first conveyor speed sufficient to retain the first food product in the heating chamber for the first pasteurization time;

(c) discharging heated air into the heating chamber in a horizontal and downward direction over the food product and restricting an upward return flow of heated air below 400 feet per minute, thereby generating controlled circulation of the airborne pasteurization medium;

(d) monitoring:

a first initial temperature of the first food product at a point upstream of the heating chamber prior to conveying the first food product within the heating chamber;

the first operational chamber temperature;

a first food temperature of the first food product within the heating chamber;

the first conveyor speed within the heating chamber; and

a second initial temperature of the second food product at a point upstream of the heating chamber prior to conveying the second food product within the heating chamber;

(e) modelling a lethality of pathogenic microorganisms on and in the second food product based on:

the first food temperature;

the first conveyor speed; and

the first operational chamber temperature,

wherein the modelling comprises determining if the first conveyor speed and the first operational chamber temperature are sufficient for the second food product to attain a second internal maximum temperature that is sufficient to kill bacteria on and in the second food product but to not exceed the fat rendering temperature; and

(f) based on the modelling, initiating a rectifying procedure when the second food product is subject to the singular pasteurization step in the heating chamber to make real-time adjustments if:

(i) the first operational chamber temperature does not attain the set point chamber temperature for a second pasteurization time sufficient for the second food product to reach a desired level of lethality of pathogenic microorganisms on or in the food product;

(ii) a modelled second internal temperature of the second food product does not attain the kill temperature for the second pasteurization time; or

(iii) a second conveyor speed deviates sufficiently from the first conveyor speed so that sufficient pathogenic microorganisms on and in the second food product are not killed so as to achieve pasteurization of the second food product.

2 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , further comprising chilling or freezing the food product after the food product is subjected to pasteurization.

3 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 2 , further comprising prior to freezing the food product:

chilling the food product to a surface temperature below 104° F.; and

applying heat to the surface of the food product sufficient to achieve a desired color and/or flavor.

4 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , further comprising preheating the food product before pasteurizing the food product using one or more of the following heat energy sources: steam, radio frequency radiation, infrared radiation, convection, mixed liquid and gas convection, condensation, conduction, and microwave radiation.

5 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of applying surface heat to the food product sufficient to achieve a desired color and/or flavor either before pasteurizing the food product or after pasteurizing the food product and before the food product is chilled or frozen.

6 . The time-temperature pasteurization method according to claim 1 , further comprising collecting a water-based liquid exuded from the food product during the pasteurization of the food product, and heating the water-based liquid to a temperature of at least 118.4° F. before applying the collected rendered water-based liquid to the food product to assist in heating the food product interior to a desired temperature set point of between 131° F. and 158° F.

7 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , wherein the rectifying procedure comprises altering a conveyor speed within the heating chamber and one or more of the following:

altering a temperature within the heating chamber;

altering a moisture level within the heating chamber;

altering an air circulation speed within the heating chamber;

altering a food product interior temperature prior to entering the heating chamber;

altering a loading level of the food products onto the conveyor; and

diverting a food product from the conveyor.

8 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , wherein the first internal maximum temperature of the first food product is 140° F.

9 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , wherein a set point temperature of the interior of the food product is from 125.6° F. to the fat rendering temperature.

10 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying moisture to the food product during pasteurization to provide a moisture level during pasteurization of 80% to 100% relative humidity.

11 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 10 , wherein moisture is supplied by water emitted from nozzles or by steam.

12 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , further comprising: measuring a loading level of food products on the conveyor and utilizing the loading level of the food product on the conveyor in modeling the lethality of the microorganisms on or in the food product.

13 . The time temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , wherein the heating chamber comprises a first zone comprising a first zone temperature and a first zone humidity and a second zone comprising a second zone temperature lower than the first zone temperature and a second zone humidity lower than the first zone humidity, such that the singular pasteurization step comprises the food product being conveyed through the first zone before the second zone.

14 . The time temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , wherein the set point temperature in the heating chamber is about 138° F. and the first pasteurization time is about 55 minutes.

15 . The time temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of the following steps:

subjecting the food product to a pre-heating step in a pre-heater prior to the food product entering the heating chamber, wherein the food product is preheated in the pre-heater to at least 50° F.; and

subjecting the food product to a post-heating step in a post-heater after the food product has exited the heating chamber, wherein the post-heater applies infrared radiation at a temperature sufficient to achieve a desired color and flavor.

16 . The time temperature pasteurization method of claim 1 , wherein, in the rectifying procedure, the first operational chamber temperature within the heating chamber and the first conveyor speed are both adjusted to the second operational chamber temperature and the second conveyor speed based on the modelling.

17 . A time-temperature method for continuously pasteurizing a food product consisting of meat, fish and poultry in a heating chamber at a predetermined maximum temperature within the heating chamber that does not exceed 158° F. over a sufficient time duration to kill the pathogens located on and/or in the food product to pasteurize the food product, the method comprising:

(a) conveying the food product loaded on a continuous spiral conveyor at a conveyor speed within a heating chamber during the pasteurizing of the food product, the food product comprising a first food product and a second food product;

(b) during conveying of the food product within the heating chamber, subjecting the food product to an airborne pasteurization medium at a temperature in the heating apparatus wherein the pasteurization medium does not exceed 158° F. during the entirety of the pasteurizing method by limiting the heating of the interior of the food products during the pasteurizing process to a temperature that does not exceed a fat rendering temperature that renders fats of the food product, the fat rendering temperature being about 151° F. when the food product is beef, pork, or lamb, about 140° F. when the food product is fish, about 149° F. when the food product is chicken or turkey, and about 153° F. when the food product is eggs, and the airborne pasteurization medium comprising heated air discharged into the heating chamber in a horizontal and downward direction over the food product and restricting an upward return flow of heated air below 400 feet per minute, thereby generating controlled circulation of the airborne pasteurization medium;

(c) measuring the temperature of the first food product interior or exterior and the second food product interior or exterior when loaded on the conveyor;

(d) controlling the operation of the conveyor so that the food product remains within the heating chamber for a duration of about 55 minutes or less and that is sufficient to pasteurize the food product;

(e) monitoring the speed of the conveyor within the heating chamber, an operational measured temperature comprising the dry bulb temperature and the wet bulb temperature, and at least one of: the measured temperature of the food product interior or exterior and the duration of the conveying within the heating chamber during the pasteurization process;

(f) modelling a lethality of pathogenic microorganisms on and in the second food product based on the first food temperature, the speed of the conveyor, and the operational measured temperature to determine if the second food product will attain a temperature of above the temperature needed to kill bacteria for a sufficient length of time needed to reach a desired level of lethality of pathogenic microorganisms on and in the second food product;

(g) if based on the modeled lethality of the pathogenic microorganisms, pasteurization of the second food product is not achieved, initiating a rectifying procedure to kill the necessary level of pathogens on and/or in the second food product to pasteurize the second food product; and

(h) wherein during the rectifying procedure, the speed of the conveyor is adjusted, and the temperature within the heating chamber does not exceed 158° F.

18 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 17 , wherein the pasteurization of the food product is carried out at a moisture level of about 80% to about 100% humidity.

19 . The time-temperature pasteurization method of claim 17 , wherein the rectifying procedure comprises altering the conveyor speed within the heating chamber, and one or more of the following:

altering a temperature within the heating chamber;

altering a moisture level within the heating chamber;

altering an air circulation speed within the heating chamber;

altering a food product interior or exterior temperature prior to entering the heating chamber;

altering a loading level of the food products onto the conveyor; and

diverting a food product from the conveyor.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (63)