JP7843596B2 - Manufacturing method for sterilized products - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a method for producing a sterilized product containing sterilized contents.

Packaged foods are prepared and processed at food factories, then placed in containers with openings. These containers are then covered with top sheets or lids for distribution. However, because these packages are not completely airtight, outside air can enter the container. Consequently, these packaged foods have a very short shelf life (generally only 1-2 days), resulting in a very high waste rate (poor product yield).

Recently, packaged foods with heat-sealed containers and lids, ensuring a completely sealed interior and extended shelf life, have become common. Some of these can even last for over two weeks when refrigerated.

However, while sealing containers with heat seals can prevent the entry of bacteria from the outside, the inside of molded containers is not completely sterile. Therefore, it is quite possible that bacteria can proliferate inside the container due to changes in the environment during distribution. For this reason, to further extend the shelf life, strict control of cleanliness is required to bring the working environment in food factories as close to sterile as possible. Conventionally, a method has been proposed in which food is heat-sterilized while contained in a container, and then the container body is sealed with a lid in a cleanroom (sterile room) (Patent Document 1). For example, the cleanliness of the working environment handling cooked and processed food may be controlled to a high level, such as NASA standard cleanroom level 10,000 or 1,000. However, introducing such cleanrooms presents the problem of significant costs associated with the installation and maintenance of air conditioning equipment.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-9937

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 contents with different physical properties, such as solid food and seasoning liquids. Furthermore, in addition to food, there are various other items that require sterilization before being distributed to the market as products, and there is a need for efficient sterilization of these items.

The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a sterilized product in which two or more contents with different physical properties are contained in a container while minimizing the amount of bacteria present.

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.

With this configuration, the flow channel for introducing the sterilizing gas into the container body also serves as the section for containing the second contents within the container body. Therefore, a sterilized product containing the first and second contents, which have different physical properties, in a container body with as few bacteria as possible can be easily manufactured.

Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing the sterilized product, the second content may be at least one of a solid, liquid, powder, or gel.

According to 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.

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.

With this configuration, sterilizing gas can be introduced into the container body through the through-holes formed in the flange, and the second contents can be contained within the container body.

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.

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

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.

With this configuration, by expelling air from the container body using an inert gas, the sterilized contents can be maintained in quality for a long period of time.

Based on the above, the present invention provides 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.

Figure 1A is a plan view of a packaging container used in a method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view taken at position I-I in Figure 1A. Figure 2 is a diagram showing each step in the manufacturing method of the sterilized product. Figure 3A is a schematic diagram of the packaging container used in the manufacturing method of the sterilized product before the first filling step. Figure 3B is a schematic diagram of the packaging container after the first filling process. Figure 3C is a schematic diagram of the process for forming through holes in the packaging container. Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the packaging container after the through-hole formation process. Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the primary sealing process of the packaging container. Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of the primary sealing process of the packaging container. Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of the packaging container after the primary sealing process. Figure 5C is a schematic diagram of the sterilization and cooling processes for the packaging container. Figure 6A is a schematic diagram of the cooling process for the packaging container. Figure 6B is a schematic diagram of the vacuum breaking process for the packaging container. Figure 6C is a schematic diagram of the second filling process of the packaging container. Figure 7A is a schematic diagram of the gas replacement process for the packaging container. Figure 7B is a schematic diagram of the secondary sealing process of the packaging container. 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 is a cross-sectional view taken at position VIII-VIII in Figure 8A. 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 is a schematic diagram of the second filling process of the packaging container. 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 is a schematic diagram of the second filling process of the packaging container.

The following describes one embodiment of the present invention 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 the steps of the method for manufacturing a sterilized product according to the present invention in sequence.

First, the structure of the packaging container used in the manufacturing method of this sterilized product will be described. This packaging container is designed for sterilization, where a solid contents (e.g., food) is sterilized by exposure to heated steam (e.g., a sterilizing gas), and then a liquid contents (e.g., a seasoning liquid) is placed inside. The container is then sealed to produce a sterilized product (e.g., packaged food) for distribution.

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.

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

The container body 2, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B, is a container that can be closed with a lid member. While the container body 2 in this embodiment is tray-shaped, it can be any shape, such as cup-shaped or bottle-shaped. 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 throughout. In the container body 2 of this embodiment, the thickness of the flange portion 4 is greater than the thickness of the storage portion 3. In this embodiment, the storage portion 3 and the flange portion 4 are made from a single piece. Specifically, the container body 2 is constructed by molding a single sheet. The material of the container body 2 may also be other materials besides synthetic resin, such as paper, metal, or glass (specifically, a sheet of glass fiber).

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

The storage section 3 is the part that stores contents (e.g., food). In this embodiment, the storage section 3 includes a bottom plate 31 located below it. Furthermore, the storage section 3 includes a side wall 33 extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate 31.

The side wall 33 is configured such that, for example, it widens in a plan view towards the upper portion. The upper edge of the side wall 33 constitutes the opening edge 21 of the container body 2.

The flange portion 4 is the part that seals with the lid member. Furthermore, the flange portion 4 extends outward from the opening edge 21 of the container body 2 (see Figure 1A). In addition, the flange portion 4 is provided, for example, around the entire circumference of the opening edge 21. In this embodiment, the flange portion 4 is substantially plate-shaped and arranged in an annular shape surrounding the housing portion 3 in a plan view. Specifically, the flange portion 4 is an annular shape with four corners in a plan view.

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

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 section 3 but before the stored food is sterilized.

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 with the opening edge 21 in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the primary seal region 41 extends continuously in the circumferential direction, inside the outer periphery 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 periphery of the flange portion 4.

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 overlapping (same) region with the primary sealing region 41. In this embodiment, the secondary sealing region 42 is the portion overlapping with the through-hole 45, but it may also be the entire flange portion 4.

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.

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).

The through-holes 45 are, for example, positioned opposite each other 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.

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 by bending the inner portion of the U-shaped slit 450 in the flange portion 4 upwards compared to other areas of the flange portion 4.

Next, a method for manufacturing a sterilized product will be described. This method primarily comprises: a first filling step of placing a first contents C1 into a container body 2; 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 a flow passage R is formed allowing circulation between the inside and outside of the container body 2 when the container body 2 and the lid member 5 are sealed; a sterilization step of introducing a sterilizing gas into the container body 2 via the flow passage R and sterilizing the first contents C1 with the sterilizing gas; a second filling step of placing a second contents C2 into the container body 2 via the flow passage R; and a secondary sealing step of sealing the container body 2 and the lid member 5 to close the flow passage R. In this embodiment, the method for manufacturing a sterilized product further includes a gas replacement step of supplying an inert gas into the container body 2 via the flow passage R.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the process is carried out in the following order: 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). The following describes each step in this embodiment. Furthermore, the method described in this embodiment will be the case using the packaging container 1 of the above embodiment.

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.

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

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 folded 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 folded piece 451 (the later-formed through-hole 45) of the container body 2 when the packaging container 1 is placed on it.

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).

The first content C1 is at least one of solid, liquid, powder, and gel forms, and is, for example, a solid food product. As the first content C1, any food product can be used, such as daily fresh food products, i.e., food products prepared and processed in food factories, or chilled processed foods.

In this embodiment, a through-hole 45 is formed in the flange portion 4 by performing a through-hole formation process (see Figure 3C). Specifically, the through-hole 45 is formed by the deformation of a bent piece 451, which is part of the flange portion 4, upward, with a slit 450 as the boundary. In the flange portion 4, the boundary of the bent 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 by forming a slit 450 in a flat bent piece 451, and then bending the bent piece 451 upward with a straight line 452 connecting the base ends of the slit 450 as the boundary. The bent piece 451 is deformed, for example, by a push-up mechanism 72. Specifically, the bent piece 451 is deformed by a push-up mechanism 72 (push-up rod) inserted from below into the bucket passage 71.

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

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.

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 sealing region 41, which is the outer circumference of the flange portion 4, and the lid member 5 are sealed linearly along 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 sealing region 41, for example, by using a first heat sealing machine. Note that the primary sealing process may also be performed by a sealing method other than linear sealing, such as a spot seal that seals at least one point.

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 flat. 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.

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 surrounding area. 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.

Furthermore, the primary sealing process allows the cutter 82 to cut away the unnecessary portion of the lid member 5, thereby removing this unwanted portion.

The first sealing process creates a flow passage R 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.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5C, a sterilization process is performed by circulating heated steam S through the flow passage R into the containment section 3, thereby exposing the first contents C1 to the heated steam S for sterilization.

In this embodiment, we will describe a case where the sterilization process is performed 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 containing the food in a container to be processed, a steam supply device for supplying steam to the processing tank, a vacuum device for degassing the processing tank to create a vacuum, and a heating device for heating the processing tank.

In the manufacturing method of the sterilized product of this embodiment, a degassing step is performed to remove air from the containment section 3 before the sterilization step. During the degassing step, the packaging container 1, which contains the first contents C1 and has its lid member 5 temporarily 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 vertically in multiple layers and placed in the processing tank that constitutes the RIC. Next, the lid of the processing tank is closed to seal the 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 in the containment section 3 is also degassed through the flow passage R, and the inside of the containment section 3 becomes a vacuum state, the same as the inside of the processing tank.

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

Next, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6A, a cooling step is performed after the sterilization step to cool the first contents C1. 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. This causes the water to evaporate, removing latent heat from the first contents C1 and cooling it.

Next, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6B, a vacuum breaking step is performed to reduce the pressure of the first contents C1 from a vacuum to atmospheric pressure. In the vacuum breaking step, air A (clean air) is introduced into the container body 2 via the flow passage R, returning the first contents C1 to atmospheric pressure. 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 along with the tray.

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.

The second content 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 content C2 is contained inside the container body 2 via a portion of the flow passage R1, specifically flow passage R1. At this time, the air A contained inside the container body 2 is pushed out by the second content C2 and discharged to the outside via the remaining flow passage R2 of flow passage R1. In this embodiment, the second content C2 flows through the bucket penetration passage 71 of the bucket 7B and is contained inside the container body 2 via the flow passage R (for example, flow passage R1). That is, the second content C2 flows directly through the bucket penetration passage 71.

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. The flakes or granular second content C2 may be transported through a portion of the flow passage R1 using nitrogen gas or the like, and then contained inside the container body 2. For example, the second content C2 can be ingredients used in daily fresh foods, i.e., foods cooked and processed in food factories, or chilled processed foods. It is preferable that the second content C2 has been sterilized beforehand.

After the second containment process, a gas replacement process is performed 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, is supplied to the containment section 3 via the flow passage R. This inert gas is sterilized before supply; for example, it is sterilized 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, pushed out by the inert gas I, is discharged to the outside through the remaining flow passage R1.

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.

Furthermore, in the gas replacement process, since the through-hole 45, which supplies the sterilizing gas, also serves as the inert gas supply point, the gas replacement process can be easily carried out.

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 using a second heat sealing machine. Note that the secondary sealing step may also involve sealing other than spot sealing, such as sealing the entire flange portion 4 and the lid member 5 in a planar manner, or line sealing.

Specifically, the second heat sealing machine comprises a bucket 7B on which the container body 2 is placed and gas is replaced, 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 flat. 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, completing the secondary sealing.

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

Furthermore, in this secondary sealing process, the 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 via the bucket through passage 71 provided in the bucket 7B. Therefore, the gas replacement process can be easily performed on the packaging container 1 placed on the bucket 7B after the secondary sealing process.

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 encompass the entire flange portion 4.

In the above method for manufacturing sterilized products, the flow passage R for introducing sterilizing gas (e.g., heated steam S) into the container body 2 also serves as the area for containing the second contents C2 within the container body 2. Therefore, a sterilized product (e.g., packaged food 6) containing the first contents C1 and the second contents C2, which have different physical properties, in a container body 2 with the bacteria content minimized can be easily manufactured.

Furthermore, conventional methods of mixing and sterilizing two or more types of food (for example, methods for manufacturing retort foods where multiple types of food are filled and sealed in a container and then sterilized by heating at high temperatures, or methods for manufacturing long-life chilled foods where multiple types of food are filled and sealed in a container and then heated from outside the container at low temperatures) may result in a decrease in the taste of the food. In contrast, the manufacturing method for packaged food 6 involves instantaneously sterilizing the first contents C1 (solid food) by direct heating with steam, and then instantaneously sterilizing the second contents C2 (liquid food) using a separate sterilization device that sterilizes liquids in a short time. This method allows for the mixing of each food while preserving its taste, thus enabling the production of packaged food 6 that retains its deliciousness.

Furthermore, the method for manufacturing the sterilized product of 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.

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 within the container body 2.

In the manufacturing method of the sterilized product of this embodiment, by discharging air from the container body 2 using 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.

Furthermore, in the packaging container 1 used in the manufacturing method of the sterilized product of this embodiment, through-holes 45 are positioned on either side of the containment section 3 (see Figure 1A). By circulating heated steam, which serves 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.

Furthermore, the packaging container used in the manufacturing method of 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 invention. For example, the configuration of one embodiment can be combined with the configuration of another embodiment, and a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment. Moreover, a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be deleted.

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, the through holes 45 may be provided at only one pair of corners of the flange portion 4, positioned to sandwich the housing portion 3.

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.

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.

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

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

In the above embodiment of the method for manufacturing packaged food, the first packaging step, through-hole formation step, primary sealing step, sterilization step, and secondary sealing step were performed in order. However, the first packaging step may be performed after the through-hole formation step.

In the packaging container 1 of the above embodiment, a bent piece 451 was provided on the flange portion 4. However, 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 would not include a through hole formation step, but would include a first filling step, a primary sealing step, a sterilization step, a second filling step, and a secondary sealing step.

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 hemispherical shape. The shape of the protrusion may also be conical, frustoconical, cylindrical, polygonal prism, polygonal pyramidal, or other shapes. When a protrusion is provided on the flange portion 4, the primary seal area 41 may be linear, including the protrusion. Also, the primary seal area 41 may be positioned outside the protrusion.

Furthermore, the flange portion 4 may be provided with only a protrusion, without 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. The secondary sealing area may be the entire area of the flange portion 4.

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, while simultaneously allowing the second contents C2 to be contained within the container body 2. Furthermore, because 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.

Furthermore, 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.

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, specifically 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. 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.

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

In the packaging container 1 of the above embodiment, the housing portion 3 and the flange portion 4 were composed of a single component, but they may be composed of separate components. For example, the container body 2 could be constructed by forming the housing portion 3 and the flange portion 4 as separate components and connecting them by bonding them together with an adhesive.

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

In the above embodiment, the bottom plate 31 of the housing 3 was approximately rectangular, but it could also be approximately square. Furthermore, the bottom plate 31 could be other shapes besides square, such as polygonal or circular.

Furthermore, the top surface of the bottom plate may have an uneven shape. With this configuration, when sterilizing the first contents (e.g., solid contents) contained in the container body 2 with a sterilizing gas (e.g., steam), steam can flow in not only from the top and sides of the first contents, but also from the bottom surface, through the steam flow passage formed at the bottom. This enables more even and efficient sterilization of the first contents by steam.

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). This configuration increases the cross-sectional area of the steam flow passage, allowing steam to flow more easily into the passage and enabling more effective steam sterilization of the lower surface of the contents.

In the above embodiment, during 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, during 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. Furthermore, the nozzle 10 may be made of metal or resin, or it may be formed from a combination of metal and resin.

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, so that the liquid is ejected horizontally from the nozzle hole 101. The tip surface 102 of the tip portion 100 of the nozzle 10 may have a shape that follows the bent 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, such as metal.

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, because the tip portion 100 of the nozzle 10 is made to bend more easily, it can enter the flow passage R more deeply, allowing the second contents C2 to be injected directly into the flow passage R.

Furthermore, 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 have a tapered shape.

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 may not be performed with the packaging container 1 placed on buckets 7A and 7B. For example, the second containment step may not be performed with the packaging container 1 placed on bucket 7B. In this case, the second contents C2 may be contained within the container body 2, for example, via a nozzle 10 inserted into the flow passage R.

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 foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, medical devices, sanitary products, scientific and chemical supplies, and bio-related products. Among these, foods are preferred, and in particular foods that can maintain their appearance and quality during steam sterilization under high temperature and pressure (for example, foods that are solid when contained) are preferred.

Furthermore, while heated steam was used as the sterilizing gas in the above embodiment, other gases with sterilizing properties, such as ozone gas, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, acetic acid, chlorine dioxide, etc., may be used depending on the first contents.

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 region, 104…Second region, 451…Bent piece, 452…Straight line, 460…Top surface, C…Gap, C1…First contents, C2…Second contents, R, R1, R2…Flow passage, RIC…Short-time cooking and sterilization device, S…Heated steam, A…Air, I…Inert gas

Claims (4)

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