WO2020176961A1 - Séchage sous vide par micro-ondes avec une étape de pression plus élevée - Google Patents

Séchage sous vide par micro-ondes avec une étape de pression plus élevée Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2020176961A1
WO2020176961A1 PCT/CA2019/050261 CA2019050261W WO2020176961A1 WO 2020176961 A1 WO2020176961 A1 WO 2020176961A1 CA 2019050261 W CA2019050261 W CA 2019050261W WO 2020176961 A1 WO2020176961 A1 WO 2020176961A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
pressure
organic material
done
time
drying
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/CA2019/050261
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English (en)
Inventor
Guopeng Zhang
Jun Fu
Timothy D. Durance
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Enwave Corp
Original Assignee
Enwave Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Enwave Corp filed Critical Enwave Corp
Priority to PCT/CA2019/050261 priority Critical patent/WO2020176961A1/fr
Publication of WO2020176961A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020176961A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B7/00—Preservation of fruit or vegetables; Chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
    • A23B7/005—Preserving by heating
    • A23B7/01—Preserving by heating by irradiation or electric treatment
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B2/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general
    • A23B2/05—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by heating using irradiation or electric treatment
    • A23B2/08—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by heating using irradiation or electric treatment using microwaves or dielectric heating
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B2/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general
    • A23B2/10—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress
    • A23B2/103—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress using sub- or super-atmospheric pressures, or pressure variations transmitted by a liquid or gas
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B2/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general
    • A23B2/90—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by drying or kilning; Subsequent reconstitution
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B4/00—Preservation of meat, sausages, fish or fish products
    • A23B4/005—Preserving by heating
    • A23B4/01—Preserving by heating by irradiation or electric treatment with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules or flakes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B4/00—Preservation of meat, sausages, fish or fish products
    • A23B4/03—Drying; Subsequent reconstitution
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B7/00—Preservation of fruit or vegetables; Chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
    • A23B7/02—Dehydrating; Subsequent reconstitution

Definitions

  • the invention pertains to methods of heat-treating and drying of organic materials, such as food and pharmaceutical products. Background
  • Dehydration of organic materials is commonly done in the food processing and pharmaceutical industries to preserve the products for storage, to concentrate non-volatile components, or to create products that are used in the dehydrated form, for example dried herbs and various kinds of chips. It is known to dehydrate food and pharmaceutical products by vacuum microwave dehydration. Examples of this in the patent literature include WO 2009/049409, Durance et al.; WO 2009/033285, Durance et al.; WO 201 1/085467, Fu et al.; WO 2013/010257, Fu et al.; and WO 2014/085897, Durance et al.
  • Vacuum microwave drying is a rapid method that can yield products with improved quality compared to air-dried and freeze-dried products. Because the drying is done under reduced pressure, the boiling point of water and the oxygen content of the atmosphere are lowered, so food and medicinal components sensitive to oxidation and thermal
  • the invention provides a method of pasteurizing and dehydrating an organic material in a vacuum microwave chamber, in which a relatively lower vacuum pressure step is used for dehydration and a relatively higher vacuum pressure step is used for pasteurization.
  • the higher vacuum pressure is selected to provide a heat-treatment temperature in the vacuum microwave chamber that is effective for pasteurization.
  • One or more drying steps and two or more pasteurizing steps can be used in the method, in various orders.
  • a method of heat- treating and dehydrating an organic material in a vacuum chamber comprising the steps of: (a) loading the organic material into the vacuum chamber, (b) moving the organic material through the vacuum chamber from an input end to an output end while exposing it to microwave radiation, (c) exposing the organic material to a first pressure below atmospheric one or more times during step (b) to dehydrate the organic material, (d) exposing the organic material to a second pressure below atmospheric and higher than the first pressure during step (b) to pasteurize or blanch the organic material, wherein step (d) is performed at least two times, and (e) unloading the dehydrated organic material from the vacuum chamber.
  • Figure 1 is a flow chart of a method for making a pasteurized and dehydrated product according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a vacuum microwave dehydration apparatus for carrying out the process of the invention.
  • the processes of the invention are carried out using a vacuum microwave apparatus.
  • a food or pharmaceutical product is fed into and through a vacuum chamber on a continuous throughput basis, moving at a constant speed through the vacuum chamber for a selected residence time, during which microwave generators irradiate the product with microwave radiation, at a constant power output.
  • the pressure in the vacuum chamber is set at a first pressure less than atmospheric (the“drying pressure”).
  • the “pasteurization steps” are used to pasteurize the product.
  • the drying pressure in the vacuum chamber corresponds to a drying temperature that is sufficient to achieve drying of the product within a selected time period.
  • “Drying temperature” means the temperature of the product during the drying step. For example, at 40 Torr (53 mbar), the boiling point of water is 35°C, though the product temperature becomes somewhat higher than this due to presence of solutes in the water which are concentrated as water is evaporated off.
  • the drying pressure may, for example, be in the range of 10 to 60 Torr (13 to 80 mbar), resulting in a drying temperature in the range of 40 to 60°C.
  • the drying step or steps are conducted at this reduced pressure and with microwave radiation heating the product, for a time period sufficient to reduce the water content of the material to a desired level.
  • the term“drying time” as used herein does not include the time period for the pasteurization steps.
  • the pressure in the vacuum chamber is increased to a second vacuum pressure higher than the first pressure and again less than atmospheric (“the pasteurization pressure”).
  • This higher pressure is selected such that the boiling point of water at that pressure is at a temperature that is sufficient to pasteurize the product, i.e. , reduce microorganism numbers to an acceptably low level.
  • the pasteurization pressure may be in the range of 150 to 400 Torr (200 to 533 mbar), resulting in a pasteurization temperature in the range of 60 to 95°C.“Pasteurization temperature” means the temperature of the product during the pasteurization step.
  • pasteurization step is conducted for a selected time period, for example, in the range of 3 to 12 minutes, during which microwave radiation continues to be applied to the product.
  • the pressure is reduced to the first pressure, i.e., the drying pressure, for a further time period for drying, followed by a second pasteurizing step.
  • the number of steps at the pasteurization pressure is selected to be two or more, and the number of steps at the drying pressure, can be selected to be one or more.
  • the order of the steps and the length of the time periods that the product spends at each of the pressures can be selected, depending upon the drying and pasteurization conditions that are suitable for a particular product and moisture content.
  • the pasteurization steps are evenly spaced in time, i.e., occurring at regularly spaced intervals, such as every 15 minutes, or every 20 minutes, etc., during the residence time.
  • there are many pasteurization steps for example, five, six, or more, evenly spaced in time, and each one may be done for a relatively short time period, such as one or two minutes.
  • the drying time and the pasteurizing time are the sum of the times of the drying steps and the pasteurizing steps.
  • the total residence time in the vacuum chamber may be, for example, in the range of 30 to 60 minutes, alternatively 50 to 60 minutes, and the final moisture level of the dried material may be in the range of 2 to 14 wt.%.
  • FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the process in which there are two pasteurization steps.
  • the treatment process 10 is done using a continuous throughput vacuum microwave drying apparatus in which the pressure is less than atmospheric and microwave generators are arranged to irradiate the product throughout the process, at a constant energy output, as the product is moved at a constant speed through the vacuum chamber from an input end to an output end, for example on a conveyor belt.
  • Conventional air locks are arranged for loading and unloading the product.
  • the organic product to be treated is loaded 12 into the vacuum chamber.
  • the product is maintained 14 in the vacuum chamber at a first drying pressure less than atmospheric for a specified time period. This is the first drying step.
  • the pressure is then .
  • the product is maintained 18 at this pasteurizing pressure for a specified time period. This is the first pasteurization step.
  • the pressure is then decreased 20 back to the drying pressure.
  • the product is maintained 22 at the drying pressure for a specified time period.
  • the pressure is then increased 24 back to the pasteurizing pressure.
  • the product is maintained 26 at the pasteurizing pressure for a specified time period.
  • the pressure is then decreased 28 to the drying pressure.
  • the product is maintained 30 at the drying pressure for a specified time period.
  • the pasteurized and dehydrated product is then unloaded 32 from the vacuum chamber via an air lock.
  • the balance of the residence time i.e., in steps 14, 22 and 30, is for drying, done at the drying pressure.
  • the initial pressure in the vacuum microwave chamber is the relatively higher vacuum pressure for pasteurization and the pasteurizing step is done first, followed by a drying step at the lower vacuum pressure. These two steps are followed by one or more additional pasteurizing and drying steps.
  • the pasteurizing steps are conducted at the same pasteurizing pressure and the drying steps are conducted at the same drying pressure.
  • blanching In addition to pasteurization, there is another class of mild heat treatments of food, termed “blanching,” which are intended to destroy deleterious enzymes or otherwise improve storage life.
  • the method of the present invention may also be used for blanching.
  • the process for blanching is the same as described above for pasteurizing, using the same pressures, temperatures and processing times.
  • FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an apparatus for carrying out the process of the invention on a continuous throughput basis.
  • the apparatus is a vacuum microwave dehydrator 40.
  • This comprises a vacuum chamber 42 having an input end 44 for introduction of the material and an output end 46 for removal of the dried product.
  • a first airlock 48 is arranged at the input end and a second airlock 50 at the output end, for loading and unloading the product.
  • a conveyor 52 transports the material at constant speed from the input end to the output end of the vacuum chamber.
  • a microwave source 54 is arranged to irradiate microwave energy into the vacuum chamber.
  • a vacuum source 56 is operatively connected to the vacuum chamber for reducing the pressure inside it to a pressure below atmospheric.
  • the conveyor 52 may include means for tumbling the organic material as it travels through the vacuum chamber.
  • the apparatus 40 includes components that are conventionally required for vacuum microwave dehydrators, including a condenser, a refrigeration unit, a vacuum pump, a water load system, and a programmable logic controller (PLC) for controlling the operation of the system, including controlling the conveyor drive motors, the microwave generator, the vacuum pump, the refrigerant pumps and the airlocks.
  • PLC programmable logic controller
  • Examples of materials suitable for pasteurization (or blanching) and dehydration by the invention include fruit, either whole, puree or pieces, either frozen or unfrozen, including banana, mango, papaya, pineapple, melon, watermelon, pomegranate, apples, pears, cherries, berries, peaches, apricots, plums, grapes, oranges, lemons, grapefruit; vegetables, either fresh or frozen, whole, puree or pieces, including peas, beans, corn, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, potatoes, beets, turnips, squash, onions, garlic; fruit and vegetable juices; pre-cooked grains including rice, oats, wheat, barley, corn, flaxseed; cannabis; hydrocolloid solutions or suspensions, vegetable gums; frozen liquid bacterial cultures, probiotics, food culture, vaccines, enzymes, protein isolates; amino acids;
  • injectable drugs pharmaceutical drugs, natural medicinal compounds, antibiotics, antibodies; meats, fish and seafoods, either fresh or frozen, either whole, puree or pieces; dairy products such as milk, cheese, whey proteins isolates and yogurt; and moist extracts of fruits, vegetables and meats.
  • a vacuum microwave dehydrator that is suitable for use in carrying out the process of the invention is a resonant cavity-type microwave apparatus, as disclosed in WO 2009/049409, commercially available from EnWave
  • the organic material is placed for treatment in a cylindrical basket that is transparent to microwave radiation and has openings to permit the escape of moisture.
  • the loaded basket is placed in the vacuum chamber with its longitudinal axis oriented horizontally.
  • the pressure in the chamber is reduced.
  • the microwave generator is actuated to radiate microwaves in the vacuum chamber and the basket is rotated within the vacuum chamber, about a horizontal axis, so as to slowly and gently tumble the organic material during treatment as it moves through the vacuum chamber.
  • the rotation of the basket may be effected, for example, by means of rollers on which the basket is supported, or by means of a rotatable cage in which the basket is placed.
  • a vacuum microwave dehydrator suitable for carrying out the process of the invention is a travelling wave-type apparatus, as disclosed in WO 2011/085467, commercially available from EnWave Corporation under the trademark quantaREV.
  • the organic material is fed into the vacuum chamber and conveyed across a microwave-transparent window on a conveyor belt while being subjected to low pressure and microwave radiation.
  • the organic material is processed while resting on a tray or on the conveyor belt, and is not subjected to tumbling.
  • Example Red bell pepper slices are pasteurized and dried using an EnWave nutraREV vacuum microwave dehydrator. The material remains in the vacuum chamber for 60 minutes in a continuous throughput process with a constant 100kW
  • the initial pressure is 20 Torr (53 mbar). Every 25 minutes, the pressure is raised to 300 Torr (400 mbar) for 5 minutes and then reduced back to 20 Torr. The pressure remains below atmospheric throughout the 60- minute residence time.
  • the boiling point of water within the material is about 20°C at 20 Torr while at 300 Torr it is about 75°C.
  • the product is pasteurized and is dried to a moisture content of about 10 weight %. The pasteurization reduces the total plate count from 50,000 cfu/g to less than 500 cfu/g.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Constitution Of High-Frequency Heating (AREA)
  • Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé de séchage et de pasteurisation d'aliments et de produits pharmaceutiques dans une chambre à micro-ondes sous vide (40), dans lequel une étape de pression sous vide relativement plus faible (14) est réalisée pour la déshydratation et une étape de pression sous vide relativement plus élevée (18) est réalisée pour la pasteurisation. La pression sous vide plus élevée est sélectionnée pour fournir une température dans la chambre à micro-ondes sous vide qui est efficace pour la pasteurisation. Une ou plusieurs étapes de pasteurisation et des étapes de séchage peuvent être réalisées dans le procédé. L'invention permet à la fois le séchage et la pasteurisation dans une seule chambre sous vide dans un processus à débit continu en régulant la pression sous vide, et par conséquent la température du produit, pendant chaque étape.
PCT/CA2019/050261 2019-03-05 2019-03-05 Séchage sous vide par micro-ondes avec une étape de pression plus élevée Ceased WO2020176961A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/CA2019/050261 WO2020176961A1 (fr) 2019-03-05 2019-03-05 Séchage sous vide par micro-ondes avec une étape de pression plus élevée

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/CA2019/050261 WO2020176961A1 (fr) 2019-03-05 2019-03-05 Séchage sous vide par micro-ondes avec une étape de pression plus élevée

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WO2020176961A1 true WO2020176961A1 (fr) 2020-09-10

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5972397A (en) * 1997-06-16 1999-10-26 The University Of British Columbia Method for preparing dried, uncooked potato slices
CA2678089C (fr) * 2007-10-15 2011-10-04 Enwave Corporation Appareil et procede de sechage a vide par micro-ondes de matieres organiques
CA2818377C (fr) * 2012-12-07 2015-01-20 Enwave Corporation Sechage sous vide aux micro-ondes de matieres organiques
CA2781644C (fr) * 2010-01-18 2015-09-29 Enwave Corporation Sechage sous vide par micro-ondes de matieres organiques
WO2019041017A1 (fr) * 2017-08-30 2019-03-07 Enwave Corporation Procédé et appareil de pasteurisation et de déshydratation de marijuana

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5972397A (en) * 1997-06-16 1999-10-26 The University Of British Columbia Method for preparing dried, uncooked potato slices
CA2678089C (fr) * 2007-10-15 2011-10-04 Enwave Corporation Appareil et procede de sechage a vide par micro-ondes de matieres organiques
CA2781644C (fr) * 2010-01-18 2015-09-29 Enwave Corporation Sechage sous vide par micro-ondes de matieres organiques
CA2818377C (fr) * 2012-12-07 2015-01-20 Enwave Corporation Sechage sous vide aux micro-ondes de matieres organiques
WO2019041017A1 (fr) * 2017-08-30 2019-03-07 Enwave Corporation Procédé et appareil de pasteurisation et de déshydratation de marijuana

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