Measurement of dielectric properties during thawing or freezing of a food product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016331004-A1
Application number	US-201515110283-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 15, 2015
Priority date	Jan 16, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for thawing or freezing a product, particularly a food product.

First claim

1 . A method for thawing or freezing a food product, the method comprising:
measuring a dielectric property of the food product, and controlling the thawing or the freezing based on the measured dielectric property of the food product.

2 .- 19 . (canceled)

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring is executed continuously or intermittently.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring is carried out in a temperature range of −5° C. to +5° C.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an amount of consumed energy is measured.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes:
during the thawing, heating and then cooling the food product, and determining a change between the heating and the cooling based on the measured dielectric property of the food product.

24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes:
defrosting the food product with microwave energy that is provided by a high power microwave generator, wherein the generator is a high power solid-state microwave generator.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the method includes:
controlling the high power microwave generator by the measured dielectric, property of the food product.

26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein no vacuum is applied during the defrosting,

27 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes:
defrosting the food product with steam.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein steam and/or microwave are utilized intermittently or alternatively.

29 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the microwave energy is provided at a frequency range of 800 MHz to 1000 MHz.

30 . An apparatus for thawing and/or freezing a food product, the apparatus comprising:
a means to measure dielectric properties of the food product; and a control device for controlling the thawing and/or the freezing based on the measured dielectric properties of the food product.

31 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the means comprises:
a microwave generator; an antenna; and a control device, wherein the microwave generator is a low energy microwave generator.

32 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the means is in direct contact with the food product, or the means measures the dielectric properties without contacting the food product.

33 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the thawing takes place at least temporarily in the presence of a brine.

34 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the apparatus comprises a means to heat and cool the food product.

35 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the apparatus rotates during heating and/or cooling of the food product.

36 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the apparatus comprises a high energy microwave generator to provide energy for the thawing,
wherein the generator is a solid state microwave generator.

37 . The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the generator is controlled by a signal of the means.

Assignees

• Gea Food Solutions Bakel Bv

Inventors

• Strolenberg Alex

Classifications

• A23B2/82 Primary

  Thawing subsequent to freezing · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23L3/365 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A23B4/07

  Thawing subsequent to freezing · CPC title