Food processing equipment with plastma activated water cleaning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021205856-A1
Application number	US-201816761859-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2017
Publication date	Jul 8, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A food processing system that includes at least one food and/or feed processing device and at least one cleaning device. The at least one food and/or feed processing device includes at least one part with a surface which during use will come in contact with a food product. The at least one cleaning device is configured for cleaning at least the surface. The at least one cleaning device includes means for providing a cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid is a plasma activated substance. The at least one cleaning device comprises or is coupled to a device for preparing the plasma activated substance and is provided in a porous structure of the device.

First claim

1 . A food processing system comprising
at least one food and/or feed processing device, and at least one cleaning device, wherein the at least one food and/or feed processing device comprises at least one part with a surface which during use will come in contact with a food product, wherein the at least one cleaning device is configured for cleaning at least the surface, wherein the at least one cleaning device comprises means for providing a cleaning fluid, wherein the cleaning fluid is a plasma activated substance, and the at least one cleaning device comprises or is coupled to a device for preparing the plasma activated substance and is provided in a porous structure of the device.

2 . The food processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the surface and an underlying structure of the at least one food and/or feed processing device is at least partially porous,
wherein the surface is an at least partially a-porous surface.

3 . The food processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one food and/or feed processing device is a freezer, a former, a coater, a fryer, a cooker, a mixer, a tumbler, a grinder, a bowl chopper, a food injector, or a brine preparing and/or injecting device.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The food processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one food and/or feed processing device comprises or is coupled to the at least one cleaning device, and the at least one food and/or feed processing device is configured for a clean-in-place and/or sanitize-in-place method.

6 . The food processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one part comprises means that includes at least one opening or channel, for transmitting a fluid,
wherein the at least one part is connected to or is reversibly connectable to the means for supplying the plasma activated substance to a means for transmitting a fluid.

7 . The food processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one food and/or feed processing device and/or the at least one cleaning device comprise an air supply for supplying pressurized air.

8 . A food and/or feed processing device comprising:
at least one fluid transmitting means for supplying a fluid, wherein the food and/or feed processing device is configured such that at least during a predetermined period of time, plasma activated water is supplied through the at least one fluid transmitting means, wherein the food and/or feed processing device is reversibly connectable to or is connected to a supply for supplying the plasma activated water.

9 . A method for cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting and/or sterilizing a food contacting surface of the food and/or feed processing device according to claim 8 ,
wherein after use of the food and/or feed processing device, a cleaning step is carried out, and during the cleaning step, a food contacting surface is treated with plasma activated water.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the cleaning step comprises rinsing, bathing, showering, submerging, and/or spraying the food contacting surface with the plasma activated water.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the cleaning step is carried out in the food and/or feed processing device, wherein the method is a clean-in-place and/or sanitize-in-place method.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein before the cleaning step, a part comprising the food contacting surface to be cleaned is removed from the food and/or feed processing device and transferred to a cleaning device for cleaning.

13 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein during the cleaning step, a part comprising the food contacting surface and/or the food contacting surface is moved or rotated.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein after the cleaning step, a drying step is carried out, by directing a stream of pressurized air at the food contacting surface.

15 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein during the cleaning step and/or during a drying step, a premixed flow is applied to the food contacting surface, wherein the premixed flow comprises a gas or air, and a liquid or the plasma activated water.

16 . A method for cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting and/or sterilizing the food contacting surface of the food processing system according to claim 1 ,
wherein after use of the at least one food and/or feed processing device, a cleaning step is carried out, and during the cleaning step, the surface is treated with plasma activated water.

Assignees

• Gea Food Solutions Bakel Bv

Inventors

• Van Erp Joost

Classifications

• A22C17/08

  Cleaning, e.g. washing, meat or sausages {(treating offal C11B)} · CPC title

• A22C17/00 Primary

  Other devices for processing meat or bones · CPC title

• A22C17/0053

  by injection · CPC title

• B08B3/08 Primary

  the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect · CPC title

• A61L2/22

  Phase substances, e.g. smokes or aerosols · CPC title