Sensor for high pressure processing of articles

摘要

A pressure sensor device and its use for confirming achievement of a selected pressure in a high pressure process (HPP) for sanitizing food is disclosed. The device includes at least a base and a sheet, each of which is substantially impermeable to the working fluid of the HPP and is deformable at the selected pressure. Microcapsules interposed between flat overlapping portions of the base and sheet contain a color former and burst upon pressurization of the environment surrounding the device. Release of the color former is detected to confirm that the pressurization occurred. The device can be associated with one or more foodstuffs (e.g., a packaged food product or a group of such packages) and remain associated therewith to continuously indicate that the foodstuff(s) have been subjected to the selected pressure and are therefore sanitized.

主权项

1. A pressure sensor device for indicating achievement of a selected ambient pressure in a high pressure process for treating a foodstuff using a working fluid, the device comprising the a base, a sheet, and a plurality of microcapsules,
each of the base and the sheet being substantially impermeable to the working fluid, being deformable at the selected ambient pressure, and bearing a substantially flat portion; the substantially flat portions of the base and sheet being disposed in a substantially parallel, opposed conformation defining an overlapping region having lateral dimensions and an average separation distance, the plurality of microcapsules being interposed between the base and the sheet in the overlapping region; the microcapsules containing a color former and having a compressive bursting strength less than the selected ambient pressure; and at least one of the base and the sheet having a viewing portion adapted to permit detection of color former released from the microcapsules by external visual observation of the device,whereby when the device is subjected to the selected ambient pressure, at least some microcapsules in the overlapping region burst, the color former is released from the microcapsules, and release of the color former can be detected by external visual observation of the device.