METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MATERIAL HANDLING FOR A FOOD PRODUCT IN A HIGH PRESSURE PASTEURIZATION PROCESS

摘要

A method and apparatus for material handling of food products in a high pressure pasteurisation process including a pontoon pallet base (141), one or more elongated basket nests (161), and a pontoon pallet separator (180).

主权项

1. A method comprising:
a) placing one or more elongated baskets, the baskets including one or more removable snap-in lids in one or more elongated basket nests of a pontoon pallet base; b) placing and nesting a pontoon pallet separator, the separator including one or more elongated basket nests on each of two opposing sides, over the elongated baskets and the pontoon pallet base; c) placing one or more baskets in the one or more top elongated basket nests on the separator; d) loading product inside the elongated baskets either before or after the placing steps; e) placing a pontoon pallet cap and nesting the cap over the elongated baskets and the pontoon pallet separator, making a pontoon pallet; f) moving the pontoon pallet to a cell loading station; g) removing the pontoon pallet cap; h) sequentially loading the elongated baskets onto the cell loading station; i) sequentially loading the elongated baskets into a high pressure pasteurization machine and processing the product in the baskets; j) unloading processed baskets from the high pressure pasteurization machine and moving the processes baskets to a cell unloading station; and k) loading the processed baskets onto an empty pontoon pallet.