摘要 |
PCT No. PCT/JP96/02953 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 13, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 13, 1998 PCT Filed Oct. 11, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/13417 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 17, 1997The invention relates to a method of sterilizing and dewatering food in a shortened length of time, still permitting the processed food to remain an elongated length of time in good taste. The inner pressure of an insulated dryer is raised by feeding nitrogen gas after evacuating the insulating dryer, and at the same time, pieces of food are exposed to an ethanol spray, so that the oxygen gas remaining in the tissue of the food may be replaced by nitrogen gas to prevent oxidization of the food. At the same time, ethanol penetrates the food well for sterilization. Next, the inner pressure of the insulating dryer is reduced by removing nitrogen gas therefrom, and the pieces of food are exposed to the far-infrared radiation to be heated, thus preventing evaporation of water from the pieces of food to prevent their temperature from being lowered, and expediting removal of water in the surrounding low-pressure atmosphere to provide semi-dried products. The sterilization-and-water removal has the effect of extending the preservation period of dried food. Also advantageously, the dewatering of food at a low temperature has the effect of substantially preventing the discoloring and deteriorating of the dried food, permitting long-lasting good taste.
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