Apparatus for batch cooking and packing fruit and vegetable pieces

摘要

An apparatus and method are disclosed for a batch cooking and packing process for pieces of a food product such as fruits and vegetables. The process includes collecting a predetermined quantity of the uncooked food product, depositing that quantity by gravity flow into a closed cooking chamber containing a quantity of liquid for use with the food product, then heating the food product by recirculating the liquid through a heat exchanger to heat the liquid and food product to a cooking and sterilizing temperature and then removing the liquid from the cooking chamber until the total combined volume of liquid and food product remaining substantially equals the desired quantity of food product and liquid desired to be deposited into a predetermined shipping container, and depositing the remaining food product and liquid from the cooking chamber through a cooking chamber delivery port into the shipping container and sealing that shipping container. If desired, the food product and liquid may be cooled before being deposited into the container.