DISPOSITIVO E PROCESSO PARA A ESTERILIZACAO DE ESPECIARIAS E SUBSTANCIAS ANALOGAS

摘要

An apparatus (10) for sterilizing fungible food products in a sealed sterilizing chamber (36) using superheated steam at a predetermined temperature and pressure condition which apparatus has inlet (64) and outlet (101) structures for respectively introducing products to be sterilized into and discharging sterilized products from the sterilizing chamber (36) without exposing the sterilizing environment in the sterilizing chamber (36) to ambient atmosphere, and a pressure relief device (102) associated with the outlet structure (101) for predeterminately reducing the pressure on the products therein prior to their discharge from the outlet structure (101) to ambient atmosphere so that the products are never exposed to a sudden pressure change of sufficient magnitude to damage or puff the products. The invention also is directed to the method of sterilizing products using the subject apparatus.