Technical Field

The invention relates to a food ingredient transfer device, and a method of transferring a food ingredient. Background Art

Transfer of food ingredients is commonly used within the food and beverage processing industry. In particular, such transfer may e.g. be performed when a specific food ingredient is to be added to an existing amount of base product. Examples include the addition of enzymes, colourants, flavouring agents, vitamins, salt and rennet solutions, probiotics, etc. at a relatively low amount compared to amount of the base product. Examples of base products include milk, yoghurt, cream, juice, pudding and soya.

As the resulting food product is associated with high hygienic standards, aseptic transfer of the food ingredient into the base product is normally required.

Several techniques for aseptic transfer of food ingredients have been suggested. For example, in EP0918562 an ingredient transfer device is described having a dosing needle being insertable into a flow pipe via a flexible membrane. Once the dosing needle is inserted into the flow pipe, the food ingredient may be injected into the base product flowing inside the flow pipe. Before penetrating the flexible membrane the dosing needle is flushed with sterilizing liquid.

Another example of a transfer device is taught by US2015/0140183, also relying on the principle of exposing the needle to a sterilizing agent before coming into contact with the base product.

The prior art described above successfully improves the hygienic conditions of the food ingredient transfer. However, aseptic conditions are critical and must be ensured. Therefore authorities like the Food and Drugs Administration in the United States normally require additional safety measures for reducing or even eliminating the risk of contamination during the dosing of food ingredients. Summary

It is an object of the invention to at least partly overcome one or more of the above-identified limitations of the prior art. In particular, it is an object to provide a simple yet robust solution for aseptic transfer of food ingredients which reduces or practically eliminates risks for contamination. To solve these objects a food ingredient transfer device is provided. The food ingredient transfer device comprises a dosing device configured to receive a food ingredient, and a first chamber that is provided with an inlet and an outlet for allowing the dosing device to pass through the first chamber. The food ingredient transfer device further comprises a second chamber being arranged adjacent to the first chamber for receiving the dosing device when it has passed through the first chamber, the second chamber being provided with an outlet for allowing the dosing device to pass through the second chamber and into an enclosure that contains a food product to which the food ingredient shall be transferred.

The food ingredient transfer device is advantageous in that the risk for contamination is significantly reduces or even eliminated since each chamber may contribute to sterilizing of the dosing device.

According to a second aspect, a method for transferring a food ingredient is provided. The method comprises pushing a dosing device through a first chamber that is provided with an inlet and an outlet for allowing the dosing device to pass through the first chamber, pushing the dosing device through a second chamber that is arranged adjacent to the first chamber and provided with an outlet for allowing the dosing device to pass through the second chamber, pushing the dosing device into an enclosure that is arranged adjacent to the second chamber and contains a food product that shall receive the food ingredient, and passing the food ingredient through the dosing device, into the food product in the enclosure.

Still other objectives, features, aspects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description as well as from the drawings. Each feature described and implemented for the ingredient transfer device may be implemented for the ingredient transfer method, and vice versa.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a food processing system comprising a food ingredient transfer device;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a food ingredient transfer device shown in a first position;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the food ingredient transfer device shown in a second position; Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the food ingredient transfer device shown in a third position;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of the food ingredient transfer device shown in a fourth position; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of a method for transferring a food ingredient.

Detailed Description

With reference to Fig. 1 a food processing system 10 is shown schematically.

The food processing system 10 has a dosing device 20 for passing a food ingredient Fl through the dosing device 20, into an amount of food product FP provided in an enclosure 40. The dosing device 20, here in the form of a dosing needle, forms part of a food ingredient transfer device 100.

The enclosure 40 is represented as a tubular conduit. As is readily understood, the enclosure 40 could also be realized as a tank or vessel, a fluid conduit, or any other structure suitable for enclosing or conveying food products within a food processing system 10.

The food ingredient transfer device 100 is arranged in close proximity to the enclosure 40 such that the dosing device 20 can be inserted into the enclosure 40 via the food ingredient transfer device 100. Any suitable, conventional technique may be used for aseptically connecting the food ingredient transfer device 100 to the enclosure 40. Hence, the food ingredient transfer device 100 forms an aseptic passageway for the dosing device 20 on its way into the enclosure 40.

The dosing device 20 is in fluid communication with a food ingredient supply 30 such that food ingredients Fl may flow from the supply 30 to the enclosure 40 via the dosing device 20.

A controller 70 is provided, and included in the food processing system 10, for controlling the operation of the food ingredient transfer device 100. The controller 70 has a first unit 72 configured to control the movement of the dosing device 20, i.e. the movement towards and away from the enclosure 40. For example, the unit 72 may be in communication with a linear motor 80 or similar structure being capable of allowing for such movement of the dosing device 20. It should be appreciated that only the dosing device 20 is moveable - normally the enclosure 40, as well as further parts of the food ingredient transfer device 100, are stationary.

The controller 70 is configured to control the operation of two individual supplies 50, 60. For this, the controller 70 is provided with two additional units 74, 76. The first supply 50, being associated with the controller unit 74, is configured to supply a first fluid to the food ingredient transfer device 100. In a similar manner the second supply 60, being associated with the controller unit 76, is configured to supply a second fluid to the food ingredient transfer device 100.

As is readily understood, the units 72, 74, 76 may be provided as a single unit of the controller 70, or they may be provided as separate units or modules whereby the controller 70 represents the joint ability to control the movement of the dosing device 20, as well as the operation of the supplies 50, 60.

Now turning to Fig. 2 the food ingredient transfer device 100 will be described in further detail. Compared to the schematic illustration of the food ingredient transfer device 100 shown in Fig. 1 , the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 differs in that two dosing devices 20a, 20b are present. These two dosing devices 20a, 20b may be controlled individually by means of the controller 70. The exact number of dosing devices 20a, 20b may be altered depending on the particular application.

In addition to the dosing devices 20a, 20b the food ingredient transfer device

100 comprises a housing 105 being configured to be fixedly attached to the enclosure 40, as previously described. Such attachment may thus be accomplished by, for example, means of standard equipment such as screws, bolts, etc (not shown).

The housing 105 is provided with a first chamber 1 10 having at least one inlet 1 12a, 1 12b for allowing the dosing devices 20a, 20b to enter the first chamber 1 10. In addition, the first chamber 1 10 is provided corresponding number of outlets 1 14a, 1 14b for allowing the dosing devices 20a, 20b to pass through the first chamber 1 10.

Further, the housing 105 is also provided with a second chamber 120 being arranged adjacent to the first chamber 1 10 for receiving the dosing device 20a-b when it has passed through the first chamber 1 10. The second chamber 120 is provided with at least one outlet 124a, 124b for allowing the dosing device 20 to pass through the second chamber 120 and into the enclosure 40 that contains the food product FP to which the food ingredient Fl shall be transferred.

As is evident from Fig. 2, the outlets 1 14a, 1 14b of the first chamber 1 10 also act as inlets to the second chamber 120.

The inlets 1 12a, 1 12b form part of a sealed interface 130 between ambient conditions and the first chamber 1 10. The outlets 1 14a, 1 14b of the first chamber 1 10 form part of a sealed interface 140 between the first chamber 1 10 and the second chamber 120, while the outlets 124a, 124b of the second chamber 120 form a sealed interface 150 between the second chamber 120 and the enclosure 40. In order to allow the dosing devices 20a, 20b to pass into the enclosure 40, the enclosure 40 is provided with conventional apertures 42 being aligned with the outlets 124a, 124b of the second chamber 120.

The sealed interfaces 130, 140, 140 are formed by penetrable membranes. Hence, a first penetrable membrane 132 is arranged to seal a respective inlet 1 12a, 1 12b of the first chamber 1 10. A second penetrable membrane 142 is arranged to seal a respective outlet 1 14a, 1 14b of the first chamber 1 10, and a third penetrable membrane 152 is arranged to seal a respective outlet 124a, 124b of the second chamber 120.

Considering membranes 132, 142, 152 being arranged to be penetrated by the same dosing device 20a, 20b, the first penetrable membrane 132, the second penetrable membrane 142 and the third penetrable membrane 152 are aligned in a linear direction L that extends from the first penetrable membrane 132 to the third penetrable membrane 152.

During operation, a dosing device 20a, 20b is moved towards the housing 105, penetrates the first membrane 132 in order to pass into the first chamber 1 10 (see Fig. 3), penetrates the second membrane 142 in order to pass into the second chamber 120 (see Fig. 4), and penetrates the third membrane 152 in order to pass into the enclosure 40 (see Fig. 5).

Each chamber 1 10, 120 is configured to contribute to the sterilization of the dosing device 20a, 20b prior to being inserted into the enclosure 40, where it contacts the food product FP.

For this, the first chamber 1 10 comprises an inlet port 1 16 and an outlet port 1 18 for receiving respectively expelling a first fluid, and the second chamber 120 comprises an inlet port 126 and an outlet port 128 for receiving respectively expelling a second fluid S. The first chamber 1 10 is thus in fluid communication with the first supply 50 (see Fig. 1 ) via the inlet port 1 16, and the second chamber 120 is in fluid communication with the second supply 60 (see Fig. 1 ) via the inlet port 126. Optionally, the respective outlet ports 1 18, 128 may be in fluid communication with return conduits in order to form closed circuits for the respective fluids.

The first fluid, flowing into the first chamber 1 10 via the inlet port 1 16, may be hydrogen peroxide H202. Hence, the supply 50 may provide a flow of hydrogen peroxide. The second fluid, flowing into the second chamber 120 via the inlet port 126, may be steam S, i.e. hot vapor formed by water. Hence, the supply 60 may provide a flow of steam.

The controller 70 is not only configured to control on/off functionality of the supply of hydrogen peroxide and steam, but also controls parameters of the respective fluid like temperature, pressure, and, in the case of hydrogen peroxide, concentration.

Operation of the food ingredient transfer device 100 will now be described with reference to Figs. 2-5. In Fig. 2, already described, the dosing devices 20a, 20b are positioned in an idle position in which they are not yet pushed into the first chamber 1 10. Before operation of the food ingredient transfer device 100 is initiated, the first and second chambers 1 10, 120 may be sterile, since the ingredient transfer device 100 may be assembled in sterile conditions.

When it is determined that dosing of a food ingredient Fl is to be started, the controller 70 is programmed to initiate filling of the second chamber 120 with steam S from the second supply 60. The heat of the steam S is increasing the temperature of the first chamber 1 10. The steam may also provide (additional) sterilization of the second chamber 120.

In the next step, shown in Fig. 3, the dosing device 20b is pushed downwards until a distal end 22 of the dosing device 20b penetrates the first membrane 132. When in this position, or prior to the actual penetration of the first membrane 132, the controller 70 is programmed to start providing hydrogen peroxide H202 to the first chamber 1 10. Hence, hydrogen peroxide H202 is fed from the first supply 50 to the first chamber 1 10. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide H202 may e.g. be 2000-

3000 ppm, the differential pressure may be 100 Pa, and the temperature may be around 55°C. Preferably, the position shown in Fig. 3 may be maintained during a predetermined time of approximately 2 minutes in order to ensure full sterilization of the distal end 22 of the dosing device 20b, as well as the entire first chamber 1 10.

The steam in the second chamber 120 provides heat to the ingredient transfer device 100, including to the first chamber 1 10 and to hydrogen peroxide H202 inside the chamber 1 10, so that the hydrogen peroxide H202 reaches a temperature that is most efficient for obtaining proper sterilization conditions (e.g. around 55°C).

Additionally or alternatively, other heating means are used for giving the hydrogen peroxide H202 the desired temperature. Before the dosing device 20b is pushed into the second chamber 120, the first chamber 1 10 is flushed with sterile air in order to evacuate hydrogen peroxide H202 from the first chamber 1 10.

In Fig. 4 the next position is shown, in which the dosing device 20b is moved downwards into the second chamber 120. At the same time the other dosing device 20a may be pushed into the first chamber 1 10, if required. However, for describing the operating principle of the food ingredient transfer device 100 the main focus will be on the movement of the dosing device indicated by reference numeral 20b.

When the dosing device 20b is pushed into the second chamber 120, the dosing device 20b may be controlled to bleed, or aerate in order to remove all air inside the dosing device 20b. When this is done, the dosing device 20b proceeds downwards into the enclosure 40 by penetrating the third membrane 152. This is shown in Fig. 5, also illustrating the next position of the dosing device 20a.

After the third membrane 152 has been penetrated, whereby the dosing device 20b is positioned to provide transfer of the associated food ingredient Fl, the second chamber 120 is again flushed with steam S, forming a sterile condensate inside the second chamber 120.

When transfer of the food ingredient Fl is finished, the dosing device 20b may be removed from the first and second chambers 1 10, 120, thus returning to the position shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 6 a more detailed view of a method 200 for transferring a food ingredient Fl is shown, as performed for a food ingredient transfer device similar to the device 100 described above.

Generally, the method 200 comprises pushing 202 the dosing device 20b through the first chamber 1 10 that is provided with the inlet 1 12b and the outlet 1 14b for allowing the dosing device 20b to pass through the first chamber 1 10.

Subsequently, the method 200 comprises pushing 204 the dosing device 20b through the second chamber 120 that is arranged adjacent to the first chamber 1 10 and provided with the outlet 124b for allowing the dosing device 20b to pass through the second chamber 120. The method 200 proceeds in pushing 206 the dosing device 20b into the enclosure 40 that is arranged adjacent to the second chamber 120 and contains a food product FP that shall receive the food ingredient Fl, and passing 208 the food ingredient Fl through the dosing device 20b, into the food product FP in the enclosure 40. During this sequence, a number of additional method steps may be performed. For example, the method 200 may also comprise a step of supplying 210 a sterilizing agent, such as steam or hydrogen peroxide H202, to any of the first chamber 1 10 and the second chamber 120, and a step of holding 212 the dosing device 20b a predetermined time in the chamber 1 10, 120 to which the sterilizing agent was supplied in step 210, such that the dosing device 20b, or more specifically the part of the dosing device 20b that is located inside the chamber 1 10, 120, is sterilized before it is pushed 206 into the enclosure 40 that contains the food product FP.

As is shown in Fig. 6, steps 210 and 212 (i.e. supplying sterilizing agent and holding) may be performed to supply hydrogen peroxide to the first chamber 1 10 and maintaining the dosing device 20b stationary for a predetermined time period, or they may be performed to supply steam to the second chamber 120 and maintaining the dosing device stationary for a predetermined time period.

In the first case, indicated by a solid line in Fig. 6, the method 200 may additionally comprise the step 214 of supplying steam S to the second chamber 120.

After passing, in step 208, the food ingredient Fl into the food product FP the method 200 may continue by interrupting 216 any passing of the food ingredient through the dosing device 20b, retracting 218 the dosing device 20b from the enclosure 40, until a distal end 22 of the dosing device 20b is located in the chamber 1 10, 120 to which the sterilizing agent was supplied 210, and holding 220 the dosing device 20b a predetermined time in the chamber 1 10, 120 to which the sterilizing agent was supplied 210, such that the dosing device is sterilized before it is again pushed 206 into the enclosure 40.

Other sterilization agents than hydrogen peroxide may be used. Also, another agent than steam may be used. It is also possible to use more than the two food dosing devices with corresponding openings and membranes in the food ingredient transfer device.

From the description above follows that, although various embodiments of the invention have been described and shown, the invention is not restricted thereto, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject-matter defined in the following claims.