METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS STERILIZATION OF LIQUID PRODUCT ON THE BASE OF MILK Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: food-processing industry. SUBSTANCE: method involves indirect preliminary heating of product and final heating to sterilization temperature of 140-150 C by direct injection of steam; cooling product by instant cooling to provide evaporation of steam in an amount corresponding to an amount of added steam; cooling product by indirect cooling method. Prior to instant cooling, product is cooled from sterilization temperature to temperature ranging between 90-120 C at the first stage of indirect cooling with following instant cooling to temperature of 70-85 C. Sterilization apparatus has weighing container 1 connected with first indirect heat exchanger 4 for heating milk-based product. Steam injection nozzle 6 is positioned in inlet pipeline of heat exchanger 4. Holding section 8 and vessel 10 to be vacuumized are positioned downstream of steam injection nozzle 6. Product is cooled by instant cooling method in vessel 10. Auxiliary indirect heat exchanger 9 positioned between holding section 8 and vessel 10 is adapted for cooling product. EFFECT: increased efficiency, simplified method and apparatus and improved quality of product. 8 cl, 1 dwg