Inventors:
Kenneth Marc Ghiron - Champaign IL
James Bruce Litchfield - Urbana IL
Assignee:
The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois - Urbana IL
International Classification:
A61L 204
A23L 3005
Abstract:
An aseptic food processing system including a non invasive temperature measurement apparatus capable of processing low acid particulate foods. A magnetic particle is inserted into a food particle in the aseptic system and undergoes heating corresponding to a cold zone in the food product being processed. After heating, the particle is passed by one or more magnetic sensors disposed about the food stream path. The magnetic particle magnetizes in proportion to its magnetic susceptibility as it passes magnets included in the sensors. The particle is chosen to be paramagnetic at processing temperature ranges, and produces a magnetization in a sensor coil in the sensor which is proportional to the magnetic susceptibility. Because the susceptibility varies with temperature, actual temperature measurements of cold zone heating within the food particles may be obtained. The system may include a particle injector to inject the particle at a desired time, sensors to detect the temperature, data storage and process control based upon detected temperatures and a particle extractor.
