Method for sterilizing surfaces of food materials

Claim 1

A METHOD OF SURFACE STERILIZING A HYDRATED FOOD RPODUCT IN BLOCK FORM AND WHICH IS FRESHLY CONTAMINATED WITH MOLD SPORES, HAVING PREVIOUSLY BEEN FREE THEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES LOOSELY WRAPPING THE PRODUCT IN A MEMBRANE WHICH IS PERMEABLE TO WATER VAPOR AND OTHER GASES IN THE PRESENCE OF HEAT, BEFORE ANY OF SUCH SPORES SHOW SUBSTANTIAL MYCELIA GROWTH, SUBJECTING THE WRAPPED PRODUCT TO VACUUM SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO VAPORIZE ITS WATER CONTENT AT ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURES, THE WATER VAPOR ESCAPING THROUGH THE LOOSE WRAPPER, THE VACUUM INDUCED WITHDRAWAL OF WATER VAPOR CARRYING AIR AND OTHER FIXED GASES FROM THE PRODUCT, IMMEDIATELY EXPOSING THE WRAPPED PRODUCT TO STEAM AT A TEMPERATURE AT LEAST AS GREAT AS APPROXIMATELY 160* F., THE VACUUM BEING RELIEVED AND THE STEAM PENETRAATING THE WRAPPER TO THE SURFACE OF THE PRODUCT THEREIN CONTAINED, CONTINUING THE EXPOSURE TO STEAM FOR A TIME ONLY SUFFICIENT TO HEAT THE SURFACE OF THE PRODUCT SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE STEAM WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY PENETRATION BELOW THE SURFACE, THEREUPON EXPOSING THE PRODUCT FOR A SECOND TIME TO HIGH VACUUM SUFFICIENT TO WITHDRAW WATER VAPOR FROM THE PRODUCT AND ABRUPTLY TO EVAPORATION-COOL THE PRODUCT, AND SEXERTING PRESSURE UPON THE WRAPPER AND AGAINST THE PRODUCT TO SEAL THE WRAPPER AND FORCE IT INTO INIMATE CONTACT WITH THE PRODUCT BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND VACUUM EXPSOURE TO AID IN DISCHARGING RESIDUAL VAPORS AND RE-SHAPING THE PRODUCT.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF SURFACE STERILIZING A HYDRATED FOOD RPODUCT IN BLOCK FORM AND WHICH IS FRESHLY CONTAMINATED WITH MOLD SPORES, HAVING PREVIOUSLY BEEN FREE THEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES LOOSELY WRAPPING THE PRODUCT IN A MEMBRANE WHICH IS PERMEABLE TO WATER VAPOR AND OTHER GASES IN THE PRESENCE OF HEAT, BEFORE ANY OF SUCH SPORES SHOW SUBSTANTIAL MYCELIA GROWTH, SUBJECTING THE WRAPPED PRODUCT TO VACUUM SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO VAPORIZE ITS WATER CONTENT AT ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURES, THE WATER VAPOR ESCAPING THROUGH THE LOOSE WRAPPER, THE VACUUM INDUCED WITHDRAWAL OF WATER VAPOR CARRYING AIR AND OTHER FIXED GASES FROM THE PRODUCT, IMMEDIATELY EXPOSING THE WRAPPED PRODUCT TO STEAM AT A TEMPERATURE AT LEAST AS GREAT AS APPROXIMATELY 160* F., THE VACUUM BEING RELIEVED AND THE STEAM PENETRAATING THE WRAPPER TO THE SURFACE OF THE PRODUCT THEREIN CONTAINED, CONTINUING THE EXPOSURE TO STEAM FOR A TIME ONLY SUFFICIENT TO HEAT THE SURFACE OF THE PRODUCT SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE STEAM WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY PENETRATION BELOW THE SURFACE, THEREUPON EXPOSING THE PRODUCT FOR A SECOND TIME TO HIGH VACUUM SUFFICIENT TO WITHDRAW WATER VAPOR FROM THE PRODUCT AND ABRUPTLY TO EVAPORATION-COOL THE PRODUCT, AND SEXERTING PRESSURE UPON THE WRAPPER AND AGAINST THE PRODUCT TO SEAL THE WRAPPER AND FORCE IT INTO INIMATE CONTACT WITH THE PRODUCT BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND VACUUM EXPSOURE TO AID IN DISCHARGING RESIDUAL VAPORS AND RE-SHAPING THE PRODUCT.