Process for sterile food packaging

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF CANNING STERILE FOODSTUFFS INVOLVING THE USE OF STERILE CONTAINERS THEREFOR, THE IMPROVEMENTS CONSISTING OF PLACING THE CONTAINERS IN AN INVERTED POSITION; PREHEATING THE CONTAINERS TO A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 140*F.; SPRAYING A HOT CLEANING SOLUTION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF WATER AND A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SOAP, LYE, SYNTHETIC DETERGENT, AND TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE ONTO THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE CONTAINERS, TO WASH THEM AND REMOVE GROSS IMPURITIES THEREFROM; SPRAYING THE WASHED CONTAINERS WITH STEAM TO REMOVE EXCESS CLEANING SOLUTION BY MECHANICAL ACTION OF THE STEAM AND BY CONDENSATION OF THE STEAM UPON THE CONTAINER SURFACES; SPRAYING WATER AT A TEMPERATURE OF BETWEEN 200*F. TO 210*F. ONTO THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR SURFACES TO RINSE THE CONTAINERS THOROUGHLY; SPRAYING THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES OF THE CONTAINERS WITH JETS OF STEAM TO REMOVE ADHERING FILMS OR DROPS OF WATER; SPRAYING ONTO THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES OF THE CONTAINERS AN AQUEOUS BACTERICIDAL AGENT; STERILIZING THE TREATED CONTAINERS BY SUBJECTING THEM TO STEAM AT A TEMPERATURE OF BETWEEN 200*F. TO 500*F. FOR A SHORTER INTERVAL THAN HERETOFORE REQUIRED FOR STEAM STERILIZATION AT SAID TEMPERATURE; RINSING THE STERILIZED CONTAINERS WITH A SPRAY OF STERILE WATER TO REMOVE THE BACTERICIDAL AGENT THEREFROM; RETURNING THE CONTAINERS TO AN UPRIGHT POSITION; FILLING THE CONTAINERS WITH STERILE FOOD MATERIAL; AND SEALING THE FILLED CONTAINERS WITH STERILE COVERS.