Apparatus for extending the shelf life of fluid food products

Claim 1

Pulsed field treatment apparatus for preservation of fluid foodstuffs comprising an electric field treatment chamber comprising a first electrode means for making electrical contact with fluid foodstuff disposed adjacent said first electrode means in said chamber, a second electrode means spaced apart from said first electrode means for making electrical contact with fluid foodstuff disposed in said chamber between said first electrode means and said second electrode means, an inlet conduit means for introducing a fluid foodstuff to be treated into said electric field treatment chamber, heating means for providing said fluid foodstuff at a treatment temperature of at least about 45° C. in said treatment chamber, an outlet conduit means for discharging said fluid foodstuff which has passed through said treatment chamber, electric pulse generating means for applying high voltage electrical pulses to said first and second electrode means at a rate of at least about one pulse per minute to provide a substantially uniform electric field between said electrodes through a fluid foodstuff located therebetween of at least about 5,000 volts per centimeter, said electrodes and said electric pulse generating means cooperating to provide a substantially uniform electric field free of current filaments through said fluid foodstuff in said treatment chamber, and means for pumping a fluid foodstuff in said treatment chamber, and means for pumping a fluid foodstuff through said inlet conduit means at a rate such that all of said fluid foodstuff is subjected to a least two of said high voltage pulses in transit through said high voltage treatment zone before it is conducted from the chamber through said outlet conduit means.