Shimadzu Corporation

Nippon Tansan Co., Ltd.

Nippan Tansan Co., Ltd.

Mitsuya Shimoda

Yutaka Osajima

Masaki Miyake

Tamotsu Kawano

Michinosuke Takada

A continuous processing apparatus includes a dissolution section for dissolving liquid carbon dioxide into a continuously supplied liquid-form raw material, and a processing section for holding the liquid-form raw material with liquid carbon dioxide dissolved therein under predetermined temperature and pressure to thereby transform carbon dioxide into a supercritical or subcritical state. Thus, bacteria, enzyme and the like contained in the liquid-form raw material can be effectively killed or decreased.

Continuous processing method and continuous processing apparatus for liquid-form substance, and liquid-form substance processed thereby

The present invention proposes a method of and system for continuously processing liquid material by which enzymes in the liquid material are inactivated and the liquid material is sterilized effectively. In one example of the system according to the present invention, a liquid material is introduced into a processing chamber from an introduction port at the bottom, and liquefied carbon dioxide formed into micro-particles by a filter is also introduced in the chamber . The micro-particles of liquefied carbon dioxide dissolves into the liquid material efficiently. The liquid material taken out from a take-out port is introduced into a warming pipe kept at such a preset temperature and pressure where the carbon dioxide turns to a supercritical fluid. After that, the liquid material is introduced through a pressure control valve into a pressure-reducing chamber . The carbon dioxide rapidly changes from supercritical fluid to gas, and vaporizes from the liquid material. The step of dissolving carbon dioxide into the liquid material and the step of processing the liquid material with the supercritical fluid are carried out independently under respective optimized temperature-and-pressure condition. Therefore, the processing time can be shortened even with a small-sized processing chamber , and there is no need to pre-heat the liquid material.

Method of and system for continuously processing liquid materials, and the product processed thereby

A method for (1) inactivating enzymes, microorganisms and spores in a liquid foodstuff, and (2) sterilizing microorganisms, spores and virus in a liquid foodstuff, comprises contacting the liquid foodstuff to be treated with carbon dioxide of a supercritical state supplied through a filter with a mesh size of not more than 120 .mu.m in average diameter (average size) in a treating tank.

Method for inactivating enzymes, microorganisms and spores in a liquid

The quality of a liquid foodstuff is modified by contacting it with micron-size carbon dioxide particles in a supercritical state. These particles are generated by supplying supercritical carbon dioxide through a filter with a mesh size of not more than 100 .mu.m in average diameter. The liquid foodstuff was processed and contacted with carbon dioxide particles in a treating tank.

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Fukuoka-ken, Japan

Mitsuya Shimoda