System for thermal treating of food products

Abstract

A quick-freeze thermal treating system for food products which comprises at one first zone of thermal treatment. The first zone provides a film contact conveyor comprised of a thermal surface, a traveling thin film, a drive for moving the thin film across the thermal surface, and a control for controlling and monitoring the drive. The first zone also provides a convection refrigeration assembly for refrigerating air for distribution on to the traveling thin film, and an air circulating assembly for directing refrigerated air from the refrigeration assembly onto the thin film from above so that food products are crust frozen simultaneously from above and below. A second zone underlaying the first zone may be provided in the form of a second conveyor comprised of a product conveyor, a second drive for the second-conveyor and a second control for controlling and monitoring the second drive, the second conveyor being located such that food products may be cascaded from the traveling thin film downward onto the product conveyor. The second and subsequent conveyors may be film contact conveyors, like the first zone film contact conveyor, or they may be open-mesh endless loop conveyors. The first zone film contact conveyor is maintained at a lowered temperature. The subsequent thermal treatment zones are refrigeration zones that may be film contact refrigerated conveyors, or updraft, cross-draft or impingement jet refrigerated air open-mesh endless loop conveyors.