Process and equipment for sanitizing and packaging food using ozone

Abstract

Systems and processes are described for sanitizing a food product with ozone gas. The ozone gas is generated using a low pressure, low volume ozone gas generator and is delivered to a fluid injector. The fluid injector receives high pressure carrier fluid from a carrier fluid source and causes the ozone to be entrained in a stream of carrier fluid. The entrainment is created by passing the carrier fluid through a venturi diffuser inside the injector which creates a negative pressure in the sanitizing fluid line, thus drawing the sanitizing fluid into the carrier fluid and creating a highly homogenized fluid jet. The fluid jet is then injected into a container which contains a food product to be sanitized by the ozone. The container may also be provided with a mixing paddle to vigorously mix the food product while the ozone/carrier fluid jet is injected into the food product, which further ensures that the food product is contacted with sanitizing ozone gas. The container can be sealed to be pressurized by the ozone/carrier fluid jet by selective opening and closing of a vent. The ozone/carrier fluid jet may also be selectively humidified before injection into the container.