Multi-deck clamshell cook and staging grill for pathogenic risk management

摘要

The present invention is directed toward a method for transferring heat to food articles for cooking or staging ensuring bacteriological safety in the fast food production of hamburgers and other protein or farinaceous food articles. The process provides a means to initially cook frozen food articles sealed in heat conducting containers, such as a flexible pouch to cook raw food articles or previously cooked food articles, and to stage same for prolonged time periods at optimum product quality at a selected low temperature, thereby assuring precision, time and temperature-related, pathogenic risk management and food safety for public consumption. The process provides a means of holding the patties and/or other food articles encased in suitable plastic packages for prolonged time periods at an equilibrated, safe internal temperature range, selectable between 130 DEG and 185 DEG F., which temperature range is optional and maintained in order to guarantee bacteriological food safety by achieving 99.999% thermal lethality of trace pathogens potentially present in ground meat articles such as beef or chicken patties.