METHOD APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING STERILIZED LEAFY HERBS AND SPICES WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF VOLATILE MATERIAL

摘要

To avoid loss of volatile oils or cause change of color or excessive loss of moisture in raw vegetable product such as herbs or spices, the product is sterilized for human consumption by placing the product in a jacketed container (12) where the temperature of the interior walls of the container is elevated to approximately the sterilizing temperature, the product is then charged to the interior of the container and sterilizing, culinary steam is injected for up to five minutes; thereafter, the product is cooled and then the container pressurized to eject the cooled product for subsequent handling such as packaging; the apparatus includes two connected vessels (12, 22), the first vessel (12) being utilized to sterilize the product, and the second vessel (22) being utilized to cool and dry the product; transfer between the two vessels of the container system is effected by maintaining a pressure differential therebetween.