Patent ID: 6784405
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: A23B,A23L,H05B

Abstract:
A capacitive RF dielectric heating apparatus for treating food products, the apparatus comprising:a source of an AC RF signal at an RF frequency not greater than 300 MHz, the source being connected to a pair of electrodes on opposite sides of a product treatment zone to cause an RF signal to generate an AC electric field in the product treatment zone; a frequency controller to adjust the frequency of the RF signal between different RF frequencies; a mathematical model that predicts impedance of the food products as a function of temperature; an impedance sensor to sense an impedance of the food products; a computer programmed to receive impedance data from the impedance sensor, to process the impedance data using the model for the product, and to apply a control signal to the frequency controller to adjust the frequency of the RF signal to match the sensed impedance to a predetermined impedance.