Patent ID: 8663574
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: A23L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for pasteurizing a liquid product, said apparatus comprising a container having an interior, a product intake, and a product outlet, a treatment chamber formed by said interior and into which said liquid product, which is heated to a pasteurization temperature, is supplied at said product intake, and from which said liquid product, after completion of a heating holding period, is discharged at said product outlet, wherein said treatment chamber forms a product chamber, and a gas chamber lying above said product chamber, wherein said product chamber is occupied by said liquid product and wherein said gas chamber receives a sterile gas, a flow-rate measurement device for measuring throughput of liquid product through said treatment chamber, said flow-rate measurement device being disposed at one of said product intake, a line for supplying heated product, said product outlet, and a line connected to said product outlet, means for controlling a liquid-product volume within said treatment chamber by changing a level of a liquid product surface in said treatment chamber, at least in part based on said flow-rate, and means for controlling a product-path through said treatment chamber.