An infeed sterilizer for a packaging machine that allows for the entire sterilization of an erected carton blank prior to bottom forming. The infeed sterilizer includes a nip roller, a carousel, sterilization means and a sterilization chamber. The carousel has a plurality of carriers for temporarily holding a plurality of erected carton blanks wherein each erected carton blank has both the top and bottom ends open and unfolded or sealed. The sterilization means may be hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet energy, hot air, electron beams, any combination thereof. The sterilization chamber may be pressurized with sterile air to reduce contamination/recontamination of the erected carton blanks. The sterilized cartons may be transferred to a form and fill carousel disposed above the infeed sterilizer for bottom forming and filling.
An apparatus for aseptically packaging of a food product in presealed and internally presterilized pouches. The apparatus comprises a filling chamber (2b) positioned above a sterilization pre-chamber (2a) of the pouches (S). At an opening (9) between the filling chamber (2b) and the sterilization pre-chamber (2a) there is arranged a widening device (17) of the pouches (S) which is suitable for holding a pouch (S) in a working position for the filling wherein only a filling end of the pouch is located in the filling chamber (2b).
An apparatus for providing sterilant to a packaging machine is provided. The apparatus comprises a conduit, for a predetermined mix of atomized hydrogen peroxide and air, within a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is a conduit for steam heat under pressure and comprises and inlet for the steam and an outlet for condensation formed by cooling steam. As the pressurized steam surrounds the conduit heat is transferred to the atomized hydrogen peroxide and air causing the mixture to vaporize. An outlet for hydrogen peroxide vapor is provided at or near a sterilization location in a packaging machine, allowing the vapor to aid in the sterilization of packaging.
A method for inducing oxygen scavenging within paperboard package structures using ultraviolet light to activate the scavenging material during the filling process or prior to the filling process for gable-type paperboard packages. An ultraviolet light source is placed in close proximity to a gable-top blank or along the horizontal chain or line following bottom formation and prior to filling a carton with product.
An automatic, continuous sterilization system is for use in a form, fill and seal packaging machine for forming, filling and sealing packages. The machine has a turret carrying a plurality of mandrels on which the packages are carried. A bottom panel heating station has a reciprocating bottom panel heater. The sterilization system includes a sterilant source for supplying a sterilant and a sterilant inlet at the bottom panel heater. Packages are positioned on one of the plurality of mandrels and are indexed to the bottom panel heater. The sterilant is introduced to the mandrel when the carton is positioned thereon. Introduction of the sterilant provides a log reduction of microbial colony forming units of at least about 5.9 after ten minutes of machine operation. A method for continuous mandrel sterilization is also disclosed.
