JPH05292928A - Squeezing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a squeezing system ensuring an inert gas to be preserved in the respective casings of a crusher and a squeezer in crushing and squeezing fruits, etc., in an oxygen-free atmosphere. CONSTITUTION:The objective squeezing system is equipped with (A) a crusher 6 for fruits and/or vegetables fed from a washing machine 2, (B) a squeezer for the fruits and/or vegetables crushed, and (C) inert gas (e.g. nitrogen gas) feed lines 8,9 to feed the respective casings of the crusher 6 and the squeezer with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide. The crusher 6 is equipped with (1) a partitioning plate 4 to shield the casing therefor and a washing machine 2 from the outside air through watertightness and (2) a pressure relief pot 10 to discharge the inert gas in the casing through; and the squeezer is equipped with (a) a cylinder shieldable from the outside air through being filled with refuse discharged via a juice outlet and (b) a pressure relief pot to discharge the inert gas in the easing through.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a squeezing device for squeezing fruits and vegetables.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a method for squeezing fruits and vegetables to recover juice is to oxidize polyphenols contained in apples by the action of polyphenol oxidase, which is an oxidase contained in apples, to cause browning reaction. Wake up.
In order to prevent this, an antioxidant such as L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is added to 100 g of fruit for 100 m.
About g (corresponding to 0.1 wt%) was added. Also, in the past, by crushing and squeezing the fruit under anoxic atmosphere,
It is known to prevent the oxidative browning effect of polyphenol oxidase. The schematic configuration is described in JP-A-2-
As described in the closed crushing device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 14760, a rotary valve is installed in front of the crusher and an inert gas is supplied to prevent the oxidative browning action.

Referring to FIG. 3, the closed crushing device shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-14760 will be described below. The closed rotary valve 4 as a pre-stage valve device under the raw material charging chute 40.
1 is provided, an inert gas is blown through the nozzle 42 before the apple is crushed in the subsequent stage, the outside air of the raw material is shut off, and the raw material is continuously fed to the crusher 43 without adding ascorbic acid. The inside of the crusher 43 is filled with the inert gas supplied through the nozzle 42 and is maintained at atmospheric pressure or higher, and fruits and the like are in an anoxic state during crushing. 44 is a transport pump, and the crushed apples are transferred by this transport pump 44 and reach the heating / cooling device 45. The heating / cooling device 45 is a double-tube heat exchanger for viscous liquids, and in the case of producing crushed products of fruits and vegetables, after the heating unit 46 holds the temperature above the inactivation temperature of the enzyme such as polyphenol oxidase. The cooling unit 47 cools to a temperature suitable for the subsequent process. The crushed apples that have left the crusher 43 are pressurized and delivered by the transport pump 44 to heat and
After being kept at a predetermined temperature and time by the cooling device 45, it is sent to a juicer or the like.

[0004]

The method of preventing the browning reaction (juice becomes brown) by adding the above-mentioned conventional antioxidant is a natural flavor (taste,
There was a problem because the flavor was impaired and the antioxidant was expensive. The device disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-14760 proposed as a method for solving this problem is one in which the browning reaction due to polyphenol oxidase is prevented by crushing and squeezing the fruit in an oxygen-free atmosphere. However, this device had a complicated structure. Moreover, since it has been difficult to obtain an economical and effective crushing and squeezing device having a simple and reliable structure for that purpose, a large amount of crushed squeezing is continuously performed in an oxygen-free atmosphere. There has been a demand for efficient device realization.

Further, the sealing method for the rotary valve and the like in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus requires some measures such as passing air (outside air) through the apple, but this is very difficult, and the apple in each chamber of the rotary valve is very difficult. The filling rate is usually 50% or less. For example, when 3 TON / Hr of apple is supplied, 3 m ³ / Hr of air is accompanied. To reduce the oxygen concentration in the crusher into which 3 m ³ / Hr of air (21% oxygen) enters to 2% or less, 30 m ³ / Hr of inert gas is required. Further, the browning rate in the conventional method was measured, and the browning reaction occurred even though the oxygen concentration in the crusher was zero. As a result of investigating the cause, it was found that the oxygen dissolved in the apple was not completely degassed in the crushing process.

As a result of measuring the amount of oxygen dissolved in the apple, it was found that about 1 cm ³ of oxygen was dissolved per 100 g of the apple. Therefore, in order to reduce the oxygen concentration in the crusher to 1.0% or less, for example, a 3TON / Hr crusher supplies 3m ³ / Hr of an inert gas, dilutes the oxygen in the crusher and expels it with the inert gas. There is a need.
That is, when Nm ³ / hr is calculated by the following equation, 3m ³ / hr
Becomes

[Equation 1] Therefore, the crusher must be equipped with a device that reduces the air entrained by the water seal, has a structure that does not allow outside air to enter, and has a mechanism that discharges the gas containing oxygen inside. As for the squeezing machine, crushed apples are sent from the crushing machine by a pump, so a water-sealed structure is not necessary, but it is a structure that does not allow outside air to enter and discharges gas containing oxygen inside (squeezing machine). Then, it is necessary to have a mechanism of 1/21 or less of that of a crusher.

In addition, the squeezing machine is required to have a structure in which the outlet is sealed with the cake after squeezing and outside air does not enter inside.
Further, it is necessary to provide a juice liquid chamber at the lower part of the juicer at the outlet where the juice goes out, and to have a structure in which the juice is sealed to the outlet. Further, the juicer must be equipped with a mechanism for discharging the gas containing oxygen inside.
Specifically, the internal pressure of the crusher and the squeezing machine should be 10-100.
higher than mmH ₂ O about the outside air, the crusher oxygen concentration 1
The structure is such that an inert gas is continuously supplied so that the gas content becomes not more than%, and the gas containing oxygen is discharged from the escape pot. As a matter of course, it is necessary to equip the crusher and the juicer with a device for supplying an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. Furthermore, in order to quickly degas oxygen dissolved in apples in the crushing process, it is necessary that the crushed apples become fine droplets. Therefore, the present invention prevents the browning reaction due to the action of oxygen and the like in an oxygen-free atmosphere, prevents the flavor from changing, and reduces the waste of an inert gas such as nitrogen gas supplied to make the oxygen-free atmosphere. The present invention intends to provide a squeezing device capable of reducing the consumption of inert gas with a simple structure having no rotary valve or the like.

[0008]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a crusher for crushing fruits, vegetables, etc. supplied from a washing machine is provided in the casing, and the crusher is provided in the casing and connected to the crusher. Squeezing machine for squeezing crushed fruits, vegetables, etc. supplied from the supplied supply line, connected to each casing of the crushing machine and squeezing machine, and inert gas such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the casing. Consisting of a supply line for supplying gas, the crusher, a blocking member for blocking the casing of the crusher and the washer from the outside air by water sealing, a mechanism for making crushed fruits, vegetables, etc. into fine droplets, And a mechanism for discharging the inert gas in the casing, the juicer has a tank having a discharge outlet for the juice in the bottom portion, and a cylindrical body portion that is filled with the lees discharged from the outlet and can block the outside air. Exhaust the inert gas from the juicer casing Those with composed, it is an unit for which a problem solution.

[0009]

The crusher of the present invention is provided with a device for water-sealing in order to remove entrained air, so that it is simpler and less entrained than sealing by using a valve or the like. Also, as a method of removing oxygen dissolved in apples, since oxygen comes out relatively easily in an atmosphere without oxygen during crushing, a device that mixes with inert gas to escape and discharge from the pot etc. is a crusher and a squeezer. The oxygen concentration in the device can be diluted with an inert gas and discharged, and can be kept low by being provided in. As a method of shutting off the outside air in the squeezing machine, a cylindrical part is formed at the lees outlet and the state where the lees are continuously filled is maintained, and the juice outlet is in the reservoir of the lower chamber of the squeezing machine. Although it is formed by the provided pipe, the structure is simpler than sealing by using a valve or the like by keeping the state where juice is continuously filled therein. In addition, a device that supplies an inert gas so that the oxygen inside can be diluted and discharged in succession to the crusher and squeezer, and the oxygen dissolved in the crushed apples is degassed by the crusher However, by making the apple after crushing finer with a screen and a spray nozzle, the gas-liquid interface becomes wider,
The amount of oxygen degassed per unit time increases, and the degree of browning hardly progresses. As described above, in the present invention, the crushing of apples,
By performing the squeezing atmosphere in a state where oxygen is low (1% or less), the function of oxidase is suppressed, the color of the juice due to the browning reaction is prevented from becoming brown, and the oxidation of vitamin C etc. It is possible to produce juice that retains the natural flavor without adding inhibitors.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments of the drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to the front part of the whole process for producing apple juice and the rear part In the latter part of the example), a juice manufacturing process such as heat sterilization continues. An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. An apple as a raw material is supplied to an apple washing machine 2 in the preceding stage by a raw material apple supply belt conveyor 1. In addition, a conveyor 3 with a basket having a hook-shaped cross section is installed diagonally downward in the traveling direction at the rear stage of the apple washer 2, and apples are caught in this basket and dive under the water surface. The once dipped apple floats due to its buoyancy, and there is a nitrogen atmosphere in the downstream of the partition plate 4. The partition plate 4 is located at the rear stage of the apple washer 2 and is connected to the ceiling of the washer casing to extend below the water surface. The water in the washer 2 divides the front stream into the atmosphere and the back stream into a nitrogen atmosphere. There is.
The apples floating as described above are once lifted by the crusher supply conveyor 5 (also having a basket) and supplied to the crusher 6. The crusher 6 is a conventionally known one, and the apple crushed by the crusher 6 is made into fine droplets by the screen 30, and oxygen is instantly degassed and stored in the crushed apple receiving tank 7. Further, the crushed apples accumulated are passed through the spray line 31 by the squeezing machine supply pump 11, passed through the spray nozzle 32, into fine droplets, and efficiently deaerated.

Further, by supplying nitrogen to the upper part of the crusher 6 and the upper part of the crushed apple receiving tank 7 from the nitrogen supply lines 8 and 9, the crusher 6 and the partition plate 4 of the apple cleaning device 2 are supplied.
The latter stream is filled with nitrogen, and the atmosphere is about plus 50 mmH ₂ O. Then, this pressure is adjusted by the liquid depth from the liquid surface of the pressure relief pot 10 to the tip of the air or nitrogen gas relief line to the pressure relief pot 10. Specifically, when 3 m ³ / hr of nitrogen was supplied to a crusher having a crushing capacity of 3 TON / Hr, the oxygen atmosphere in the crusher had an oxygen concentration of 1%.

Next, the crushed apples stored in the crushed apple receiving tank 7 are passed through the juicer supply line (pipe) 12 shown in FIG.
Supply to. The crushed apples supplied to the hopper 13 are fed to the screw 14 and the barrel (outer cylinder) in the first chamber 15.
It is squeezed by 18 to obtain juice 29. The juice 29 collects in the lower part of the first chamber 15 and is sent to the next step by the juice transfer pump 19. Next in the second chamber 1
6. Regarding crushed apples sent to the third chamber 17,
Juice 29 is obtained by being squeezed in the same manner as in the chamber 15, collected in the lower part of each chamber, and sent to the next step by the juice transfer pump 19 in the same manner as described above. Juice transfer pump 19
Starting and stopping are controlled by the liquid levels in the first to third chambers 15 to 17, and juice 29 is provided in the lower portion of the first to third chambers 15 to 17.
Sealed with. The apple squeezed in the third chamber 17 becomes a lees 20 and is discharged to the outside of the squeezing machine through the gap between the squeeze ring 27 and the screwless cylindrical portion 28 at the latter stage of the screw 14, and is conveyed from the screw conveyor 21. Here, the space between the pressing ring 27 and the cylindrical portion 28 is sealed by the lees 20 from the outside air. On the other hand, the juicer hopper 13 is supplied with nitrogen from the nitrogen supply line 22. 25 is barrel 18
Is a cover as an outer cylinder of the cover 25. Since the nitrogen supply lines 23 and 24 are connected to the cover 25, the cover 2
Nitrogen is also supplied between 5 and the barrel 18. The supplied nitrogen has a pressure of about 50 mmH ₂ O plus, like the crusher 6, and when the pressure becomes higher than that, the pressure relief pot 26
More air or nitrogen escapes. As described above, the raw material apples are crushed and squeezed by the nitrogen atmosphere in the downstream of the partition plate 4 in the latter stage of the apple cleaning device 2 and the juice transfer pump 1
Since it is in a nitrogen atmosphere until sent in 9, the browning reaction is prevented.

[0013]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described in detail above, according to the present invention, fruits and vegetables are crushed and squeezed by an inert gas such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide in an atmosphere containing less oxygen, so that the browning reaction can be prevented as much as possible. Yes, the juice does not discolor. Further, since no antioxidant such as vitamin C is added, the juice retains a natural flavor and is a completely natural food. In the present invention, the casing of the crusher and the washing machine are sealed from the outside air by a water-sealing member by a water seal. Therefore, less air is entrained when supplying the fruit to the crusher, and the structure is simple. The amount of the inert gas supplied may be small. Furthermore, since the apples are made into droplets after crushing, the oxygen concentration in the gas is low, so that degassing is efficiently performed and browning can be prevented. Further, since the outlet seal of the squeezing machine uses lees and juice, the structure is not complicated unlike the conventional rotary valve, the structure of the squeezing machine is simple, and effective sealing can be performed. Further, according to the present invention, the oxygen dissolved in the apple is brought into the crusher, and the oxygen dissolved in the crushed apple is brought into the juicer,
Since the mechanical structure is such that an inert gas is supplied into each machine and oxygen is diluted and discharged, there is no need for a closed structure, and a structure that can be easily opened and closed for cleaning and maintenance can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a crusher in a juice extraction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram of the juice extractor following FIG.

FIG. 3 is a system diagram of a conventional closed crushing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Supply Belt Conveyor 2 Apple Washer 3 Conveyor with Basket 4 Partition Plate 5 Crusher Supply Conveyor 6 Crusher 7 Crushing Apple Receiving Tank 8, 9, 22, 23, 24 Nitrogen Supply Line 10, 26 Pressure Relief Pot 11 Juice Machine Supply pump 12 Juicing machine supply line 13 Hopper 14 Screw 15 1st chamber 16 2nd chamber 17 3rd chamber 18 Barrel 19 Juice transfer pump 20 Meal 25 Cover 27 Squeeze ring 28 Cylindrical part 29 Juice 30 Screen 31 Spray line 32 Spray nozzle

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A crusher disposed in a casing for crushing fruits, vegetables, etc. supplied from a washing machine, and a crusher disposed in a casing and supplied from a supply line connected to the crusher. Squeezing machine for squeezing fruits, vegetables, etc., connected to each casing of the crushing machine and squeezing machine, and comprising a supply line for supplying an inert gas such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas into the casing, The crusher has a shut-off member that shuts the casing and the washing machine of the crusher from the outside air by water-sealing, a mechanism that makes crushed fruits, vegetables, etc. into fine droplets, and discharges the inert gas in the casing. A mechanism, the squeezing machine is a tank having a squeezing liquid discharge port at the bottom, a cylindrical body part that is filled with lees discharged from the outlet and can shut off the outside air,
A squeezing device comprising a mechanism for discharging an inert gas in the squeezing machine casing.