Methods and devices for treating food

Abstract

Methods for treating food are provided. Such methods may include the steps of: a step a) for preparing a closed chamber destined to receive the food to be treated inside it, cold generating devices which include a refrigerator circuit provided with at least one evaporator, heat generating devices which include ventilation elements able to generate a circulation of air affecting the chamber, the evaporator and the heat generating devices being associated with the chamber; and at least one step b) for thermically treating the food inside the chamber supplying and/or removing heat in a controlled manner so as to keep the air temperature of the chamber within a predefined value range ΔT1. Devices for carrying out such methods are also provided.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method for treating food, comprising the steps of:
 a step a) comprising preparing a closed chamber for receiving the food to be treated inside it, a cold generating device comprising a refrigerator circuit provided with at least one evaporator, a heat generating device and ventilation elements able to generate a circulation of air affecting the chamber, the evaporator and a heat generating device, being associated with said chamber; and   at least one step b) comprising thermically treating the food inside the chamber by supplying heat in a controlled manner in order to keep the air temperature of the chamber within a predefined value range (ΔT1) over +10° C., alternating, with or without intermediate interruptions, sub-steps b1) comprising supplying heat, in which the heat generating device and ventilation elements are simultaneously operative, with sub-steps b2) comprising removing heat in which the cold generating device and ventilation elements are simultaneously operative, depending on the course of the real temperature in the chamber in relation to said predefined value range (ΔT1); wherein said chamber communicates with a first technical compartment which the heat generating device, the evaporator and the ventilation elements are housed in, the chamber and the first technical compartment forming a hermetically closed volume affected by said air circulation.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said step b) further comprises at least one sub-step b3) comprising restoring the level of humidity inside the chamber by activating the ventilation elements subsequent to at least one sub-step b2), the ventilation being aimed at removing the humidity collected on the exchange surface of the evaporator during the previous step b2) and at re-dispersing such humidity inside the chamber. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein during the sub-step b3), the ventilation elements are kept activated while keeping both the heat generating device and heat removing device deactivated. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step b) further comprises a sequential alternation of sub-steps b1), b2) and b3) depending on the predefined temperature value inside the chamber and the predefined treatment times of the food. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein in said sub-step b3) the ventilation elements function continuously or at intervals. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , comprising at least one additional step b). 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a step b) is conducted to cook food. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a step b) is conducted to regenerate pre-cooked food so as to restore the food to the thermic conditions suitable for eating. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a step b) is conducted to preserve pre-cooked food in thermic conditions suitable for eating. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a step b) is conducted to raise dough. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a step b) is conducted to defrost frozen or deep-frozen foods. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25 , comprising at least one step c) wherein the chamber is kept at or brought to a temperature of not more than +10° C., and wherein at least one of the heat removing devices and the ventilation elements is activated. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a step c) is conducted to maintain foods which are already cold at a temperature of not more than +10° C. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a step c) is conducted to rapidly cool the temperature of hot foods, bringing them to a temperature not greater than +3° C. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a cooling step c) is conducted to freeze foods, bringing them to temperatures not greater than −18° C. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising one or more steps c) which maintains the air temperature inside the chamber at a value less than or equal to about 10° C. and one or more steps b) which maintains the air temperature inside the chamber at a value less than or equal to about 55° C. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the duration of each single step and the temperature values correlated to each single step are programmed by means of an electronic control unit connected to the chamber, to the cold generating device, the heat generating device, the ventilation element and to at least one temperature probe associated with the chamber. 
     
     
         42 . A device for treating food, comprising:
 a chamber destined to receive the food to be treated,   the cold generating device comprising a refrigerating circuit provided with at least one evaporator, a compressor and a condenser;   the heat generating device; and   the ventilation element generating a circulation of air which affects the chamber, the evaporator and the heat generating device,   said device comprising a first technical compartment, fluidically communicating with the chamber, in which the heat generating device, the evaporator and the ventilation element are housed, and a second technical compartment thermically insulated from said first compartment and from said chamber in which the compressor and condenser are housed; wherein said chamber and said first technical compartment form a hermetically closable volume, affected by said air circulation.   
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 42 , wherein said evaporator is a finned tube heat exchanger and said heat generating device comprises at least one resistor thermically connected to said finned tube heat exchanger. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 42 , wherein said chamber comprises a bottom wall, on which the foods to be treated are laid directly or indirectly and which is traversed by a plurality of grooves to enable air to circulate under the foods. 
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 42 , comprising an access door to the chamber and a hermetic sealing gasket positioned in the abutment zone of the door on the structure of said device. 
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 42 , comprising a control unit for implementing the method of said device comprising at least one temperature probe inside the chamber and a user interface for programming said control unit.