JPH0763346B2 - Sterilization method and sterilization device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sterilizing method and sterilizing apparatus for various raw materials such as foods and crude drugs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a steam heating type autoclave sterilization method has been generally used as a sterilization method for this kind of raw material. That is, it is a method of heating and pressurizing the inside of a closed container with steam to sterilize general bacteria, thermostable bacteria, spores, molds, fungi and the like in the raw material by heat treatment.

[0003]

However, the autoclave sterilization method requires a long treatment time for heat sterilization, which causes a loss of the active ingredient of the raw material, deterioration of the quality, and discoloration of the product, leading to a decrease in commercial value. Was there.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization method and a sterilization apparatus which can effectively perform sterilization without lowering the commercial value.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] As a result of extensive studies to achieve the above object, as a result, the inside of a sterilizer having a closed structure for feeding raw materials such as foods and crude drugs is instantaneously heated and pressurized with superheated steam to pressurize. It has been found that a method of rapidly reducing the pressure to a vacuum state immediately after releasing the state is suitable. In other words, if instantly sterilized with vaporized superheated steam and then immediately depressurized to a vacuum state, the sterilization effect due to superheated steam and the instantaneous and sudden pressure drop will improve the sterilization and drying effects. However, the effects of preventing the deterioration and the discoloration and further increasing the extract itself were recognized.

It is considered that the reason why the rapid pressure drop contributes to the improvement of the sterilization action is mainly that the sudden change of the pressure destroys the cell membrane of the fungi, but the sterilized raw material is used as a product in the optimum dry state. The point that can be realized is also a big point. That is, in this method, in addition to sterilizing and drying with superheated steam, the pressure is reduced immediately after the superheated steam treatment, so the raw material is depressurized while remaining in a residual heat state, and the moisture in the raw material that cannot be removed by normal drying treatment is also vaporized. Therefore, the environment in which fungi is generated can be eliminated. Further, when the material is rapidly cooled after the superheated steam treatment, it causes the drainage of steam on the surface of the raw material, but since the vacuum is drawn immediately after the superheated steam treatment, the drainage of the steam remaining in the sterilizer can be prevented.

The sterilization condition of superheated steam is not limited to a specific value because it varies depending on the type, quality, amount, etc. of the processing raw material, but generally the heating temperature is 150 to 200.
It is preferable to heat-pressurize at a temperature of 1.5 to 2.0 Kg / cm ² for 30 seconds or less. Further, in the rapid reduced pressure drying, it is desirable that the vacuum be instantaneously evacuated until the reduced pressure difference becomes at least -760 mmHg.

By the way, in order to instantaneously heat and pressurize and instantaneously reduce the pressure to a vacuum state, it is appropriate to change the environmental change between the overheated state and the vacuum state as rapidly as possible. It is preferable to use a sterilizer in which a superheated steam generator for sending superheated steam is connected to a sterilizer having a closed structure, and a vacuum tank for rapidly reducing the pressure to a vacuum state is connected between the sterilizer and a vacuum pump.

[0009]

The present invention is a sterilization method in which the inside of a sterilizer having a closed structure into which raw materials are charged is instantaneously heated and pressurized with superheated steam, the pressurized state is released, and then immediately reduced to a vacuum state by rapid vacuum drying. Since the time is extremely short, there is no loss of active ingredient, deterioration of quality, discoloration, or decrease in commercial value as in the past.

Further, since the heating and pressurization by the superheated steam provides a good sterilization process, and immediately after the heating and pressurization, the pressure is rapidly reduced to a vacuum state, so that the sterilization process by the rapid pressure drop is further added. Further, since the dry state can be improved, a more effective sterilization effect than ever before is exhibited. In addition, this rapid pressure drop exerts a particularly remarkable effect of further destroying the surface of the raw material and increasing the extraction efficiency of the extract component, especially in the case of a crude drug raw material.

[0011]

1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a sterilization apparatus according to the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a closed structure sterilizer, 2 is a superheated steam generator, and 3 is a vacuum device.

As shown in the figure, the sterilizer 1 has a steam ring 4 installed in the upper part of the container, and an external superheated steam generator 2
To a pipe 5 via a pipe 5. The steam ring 4 is provided with steam grooves continuously on the lower peripheral side. 6 is a sterilizer 1
Is a main wing for agitating raw materials provided at the bottom of the inside of the container, and is driven by a main shaft motor 7 installed outside. Reference numeral 8 denotes an auxiliary blade installed on the side wall near the bottom of the container, which is installed mainly for stirring powdery raw materials. Reference numeral 9 is a horizontal axis motor for driving the auxiliary blade 8. A weighing hopper 10 is provided on the upper part of the sterilizer 1 in order from the upper side through a damper 11 and a pressure resistant damper 12, and inside the pressure resistant damper 12, a butterfly valve for opening and closing that can be externally controlled is installed. Reference numeral 13 is a discharge damper for the sterilized raw material installed on the outer wall of the sterilizer 1 on the lower side. Reference numeral 14 is a jacket provided on the outer peripheral wall of the sterilizer 1.

Reference numeral 15 is a steam header for distributing the steam sent from the boiler 16 to the superheated steam generator 2 and the jacket 14. Reference numeral 17 is a cooling water introduction pipe connected to the jacket 14, 18 is a blow water drain pipe,
Reference numeral 19 denotes the cooling water discharge pipe branched from the middle of the pipe 20 that is piped from the steam header to the jacket 14. Reference numeral 21 is a drain discharge pipe.

On the other hand, the vacuum device 3 comprises a mist catcher 22 connected to the sterilizer 1, a vacuum tank 23 connected to the mist catcher 22, and a vacuum pump 24 connected to the vacuum tank 23. A state is created and the inside of the sterilizer 1 is rapidly brought to a vacuum state by operating the valve 25.

Reference numeral 26 is an outlet for superheated steam provided on the upper wall of the sterilizer 1, 27 is an intake opening provided on the intermediate wall of the sterilizer 1, 28 is a screw conveyor for feeding raw materials, 2
Reference numeral 9 denotes a screw conveyor for discharging the sterilized raw material.

Since the sterilization apparatus of this embodiment has the above-mentioned structure, the raw materials such as crude drugs are first charged into the sterilizer 1 from the measuring hopper 10 and the butterfly valve in the pressure resistant damper 11 is closed after the sterilization treatment. While rotating the main wing 6, superheated steam is sent into the sterilizer 1 to instantaneously heat and pressurize the raw material. After heating and pressurizing, the discharge port 26 for the superheated steam is opened to discharge the steam. When the inside of the sterilizer 1 returns to almost normal pressure, the inside of the sterilizer 1 is instantly changed to the vacuum state by opening the valve 25 by the vacuum tank 23 whose vacuum state is secured by the vacuum pump 24 in advance. After depressurization, the intake port 27 of the sterilizer 1
Is released and returned to normal pressure. The sterilized and dried raw material is discharged from the discharge damper 13 to the outside of the container.

When it is necessary to more efficiently heat and pressurize the superheated steam depending on the type of raw material,
It is desirable to introduce steam into the jacket. When it is necessary to cool the sterilizer 1 from the outside, cooling water can be injected from the cooling water introducing pipe 17.

By the way, using this sterilizer, the sterilization and drying effect was evaluated for the cask, which is a raw material for crude drugs. Table 1
Shows the results before and after sterilization. The general viable cell count test method and the coliform negative test are based on the Food Sanitation Law, and the ash content, loss on drying, extract content, etc. are based on the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.

[0020]

[Table 1]

From Table 1, it can be seen that the number of general viable bacteria on the cayenne bark is significantly reduced before and after the treatment. In addition, the loss on drying has been reduced to less than half, while the extract content has increased. Moreover, the quality of the raw material after the treatment is satisfactorily maintained from the quantitative values of cinnamic acid and cinnamic aldehyde. The cinnamon bark obtained by this treatment complied with the Japanese Pharmacopoeia standards.

The state of quality retention before and after sterilization was further evaluated by liquid chromatography (HPLC). 2 and 3 show HPLC charts before and after sterilization. From FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, it can be confirmed that the intensity of the cinnamic acid and cinnamic aldehyde peaks is little changed, and no impurity peak is generated.

Table 2 shows the results of the general viable cell count and coliform test before and after the bacterial treatment for other crude drugs.

[0024]

[Table 2]

From Table 2, it is recognized that all herbal medicines exhibit a remarkable sterilizing action.

[0026]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention is a method of instantaneously heating and pressurizing the inside of a sterilizer having a closed structure with superheated steam, releasing the pressurized state, and immediately depressurizing it to a vacuum state. The excellent sterilizing effect can be exhibited without lowering the commercial value, the good drying effect can be exhibited at the same time, and the extract content increasing effect can be exhibited.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a sterilization apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an HPLC chart diagram before sterilization treatment of caustic skin.

FIG. 3 is an HPLC chart diagram after the sterilization treatment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Sterilizer 2 Superheated steam generator 23 Vacuum tank 24 Vacuum pump

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A sterilization method comprising: instantly heating and pressurizing the inside of a sterilizer having a closed structure into which raw materials are charged with superheated steam, then releasing the pressurized state and immediately depressurizing it to a vacuum state. 2. A closed structure sterilizer for feeding raw materials, a superheated steam generator for sending superheated steam, and a vacuum tank for rapidly reducing the pressure to a vacuum state connected between the sterilizer and a vacuum pump. A sterilizer characterized by.