FR2765552A1 - ASSEMBLY FOR THE STEAM STERILIZATION OF PACKAGED PRODUCTS IN THE SAME AUTOCLAVE - Google Patents

Abstract

Set for sterilization in air-free saturated water vapor of products packed in the autoclave itself. The invention is in the field of the sterilization of either food (20 a) or non-food (20 n-a) products. Each product is introduced, non-sterile, into a packaging (19) then the whole is placed open in an approved autoclave (3) in order to undergo the compliant sterilization cycle. The packaging is closed at the end of the sterilization cycle in vacuum phase by welding closure means (10) actuated by an electro-thermal bimetal means (15). The invention enables a package to be closed in-situ in an autoclave, which allows the product thus treated, a long period of conservation in a sterile state in its sealed packaging without special precautions.

Description

The invention describes a method for sterilizing products with

water vapour

saturated free of air.

  In the invention is meant as products, all those which can be subjected to a necessary state of sterility in the medical, pharmaceutical, food or even industrial fields such as in the electronic or biochemical industry for example. The state of sterility obtained by saturated water vapor free of air inside an autoclave, was the subject of a regulation essentially defined by the European standard-French standard: NF EN 554 October 1994 / AFNOR 1994 with effect from 20/10/94 and applicable in: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, FRANCE, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal , United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland.x) ur: "Sterilization of medical devices, validation and routine control for sterilization with steam" Annex "<A" of this standard EN 554, gives explanations and presents

  methods which are considered acceptable for ensuring compliance with the specified requirements.

  The standard pr EN 554 of November 1991, specified the last paragraph on page 4: "The Pharmacolpé commission; e Eurolx; enne considers that an object can be considered sterile when the probability that a single viable microorganism is present is equal or lower at 10-i. "This standard EN 554 Oct 1994 ratified in its paragraph 5.3.3 Ies:, <Specific sterilization conditions which must be attached: a) on a recognized time / temperature ratio (for example 121 C for a time of minimum sterilization of 15 minutes, as recommended by the European Pharmacolpe) or any other time / temperature ratio whose effectiveness can be demonstrated "The pr EN standard of 1991 also specified in its art. 7.1" It will be necessary to create a system giving the assurance that each product released for use has been subjected to a sterilization cycle which has been shown to be both effective and reproducible "In addition, a degree of sterilization of 10'6 is also required in the USA in the medical field according to 1.a recommendation resulting from the work published in: Parènteral Drug Association - Validation of'steam sterilization cycles - Technical

Monograph N 1 - 1978 ".

  It is in this spirit of application of standardization and international rules in force that the applicant had obtained for the treatment of food products, a patent in Europe N 01 207 815 under French priority of (May 2, 1985, for a: "Process for sterilization and packaging of food products" which consists of: "Arrange the products in an autoclave, sterilize the products at a temperature of at least 121.1 C with steam, package the products hermetically in a sterile environment without breaking the sterility chain, the operation being characterized in that the sterilization is carried out with saturated steam without the presence of air and at a temperature and for -2- a time chosen to obtain a state of decontamination at the heart of the product in which the number of surviving germs (or revivable micro-organisms) is less than 10 per cm3, without cooking the product at heart. " In accordance with the invention, the applicant recommended the use of an autoclave with two doors, one of which leads to a sterile zone consisting of a flexible sealed bubble with sterile pressurized air linked to the autoclave and the means of

  sealing of the packages and their evacuation being automatic.

  Now we know that enclosures outside autoclaves called "dust control or clean room" must meet Standard NF S 90-320 of December 1984 including French standards NF X 44 101 and NF X 44 1 (02 which define the quality air according to classes such as Vue 4 000 0 () 00 (maximum) for which we still find in this air, less than 10 to 10 (particles per m of particle diameters whose dimensions range from

  0.4 to 10 micrometers, it being specified that said standard NF S 90 320 defines as Micro-

  1 5 organism, "Small organism whose observation requires the aid of optical or electronic microscopes (fungi, parasites, bacteria, viruses ...)" The requirement of application of this aforementioned standard EN 554 Art 7- 1 "It is necessary to develop and maintain a system for releasing products after sterilization", led the applicant to consider closing the packaging containing the product, not outside the autoclave but directly in the autoclave even concomitantly with the application of the sterilization cycle. In this way, the packaging has been made sterile in the same way as the product and the constraint of the implementation of a clean room with controlled dust disappears which in any case offered only relative security by the risk of germ imprisonment

  aerobic particularly undesirable on products such as food.

  However, such a constraint has specific requirements involving a device for closing packages in the autoclave, even considering that no known electro-mechanical device is capable of undergoing the harsh environment prevailing in this autoclave, as far as relates to the temperatures reached in a humid environment of the order of 130 C as the vacuum prevailing alternately between the injection cycles of

saturated steam.

  The invention therefore has several aims: - to carry out in-situ closure in the autoclave itself, of packaging containing the products in a sterile state, thereby making any retrograde contamination impossible, - to use in this way, inexpensive packaging such as airtight plastic bags, - produce raw food products in accordance with the aforementioned patent of the applicant therefore with a long shelf life without any special precautions and capable of being cooked subsequently but having undergone only one natural water vapor treatment therefore without additives of any kind or preservative, - to make possible in the present invention, the use of all autoclaves in service of the approved type "horizontal / standardized / medical", - to make automatic the entire industrial sterilization process: automatic autoclaving, products to be sterilized placed in their specific packaging, -3 automatic introduction tick in the autoclave of the said products in their open packaging, then closing the autoclave followed by the sterilization cycle and closing the said packaging. automatic evacuation from the autoclave of sterilized products in their sealed packaging, then direct marketing. From a theoretical point of view, sterilization with saturated steam of a product has been explored by many authors including Mr. F. GALTIER who, in his work: "Understanding the concept of sterilizing value F and the use ", exposes two essential laws according to which:

  I -LOI. "The effects of sterilization are progressive or, which comes to the same thing, cumulative.

  This means that at constant temperature, if they are prolonged in time, the degree of initial contamination continues to decrease until it becomes infinitely small, and that this decrease follows a logarithmic law, when the cause varying according to a arithmetic law: 1,2, 3,4 ..., the effect varies according to a geometric progression: I () times (10), 100 times (102), I 00 fO times (104), ... many phenomena other than sterilization follow logarithmic laws such as for example the decrease in the radioactivity of radioisotopes "DT is at each temperature the time to reduce ten times the initial contamination and

  is therefore called DECIMAL REDUCTION TIME.

  Furthermore, "n" being defined as the reduction coefficient of the microbial population No: n = log - (where No is the initial number of microorganisms and N the final number N of microorganisms), the sterilizing value of the process symbolized by the letter "F" will by definition be the one obtained by repeating the duration D.

  2 - LAW "The sterilizing effect increases exponentially with temperature.

  This assertion, like most laws of physics, is based on measurements of experimental facts concerning the variations of speed as a function of temperature. The first experimental results were published for the first time by BALL and and BIGELOW in 1921. The model which comes closest to these experimental observations is that of ARREHENIUS who in 1889, had exposed his theory of

"effective shocks" ....

  This makes it possible to say, even if the biological reality is much more complex, that the destruction of the spores by water (or water vapor) can be generally attributed to a chemical hydrolysis reaction which is a first order reaction .. meaning

  chemically, that a single molecule A is transformed by a single molecule

  cule B into another molecule C and that in this case, A macro-

  molecular activated, is inactivated by ONE molecule of water to produce ONE micro-

inactivated organism.

  Similarly, the works on sterilization published in 1978 by the Association U S: "PARENTERAL DRUG - Validation of Steam sterilization cycles - Technical monograph N I>, (already cited) demonstrate the same laws with reference to the temperature of 250 F or

121.1 C.

  -4- Without repeating the entire mathematical description of these works, it can be summarized that the sterilizing effect results from the concomitance of two factors; on the one hand the temperature of exposure of the product to saturated vapor free of air and on the other hand, the exposure time. These two factors interact in such a way that for a given sterilizing effect, and when the temperature increases, the duration of exposure decreases and vice versa, when the

  exposure time increases, the temperature can be reduced.

  0 Remembering that the sterilizing value << F "is given by the formula: NF = D log ------- (in minutes at 121.1 C) N or: N is the initial number of spores contained on the product, N is the number of spores surviving the steam treatment,

  D is the decimal reduction time chosen as a function of a given temperature.

  we can indicate by way of example and for a D chosen from 3 with an exposure temperature T of 121.1 C and if No is 106 seeds and N chosen of 106 seeds or a decimal reduction of 12, the duration of exposure should then be determined at 3 x log 10 6 10-6 = 36

minutes.

  With reference to the curve according to Figure 1 showing the figures indicated in Table IA of the edition "Technical Monograph NI of Parenteral Drug Associ ation" already mentioned and this for temperatures between 100 C and 135 C and expressed in minutes of exposure referred to 1 minute at 121.1 C for Z = 10 C, we note that by equivalence, one minute of exposure to 100 C is equivalent to 0.008 minute to 121.1 C, that one minute of exposure to 110 C equals 0, ZSt minute at 121.1 C, that one minute at 120 C equals 0.794 minute at 121.1 C, that one minute at 121.1 C equals the reference of one minute and that by on the other hand, one minute of exposure to 125 C equals 2.82 minutes to 121.1 C, that one minute of exposure to 130 C equals 7.94 minutes of exposure and finally,

  that one minute of exposure to 135 C is equivalent to 13 minutes of exposure to 121.1 C.

  The saturated steam (therefore under title X = 1 on the MOLLIER diagram) used in the invention, must be free of air as has been formally demonstrated in the works exposed in the works: international symposium on sterilization from 1972 (Cf. Health Laboratory Sciences USA Vol. 12 N 3), - document by M. IRVING J PFLUG in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing AUGUST

1984.

  It follows from the foregoing statement that all the products which have to be sterilized in an autoclave with saturated air-free steam, must be treated with a minimum of time, therefore a high temperature so as not to cook the produced at heart when it is food and in any event reduce the duration of treatment of all products

  general in order to decrease the duration of each cycle of this treatment.

  From a practical point of view and after having exposed the 'theoretical conditions of sterilization with saturated water vapor free of air, the invention proposes the implementation -5' implementation of clean means capable of ensuring, in the conditions required, decontamination of all prosuits at a temperature and for a selected time x) ur obtain a state of decontamination at the heart of the product according to which the number of germs surviving is less than 1 () "per cm - without cooking said products at heart 'when they are edible, considering that food products, in particular meat products, only have surface contamination while the interior is deemed to be "sterile" as has been confirmed by Mr. J.ROSIER, V.CARLIET and F.BOLNOT of the Maison Alfort Veterinary School (France) in their book: "Minicrobiological bases of food hygiene" or it is indicated on page 38 "The

  deep muscle contamination is non-existent or very weak. "

  Among the documents known to the applicant, none implements jointly in an autoclave of the approved type, a device for exposure to vapor free of air of the product to be treated in its open packaging and then to produce the in-situ closure of said packaging. even in the autoclave by an appropriate device which takes account of the particularly hostile character prevailing inside said autoclave and which also makes everything random

  mechanical type passage through the wall of the chamber of this autoclave.

  In addition, the terminology generally used in the previous documentation to designate the state known as "sterility", as well as the quality of the steam used, is vague and indeterminate, which responds more to wishful thinking than to reality keeping well

  indicate the physical and biochemical reference values.

  Thus, among the documents examined, we can retain: - the patent FR 2 565 556 which subjects "a package (containing the product) and which contains air, to sterilization by temperature and under pressure ..." the patent FR 2 561 620 which subjects the product to "an atmosphere of water vapor substantially free of air" - patent FR 2 473 888 which indicates a means for c making thermoformed containers filled and sealed in a sterile atmosphere ... at a temperature which is a function of the desired destruction rate of bacteria "- the patent FR 2 465 420 which recommends after" a passage of the products with a view to their bleaching in an aqueous bath of metabisulfite .... "a" pasteurization treatment "- the patent FR 2 407 135 which provides a" hermetic closure device for sterilized filled packages ..., - the patent FR 2 263 288 which provides a process for preserving a food product consisting in introducing a hot liquid or water vapor ... under aseptic conditions

  x to sterilize the product ... and to cool it when it is sterile ...

  - Patent FR 2 337 582 which relates to a process for heat treatment of a material ...

  comprising a heat treatment with water in vapor or liquid phase (?) ... direct sterilization of the sterile material treated in a sterile container under aseptic conditions ... - patent FR 2 171 749 which teaches a process for preparing an aseptically packaged food product ... consisting of spraying a biocidal solution in a room on all the surfaces of said purified room for a sufficiently prolonged period x for

  kill all the microorganisms present ...

  - patent FR I 592 063 which summarizes the process for sterilizing products before condition-

  nement then closing of each story in a sterile atmosphere.

  - patent FR I 525 884, which is the priority of US patent N 3 041 917, recommends the use of pure water vapor (which is vapor produced from pure water without relation to saturated steam) and at a determined temperature and pressure which may vary with the nature of the products to be sterilized, - US patents 1,562,590) - 2,237,739 - 3,415,613 - which indicate packaging the products after so-called sterilization treatment , not using saturated water vapor free of air the document <"journal of milk and food technology - vol 15 (03/04/52) is a study

  relating to milk processing and which takes into account the pH.

  The invention will be better understood in the following text which will show, in support of the appended drawings, an embodiment of a processing assembly for the application of the

  sterilization process by air-free saturated steam.

  In the drawings: - Figure 1 is a graph recalling, under the conditions already set out, the time equivalents referred to the temperature of 121.1 o C, - Figure 2 consists of the tables in the "Validation of steam sterilization" edition

  Cycles "(1978) used for the development of the curve according to Figure 1.

  FIG. 3 represents the graph resulting from the application of a 2o sterilization cycle according to the invention,

  - Figure 4 shows by extrapolation, the area A of Figure 3 between 100 C and 135 C.

  - Figure 5 is a representation of the phase of introduction of the processing unit into an autoclave before sterilization and / or extraction after sterilization, - Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the processing unit sterilization subdivided into boxes for housing the active sterilization devices, - Figure 7 is a perspective view of the treatment device integrated into the treatment unit and the sections ABCDE- and F show in detail the release mechanism

  sealing bars of the bags as well as their method of attachment.

  FIG. 8 schematically represents the complete sequence of sequences retained in an implementation of the invention with plastic bags: A prepared perforated bag, B - placing of the empty bag then introduction of the product to be sterilized, C - as a variant, full packaging in place, D installation of the open packaging in the autoclave, followed by the sterilization phase, E - purging and closing of the packaging, F - exit from the autoclave with the bag closed, G - releasing the bag , H - preparation of the device for the start of sequences B or C. - Figure 9 schematically shows a finished product in this case a sterilized chicken leg according to the invention and arranged for marketing in its packaging

  waterproof sterile food grade.

  A set for sterilization treatment of products in accordance with the invention comprises, in the most basic case shown in FIG. 5, an approved autoclave marked 3 receiving the treatment unit marked I using a means of introduction and / or

  of evacuation such as a known cart identified 2.

  In FIG. 6 the sterilization processing unit I is dimensionally subdivided into processing devices marked 4 and constituting the active part for applying the invention. The dimensions of the processing devices I are determined so that the processing unit which thus consists of at least one and in fact of a plurality of these

  devices, occupies at best the volume of the sterilization chamber of the autoclave selected.

  Thus for example and for a very good autoclave, if the dimensions of the sterilization chamber or tank are: width 660 mm, height 700 mm and depth 1300 mm, it will thus be possible to accommodate when the dimensions of each device are : a / height 330 mm b / width 90 mm and c / length 230 mm: - 7 devices in width (7 X 90 = 630 mm leaving 15 mm of margin on each side), - 2 devices in height (2 X 330 = 660 mm leaving 40 mm margins)

  - 5 depth devices (5 X 23 () = 1150 mm leaving 150 mm of margins).

or 70 devices in total.

  The design of the devices is also such that, as will emerge from an examination of FIG. 7, means of the "pull-out" type, allow bags of double height to be admitted in combination with welding blades and rods " adapted, in length, to double length bags leading in this way, to allow treatment by sterilization in bags according to item 5 of FIG. 6, the standardized test load (NF S 90-320 - Art 5.1.1.1 - Field

  -fabric- 600 X 300 X 300 mm + / _ 10%).

  The margins left in the three dimensions are sufficient in the present case for

  accommodate auxiliaries such as slides, sockets, etc.

  The above example, which is given purely by way of example, is not exclusive of the application of the invention which may include all variants, in particular dimensional, within the framework of larger productions of product processing and of which the extension

  is shown very schematically according to al-a2, bl-b2, cl-c2 in this figure 6.

  The fundamental process of sterilization of the products, previously explained with the aid of Figures I and 2, involves a time / temperature relationship which is based on previous work and according to which the times of exposure of the products to saturated vapor free of air are

  referred to the temperature of 121 C.

  Thus we see on this graph Figure 1, that we go from 0.008 minute to 100 C (or 0.6 seconds) for Z = 10 C (Z = 10 C being chosen, as reference for destruction of a theoretical microorganism a slightly more heat-resistant, above 120 C, than the real reference microorganism such as Bacillus Stearothermophilus already considered the most resistant of spore-forming microorganisms), at 7.94 minutes at 130 C (or almost 480 seconds) then , by extrapolation, at 13 minutes at 135 C (or 780 () seconds) the difference

  relative time therefore being 1300 between 100 C and 135 C.

  Figures 3 and 4 show how, from Figure 1, we can determine the quality of sterilization of a product by using the reduction in decimal time

  especially when it is a food product.

  In order to avoid a complex calculation by integration, the example below will show, in support of Figures 3 and 4, how the estimation of a degree of sterilization can take place.

  applied to a product such as food for example.

  Fig. 3 is representative of a graph taken from the autoclave printer where we notice in the complete sterilization cycle, zone A which shows the treatment

  product specific above (100) C.

  It is indicated, jointly on this graph, the curve A1 representative of the pressure and the curve A2 representative of the temperature which prevail jointly in

  the autoclave during the whole sterilization treatment cycle.

  The graph according to Figure 3 shows the extent of area A which begins at 100 C minutes after the start of the cycle until rising to around 135 C for about 2 minutes to descend at the end of the cycle to about 100 C minutes after this level. By integrating according to FIG. 4, we can see at the top of the graph the equivalents in minutes above 100 C which in the example taken from FIG. 3, represent 44 minutes and 72 seconds of equivalence at the reference temperature. of

  121 C and this, for 13 minutes spent in real time.

  The product processing device identified 4 as a whole, which constitutes the active part of the invention and which is shown in perspective in the drawing in FIG. 7 and the mode of application of which is shown schematically in the drawings in FIGS. 8 A to H, essentially comprises at the ends of a longitudinally extendable base 6 by means of splices 7a, 7h, four identical flanges 8a, Sb, 8c, 8d pivoting on the axes 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d and which receive in their part upper opposite, two welding blades 10a and 10b

  electrically powered by cables 11 leading to a socket 12.

  On the upper part of the welding blades 10a and 10b, are arranged longitudinal supports 11a and 11b carrying at least two by two stapling buttons 12a, 12b and

  12c, 12d whose function is essential for fixing the bags.

  According to the detail F of this FIG. 7, it can be seen that each stapling button 12 fixed on the supports 11, has a step characterized by the prominence of a head dimensioned so that the diameter dl is greater than the diameter d2 and that a space such as el is provided between the bearing face and the internal face of each step so that each bag, moreover provided with perforations provided for this purpose and with a diameter slightly greater than the diameter dl, comes to be housed by sliding said perforations in each of the grooves of the stapling buttons as shown schematically in the detail of this figure 7 F. Each bag can thus be easily placed between the welding blades

  discarded, whether empty or full of the product to be treated, as will be explained later.

  The pivoted flanges Xa, Sb, Sc, Sd receiving the welding blades 10 and the supports 11 are urged to close by two powerful springs 13a and 13b and are limited in their

  displacement by flexible stops 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d.

  -s, - The release of the flanges poxur their closing movement bringing the welding blades in contact, is made possible by the fundamental action of a bimetallic strip 15 fixed with its own means of electrical insulation on, on the one hand, the lower part of the base 6 and on the other hand, on a stirrup 16a controlling connecting bars 17a and 17b moreover made extensible by sleeves 17a1 and 17bl, as indicated in detail in FIGS. 7 A to E.

  Another fixed bracket 16b, allowing the bars 17 to slide, is connected to the base 6.

  The flanges 8 are provided with circular notches 8al, Sb1.8cl, 8d1 flared outwards according to 8a2.8b2.8c2.8d2, and which embed said bars 17a, 17b which slide, on the one hand, in the fixed stirrup 16h and which are fixed, on the other hand, on the movable stirrup 16a as shown in detail in drawings A, B, C, D and E. The bimetallic strip 15 is heated, either directly by JOULE effect either indirectly by 1 5 an associated resistance and the electric power supply cables in all cases end up on the socket 18 so that, on command of the opening of the electric circuit, the heating of said bimetallic strip will produce its deflection outward and jointly thus allow the bags to be closed and jointly ensure the welding by release of the flanges as is apparent from the interpretation of FIGS. 7 A and 7 C. According to these figures, the control bars 17 are indeed provided at their ends with swollen parts 17al, 17 a2 and 17bl, 17b2 whose diameter is significantly smaller than the circular notches while thinner parts 17cl, 17c2 and 17dl, 17d2 pass easily through the flared parts of said notches.

  It can thus be seen that, when the heating current is not applied to the bimetallic strip 15, the bars 17 have a rest position, the bulged parts of said bars then being housed in the circular parts of the notches thus maintaining the flanges in open position despite the action of the springs 13 and that, when the heating current is applied to this bimetallic strip 15, the latter then takes a deflected position correlatively causing the displacement of the bars 17 which then release, by placing them in the release position in the notches, the abrupt closing of the flanges 8 under the action of the spring 13 thus producing the closing of the bags and the abrupt bringing into contact of the welding blades then authorizing, by

  application of current on said blades, welding of these bags.

  The complete operation is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 8 A to 8 H where we can first of all see, according to 8 A, a package 19 consisting in this case of a perforated bag which can receive either a product for sterilize 20 (a) if it is food or 20 (na) if it is non-food and which, after having been put in position either empty (figure 8 B) or pre-filled (figure 8C) on the active device of treatment identified 4 is ready for sterilization treatment

  shown in Figures 8D and 8E.

  The assembly thus consisting of a package and its product to be sterilized, marked 19-20, is thus introduced "open mouth" into the sterilization autoclave 3 in order to undergo the appropriate sterilization treatment according to FIG. 8 D in accordance with zone A of the graph indicated in FIG. 3 and this, up to the purge point indicated on this same graph and according to FIG. 8 E or then is carried out suddenly, the closing of said packaging and jointly -1) - its hermetic welding bringing thus the product 20 in a state of sterility placed sterile under

  its packaging 19 closed and waterproof.

  As indicated in FIG. 7, the processing device 4 can be provided with "pull-out" type extension rods, at the top marks 21al, 21a2,21a3,21a4 and at the bottom marks 21bl, 21b2,21h3,21h4 which allow accept bags of great height like the reference bars 7a and 7h and sleeves which allow to extend the device to receive bags of large width with welding blades 10 and supports 11 of course

  adapted with a number of buttons 12 correspondingly sufficient.

  The supports of the devices 4 enabling the mechanical structure of

  the processing unit 1 are well known in themselves and need not be described further.

  Likewise the passage of sockets through the walls of the chamber

  1.5 sterilization of the pre-existing autoclave and the arrangement of these sockets is in the known field.

  By way of example, FIG. 9 shows a food product in the marketable state such as a chicken thigh 22 placed in its food-grade packaging 19 previously welded on the ribs then at the top along line 23 in the autoclave same and which presents a pseudo-empty state by the fact that said packaging was closed in the phase of

  final vacuum purge of the sterilization cycle.

  The perforated parts can be eliminated and the top edge can be used to identify the product: date of manufacture, deadline for sale ..... in known manner -11-

Claims (5)

CLAIMS. I - / - Product treatment assembly obtained by a sterilization process by saturated water vapor free of air and leading, as sterilization, to a level of decontamination of said products in which the number of surviving germs is less than (6 per cm -, said assembly being characterized in that it comprises, a treatment unit (1) for sterilizing products (20 a / food or 20) na / non-food) with its own means (2) introduction and / or evacuation of sterilization autoclave (3); said processing unit comprising at least one active device (4) for processing products supporting at least one package, either empty, followed by filling with product to be sterilized, or pre-filled; said device (4) being provided with an electrical means (10) capable of ensuring its tight closure in situ in the autoclave itself which can therefore thus treat each product placed in its open packaging according to the application of the specific phases which its own with pre-vacuum, injection of saturated steam, temperature setting, proper sterilization, purging, final vacuum then filtered air and to do this, each device (4) for processing the products is provided with an electro- thermal bimetal (15) for triggering the closing means of each package then containing the sterilized product which can then be removed from the autoclave to be kept in the state without special precautions.   2 - / - Treatment assembly according to claim 1 characterized in that when the products are food (20 a) the complete sterilization cycle is determined at a high temperature and for a short time in order to obtain a final product conforming not cooked to heart.   3 - / - Treatment assembly according to claim 1 characterized in that when the products are non-food (20 n-a) the complete sterilization cycle applied is   in accordance with the regulations in force, in particular medical.   4 - / - Treatment assembly according to claims I characterized in that the means (2)   of introduction and / or evacuation of the treatment unit can be a simple trolley   transfer known when the quantities treated are small.   - - Treatment assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized   in that the active device for treating products in bags (4) essentially comprises on a base (6) a means of hanging bars (11) and buttons (12) of said bags which will be placed in an "open mouth" autoclave, a means for closing said bags by pivoted flanges (8) (9) associated with springs (13), a means for sealing the bags by electric welding blades (10) connected to the flanges and the means for sealing and closing the bags bags are implemented from an electro-thermal means (15) such that a heated bimetallic strip is either directly by JOULE effect or indirectly by auxiliary electrical resistance and which acts, by a stirrup (16a), on release bars (17) linked, on the one hand, to the electro-thermal means (15) and free, on the other hand, to a stirrup (16b) linked to the base (6) of the device (4). -12-   6 - - Treatment assembly according to any one of claims I to 5 characterized in   that the device (4) is extendable in two directions, one longitudinally by fishplates (17a / 17h) associated with bar sleeves (17a1 / 17h1) and the other, in height, by   means with "pull-out" type rods (21) fixed to the base (6).   7 - / - Trail set according to any one of claims I to 6 characterized in   that the electrical supplies of the welding means and of the bag closing means are provided by electric cables (11) terminating on sockets (12-18) which provide the connections either between devices (4) or passing through the bedroom wall   autoclave (3) and sending current on these means determines operations.