PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sterilization method and a sterilization apparatus capable of suppressing quality change of powdery or granular or dried foliage body or the like.SOLUTION: There is provided a sterilization method by contacting an article to be treated of a foliage body or the like with being powdery or granular or having moisture content of 20 mass% or less with a dispersion F where fine water drop is dispersed in overheated steam as a heating medium. Preferably a heating temperature is 103 to 145°C, contact time of the dispersion F and the article to be treated is 4 to 150 sec. and content of the fine water drop in the dispersion F is 5 to 55 mass% in the sterilization method.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1COPYRIGHT: (C)2017,JPO&INPIT【課題】粉末状若しくは粒状、又は乾燥した茎葉体等の品質変化を抑制できる殺菌処理方法及び殺菌処理装置を提供する。【解決手段】本発明は、粉末状若しくは粒状、又は水分含有量が20質量%以下の茎葉体等の被処理物と、加熱媒体として過熱水蒸気中に微細水滴を分散させた分散体Fとを接触させる殺菌処理方法である。好ましくは、かかる殺菌処理は、加熱温度が103~145℃であって、分散体Fと被処理物との接触時間が4~150秒であって、分散体F中における微細水滴の含有量は、5~55質量%である。【選択図】図1
