METHOD FOR HEAT TREATING ANIMAL BYPRODUCTS

Method for heat treating animal byproducts (5) in a gastight reaction chamber (10) with a closable gas removal line (12) connected thereto and with a closable liquid removal line (16) connected thereto, characterized in that - the gas removal line (12) and the liquid removal line (16) are closed at the start of the heat treatment, - the dwell time of the first treatment stage is 125 min and the core temperature of the particles made of the animal byproducts (5) is above 110°C, and - further treatment stages are carried out with stepwise increased dwell temperature at least until a predefined minimum sterilization duration is reached, - the minimum sterilization duration is 295 min, and - the maximum treatment temperature is 550°C, wherein the maximum treatment temperature is simultaneously the dwell temperature of the final treatment stage, - wherein the gas removal line (12) is opened when a predefined reactor temperature is reached in order to evacuate gaseous products (6) formed in the reaction chamber (10), and - wherein the liquid removal line (16) is opened when the minimum sterilization duration is reached in order to evacuate liquid products (7) formed in the reaction chamber (10). Sterilization device for carrying out the method, comprising - a sterilizer (1) with one or more heating elements (18), - a condenser (3), a gas removal temperature sensor (20), a reactor temperature sensor (21), - an open- and closed-loop control device (2), - a liquid removal line (16) closable by liquid removal line valve (17), and - one or more collection containers (4) for catching liquid products (7).