Apparatus and method for enhancing the flexibility and increasing throughput capacity while reducing cost and improving the quality of food and drink products within a continuous sterilization system using novel product carriers, in conjunction with unique user controllable product rotation and agitation features, capable of handling novel as well as existing product containers, are described. A further aspect of the invention is a property of the uniquely designed product carrier to accommodate and optimally orientate said product containers. A final aspect of the invention is the further capability of individual product carriers to undertake any user-defined processing program including product pasteurization or product stabilization or product sterilization within an essentially continuous sterilization system.