Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing soluble coffee with an infusion quality similar to that of roast bean coffee, with which instant-typical off-flavour characters are no longer detectable, with which ground roast coffee of a particle size of at most approximately 1.

Abstract: Improved dried fruits having improved handling and physical properties are provided by coating the fruits with a finely divided specially prepared calcium citrate reaction product. Also included is the combination of these improved dried fruits with dry cereals.

Abstract: A ground meat product having improved moisture retention is provided by incorporating into ground meat, water and a specially prepared calcium salt of citric acid.

Abstract: An aqueous dispersion containing a finely divided reaction product of a calcium compound with citric acid having a mole ratio of calcium to citric acid from 2.5:2 to 2.95:2 is provided to be used for opacifying and whitening aqueous food compositions.

Abstract: In a process for applying a sugar solution to the surface of a cereal product, drying the sugar-coated cereal, collecting the fines produced therefrom and recycling the collected fines back into the original sugar solution the improvement that the fines can be contacted with water to form a slurry of dissolved sugar and insoluble cereal which is then separated into a liquid sugar fraction and an insoluble cereal fraction by centrifugation in a solid bowl centrifuge.

Abstract: The present inventin is an apparatus and method for inserting articles into packages. The apparatus includes a dispensing assembly and a feeding assembly; and the dispensing assembly, in turn, includes a dispenser body, a gate and an actuator. The dispensor body defines a loading chamber for holding the articles, an inlet for conducting the articles into the loading chamber, and an outlet for dispensing the articles from the loading chamber. The gate is connected to the dispenser body for movement between a closed position, wherein the gate extends across the outlet of the dispenser body to hold the articles in the loading chamber, and an open position to allow the articles to pass through the outlet of the dispenser body. The actuator of the dispensing assembly is provided to move the gate from its closed position to its open position to dispense articles into the packages from the dispenser body.

Abstract: A new and useful calcium salt of citric acid is prepared and is used as an anticaking agent in furctose-sweetened powdered soft drinks. Also included are the processes for preparing the new calcium salt and powdered beverage mixes containing the new salt.

Abstract: A packaging system is provided for a plurality of packages which are vulnerable to damage when cut into by a sharp instrument. The packaging system includes a rectangular container enclosing all of the packages and being formed of a rectangular lid and a rectangular tray configuration, preferably in a mating and nonoverlapping configuration, to form the container. A shrink wrap material is applied about the container and shrunk into engagement therewith so as to encircle the container in three dimensions and thus hold the lid and tray in the mating configuration. The shrink wrap material is suitably weakened to allow a manual tearing of the shrink wrap material to release the lid and hence open the container. The shrink wrap material is weakened by a longitudinal slot located adjacent the lid and extending from one side of the lid to an opposite side and two paired series of weakenings in the shrink wrap material.

Abstract: A packaging container for holding a plurality of articles. Packaging containers of this kind serve as transport and display means for a plurality of packed articles. These articles are sold directly from the packaging container. The empty packaging containers are usually destroyed, because their material and their structure do not permit repeated usage. The invention is concerned with providing a reusable packaging container of this kind. The described packaging container comprises a base part (11) and a stack top (12) which is releasably connected to the base part (11) and which can be collapsed and/or folded together, preferably in such a way that the collapsed or folded stack top (12) can be placed on the base part (11). As a result, empty packaging containers can be returned in a space-saving manner and, if required, they can be refilled, which means they are reusable.

Abstract: An aqueous shelf-stable beverage product comprises: water; milk solids; an acidic flavoring agent; a two component stabilizing system comprising a first component comprising monoglycerides and up to 10% by weight diglycerides, and a second component comprising carrageenin or pectin; disodium phosphate; and potassium hydroxide; the shelf-stable beverage product having a pH of about 6.3 to about 6.5. A method for making a shelf-stable beverage product comprises: providing a homogenized milk mixture having the two component stabilizer system; providing a buffered aqueous flavoring solution containing the acidic flavoring agent, disodium phosphate, and potassium bicarbonate; mixing the homogenized milk mixture and the aqueous flavoring solution to form a mixture having a pH of from 6.8 to 7.2; and heating to decompose the potassium bicarbonate to potassium hydroxide and carbon dioxide such that the pH is from 6.3 to 6.5.

Abstract: A vegetable oil-based composition containing finely divided special type of calcium citrate salt compositions and processes of making are provided to produce semi-solid to solid vegetable oil compositions without the use of hydrogenation.

Abstract: Fat (cocoa butter) in a chocolate chip is reduced to below about 10% by using an aqueous sugar paste containing microparticles of cocoa dispersed in the paste. The colloid-like cocoa paste has improved food modifying properties of intense chocolate flavor similar to "conched" chocolate, fat-like mouthfeel, thickener, viscosity control and stability. The hydrated microparticles of cocoa in the paste have a particle size of about 0.1 to about 20 microns, preferably about 0.1 to about 10 microns, and an average mean particle size of about 2 to about 7 microns. The hydrated microparticles of cocoa are dispersed uniformly throughout the aqueous sugar paste. The paste has an Aw (water activity) of about 0.80 to about 0.90.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods of making an aqueous sugar dispersion of microparticalized cocoa, used to modify chocolate products such as low-fat icings, frostings, among other products.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a wrapped food material in single slice form. The apparatus comprises means to conduct the food material into a wrapping film to form a wrapped food material, a slice forming assembly to press the wrapped food material at spaced intervals to form a continuous strip of connected, wrapped food material slices, and a cutting assembly to cut that continuous strip at the spaced intervals to produce individually wrapped and sealed food material slices. The apparatus also includes a guide plate to guide the continuous strip of wrapped food material slices from the slice forming assembly to the cutting assembly along a predetermined path of travel; a partial vacuum is developed between the continuous strip of wrapped food material slices and at least a portion of the guide plate to draw that strip thereagainst as the strip of connected slices passes to the cutting assembly.

Abstract: An edible salt enhancing composition is provided which is a combination of L-aspartic acid and L-arginine and sodium chloride.

Abstract: A clean in place system for a system handling a flow of dry particulate or powder products therethrough, which includes a plurality of flow conduits through which the dry product flows. A plurality of spray nozzles are strategically placed within the system, and include a plurality of flush mounted spray nozzles mounted flush along the interior walls of the flow conduits, and several barrel spray nozzles mounted within the system. One barrel spray nozzle is supported by and below a mounting plate which during a cleaning operation is placed temporarily over a top aperture in a vibrating hopper of a tote table, and is removed therefrom after the cleaning operation is completed. Additional barrel flow nozzles are mounted within filler hoppers of the pouch filling system. A vacuum system is provided for removing air and any dry product carried therewith, and includes vacuum conduits coupled near the base of the system.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for forming an open textured food product, comprising an extruder and an extruder die. The extruder is provided to receive an extrudable food material, to advance that material longitudinally forward while heating and pressurizing the food material, and to force the heated and pressurized food material outward through an extruder outlet. The extruder die is connected to the extruder immediately forward of the extruder outlet, and the die forms an inlet to receive the pressurized food material from the extruder outlet, an expansion chamber to receive the pressurized food material from the extruder die inlet wherein the food material expands to a predetermined width, and an outlet to discharge the expanded food material from the extruder die.