Abstract: A method of storing potatoes, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a plurality of dormant potatoes, wherein the potatoes have been cured after harvesting; ii. treating the potatoes with 1-methylcyclopropene, the treatment comprising exposing the potatoes, which are at a first treatment temperature within the range of from 10 to 30° C., to 1-methylcyclopropene; storing the potatoes at a second storage temperature within the range of from greater than 1 to up to 6° C. for a storage period within a potato store, wherein the storage period extends continuously until at least 1 week after initiation of eye movement in at least one of the potatoes, and wherein during the storage period the potatoes are stored in atmospheric air free of an external supply of ethylene sprout suppressant.

Abstract: A flume for supplying vegetable pieces in a supply of liquid, the flume extending between a flume inlet and a flume outlet, the flume comprising: a gulley section having an upstream inlet end at the flume inlet and a downstream outlet end, the gulley section having opposed sidewalls and a gulley floor therebetween, and a spreader section having opposed first and second lateral walls and a spreader floor therebetween, the spreader section having an upstream end connected to the downstream outlet end of the gulley section, the spreader section progressively increasing in width between the opposed first and second lateral walls in a downstream direction from the upstream end to a downstream end of the spreader section, wherein the opposed first and second lateral walls are each outwardly inclined away from a longitudinal axis of the spreader section by a respective angle ?° for the first lateral wall and ?° for the second lateral wall, in respective opposite directions, which extends from the upstream end of the

Abstract: A packaged food that includes a sealed bag defining therein a sealed cavity containing a food, the sealed bag being formed from a flexible packaging film that includes a monoaxially oriented polymeric layer defining a preferential tear direction extending along the film; wherein the packaging film is configured to form first and second elongate tear-away portions of the sealed bag which are on opposite sides of, and adjacent to, an elongate central portion of the sealed bag, the first and second elongate tear-away portions and the elongate central portion extending along the preferential tear direction, whereby tearing away of the first and second elongate tear-away portions along the preferential tear direction to open the sealed bag leaves the elongate central portion forming a handle portion of the opened bag.

Abstract: A method of peeling tubers includes providing a peeler device defining a cavity surrounded by a peeling mechanism, inputting tubers to be peeled into the cavity, directing electromagnetic radiation from an illumination device into the cavity, detecting electromagnetic radiation reflected into lens of a camera from tubers located in the cavity during a peeling operation by the peeling mechanism, and operating the peeler device based on the reflected electromagnetic radiation detected by the camera. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method of packaging snack food chips, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of snack food chips as a shingled assembly of the snack food chips; (b) enclosing the shingled assembly within an elongate packaging container; (c) vibrating the shingled assembly supported so as to cause the snack food chips sequentially to fall from a free output end into the elongate packaging container while progressively translationally separating a closed end and the free output end to form a shingled stack extending away from the closed end; and (d) during at least a part of step (c), rotating the elongate packaging container so that the closed end is lowered while decreasing an angle of inclination such that the shingled stack is being progressively formed.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting vegetable slices that includes a central impeller coaxially mounted with a cutting head for rotation about an axis within the cutting head for delivering vegetables radially outwardly from a center of the impeller toward the cutting head. A water jet spray device is mounted at the base of the impeller, aligned with the axis, and includes a raised mound having an outer wall surrounding an inner wall defining a central depression, the outer wall extending downwardly and outwardly from an annular rim between the central depression and the outer wall, and a plurality of substantially radially oriented channels serially provided around the raised mound, each channel extending outwardly from a channel inlet within the central depression to a channel outlet in the outer wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling three-dimensionally curved snack food chips. The apparatus includes a first conveyor for conveying a series of the snack food chips on a conveying surface and an inverting station located at an output end of the first conveyor. The inverting station includes an inverter configured for transferring the snack food chips from an output end of the first conveyor into contact with an internal concave surface of the inverter. A drive system for the inverter is configured to move the internal concave surface downwardly to cause movement of the snack food chips downward from an upper portion to a lower portion of the internal concave surface. A depositing station is located and configured for depositing the snack food chips from the lower portion of the internal concave surface onto a second conveyor configured for receiving snack food chips from the depositing station and conveying them away.

Abstract: A multihead weigher that includes a feeder plate for receiving a product supply that has at least one feed outlet at an inner edge of the annular feeder plate. A plurality of staging hoppers is located beneath the outlet of the annular feeder plate. Each staging hopper has a staging inlet and a staging outlet. The staging inlet is located for receiving product from the annular feeder plate. A plurality of weigh hoppers are located beneath the plurality of staging hoppers. Each weigh hopper has an inlet and an outlet. The weigh hopper inlet is located beneath a respective staging outlet; and a collector is located beneath the weigh hoppers for receiving product from the weigh hopper outlets. The collector has a tubular element for receiving a weighed batch of the product from one or more weigh hoppers and the tubular element has a lower dispensing outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting potato slices, the apparatus comprising an annular-shaped cutting head and a central impeller coaxially mounted for rotation within the cutting head for delivering potatoes radially outwardly toward the cutting head, a plurality of knives serially mounted annularly around the cutting head, and a plurality of orientation elements serially and annularly mounted within the impeller to define a plurality of cutting zones located around the impeller, each cutting zone being between adjacent orientation elements, wherein radially inner parts of adjacent orientation elements are separated in circumferential direction to define between adjacent orientation elements a throat for passage therethrough of a potato in a radially outward direction into the respective cutting zone toward the cutting head, wherein the throat has a width of from 70 to 140 mm.

Abstract: A stationary slicing head assembly for use with a centrifugal slicing machine for cutting vegetables into slices. The assembly includes a plurality of slicing shoes serially arranged around an impeller having an axis of rotation. A first end of each slicing shoe is positioned adjacent to a second end of a juxtaposed slicing shoe. A plurality of serially arranged knife blades, each knife blade being secured to the first end of a slicing shoe, wherein each knife blade has a cutting edge/has a cutting edge profile defined with respect to the shape of the cutting edge defining a two-dimensional shape of a cut surface produced by the cutting edge. Some of the knife blades are first knife blades which have a first profile, and second knife blades have a second profile. The arrangement of the first and second knife blades configured to cut first and second slices from a vegetable.

Abstract: An apparatus for frying snack foods, the apparatus including a fryer having a tubular frying section with inlet and outlet ends, the outlet end downstream relative to the inlet end. An oil supply system for supplying oil to the inlet end. A food input at the inlet end adapted to introduce pre-fried snack food pieces into a flow of oil at the inlet end. A food output at, or downstream of, the outlet end adapted to separate fried snack food pieces from the flow of oil. An oil flow accelerator accelerating oil flow from the inlet end to the outlet end thereby conveying the snack food pieces, immersed in the oil, from the inlet end to the outlet end during a frying process. Also disclosed is a method of frying snack foods.

Abstract: A method of storing potatoes comprises storing a plurality of endodormant or ecodormant potatoes in a first gaseous environment including carbon dioxide in an amount of from greater than the amount of carbon dioxide present in atmospheric air to up to 5 mol % based on the composition of the first gaseous environment; and in a subsequent storage step storing the potatoes in a second gaseous environment including carbon dioxide in an amount of from 0.03 to 2 mol % based on the composition of the second gaseous environment, the first and second gaseous environments having different carbon dioxide contents. The method may comprise: monitoring the dormancy of the potatoes; in response to eye movement of a potato, changing the first gaseous environment to a second gaseous environment; maintaining a level of carbon dioxide in the second gaseous environment below a selected threshold to control sugar content of the potatoes.

Abstract: A topical seasoning for snack foods, the seasoning comprising a plurality of seasoning particles, the seasoning particles comprising a shell surrounding an encapsulated central core, the shell comprising a matrix including at least one solid lipid and the core comprising sodium chloride.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying food slices, the apparatus comprising a conveyor element having an upper conveying surface, the conveying surface being downwardly inclined from an input end thereof towards an output end thereof, a vibratory actuator coupled to the conveyor element and adapted to cause vibratory motion of the conveying surface, the vibratory motion being at least partly in a direction along the conveying surface, and a liquid supply for supplying liquid onto the conveying surface to form a liquid film over at least part of the conveying surface.

Abstract: A topical seasoning for snack foods, the topical seasoning being in the form of an emulsion and comprising a plurality of seasoning particles as a particulate phase within a continuous oil phase, the seasoning particles comprising a shell surrounding an encapsulated central core, the shell comprising a matrix including at least one solid lipid and a shell stabilising emulsifier, and the core comprising an aqueous phase.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a gel-stabilized foam for use in food products. Foam bubbles are stabilized by either a continuous gel coating or a particulate gel coating created under high shear conditions. The foam is viscous and shelf-stable, and can be combined with a viscous food product to lower its caloric density and improve its organoleptic properties.

Abstract: An apparatus for de-oiling potato slices, the apparatus comprising an elongate longitudinal conveyor having an upstream end and a downstream end, the conveyor being permeable to oil, water and air and being adapted to convey potato slices on the conveyor, a water spray station located towards the upstream end and a plurality of air-blower stations located in succession downstream of the water spray station, the water spray station comprising upper and lower water spray units adapted to spray water downwardly and upwardly, respectively, towards the conveyor, and each air-blower station comprising upper and lower air knife units adapted to direct an air blade downwardly and upwardly, respectively, towards the conveyor.