Abstract: The invention relates to a food processing system. A fluid conduit of the system is configured for directing the food carried in a fluid medium along a food path. The system has a food inlet operatively associated with the fluid conduit for feeding the food into the conduit, and a pump operatively associated with the conduit for pumping the fluid through the conduit in a fluid stream direction. A processor unit is associated with the conduit, disposed along the food path, and includes a tool configured and associated with the conduit for performing a processing operation on the food, such as cutting potatoes into french fry strips. The system also has a deceleration element operatively associated with the conduit and configured for decelerating the fluid and carried food along the food path while maintaining the fluid flow substantially free of recirculation vortices.

Abstract: An inlet (11a) and an exit (11b) are formed at opposite ends of a chamber (11), and transporting device (12) is moved into the chamber from the inlet toward the outlet. The transporting device is constituted to transport a plurality of works (19) at predetermined intervals. Disposed within the chamber is a pair of electrode plates (13, 14) along the longitudinal direction of the transporting device and at predetermined distances from the works, respectively so as to interpose the works between the pair of electrode plates. Smoke to be adhered to and infiltrated into works is constitutionally generated by smoke generating device (16) and introduced into the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying food dough forms blocks of food dough that are continuously supplied into a sheet or belt of food dough and then divides it into chunks of food dough that have preset weights.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a food product portioning apparatus comprising: a rotary-to-linear movement device; a support device, such as a platform, connected to the rotary-to-linear movement for receiving the food product thereon and moveable to position the food product at a predetermined height; and a cutting apparatus to portion the food product at the predetermined height. Also disclosed is a method of portioning food product at a predetermined size. Applicable food products can include, but are not limited to, cheese and various other soft, malleable, portionable food products.

Abstract: An electrical cooking appliance has at least one cooktop with cooking zones becoming hot in a switched-on state, an optical residual heat indicator indicating hot cooking zones when line voltage is applied to the cooking appliance, a counter system switching off the residual heat indicator with a time delay after the switching-off of the cooking appliance connected to line voltage occurs, and a line voltage detector for detecting a presence of the line voltage at the cooking appliance. Information is stored in a memory of the counter system as long as a counter reading is greater than zero, and, after a line voltage interruption, the residual heat indicator remains activated for a certain period of time, in dependence on the inquired memory content, if the information in the memory indicates a counter value greater than zero.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing an oat product enriched in the content of &bgr;-glucan as well as a method for preparing a foodstuff incorporating such an enriched oat preparate. The invention uses dehulled or naked oats, which are subjected to dry milling and dry fractionation at multiple stages without a preceding removal of fat. The oat material is at a first stage subjected to dry milling and dry classification to separate a coarser fraction containing grain cell wall material and starch containing subaleurone layer as a pre-enriched fraction from a finer, endosperm containing fraction. At a second stage said pre-enriched fraction is subjected to dry milling, where the disintegraing action is more effective than at the first stage, and to dry classification for separating a coarser, cell wall material containing fraction as the enriched product from a finer, starch containing fraction.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for making a unique activated smoke liquid solution for application to food that is to be dried. Treatment of food with this solution greatly improves the processing, cooking and/or physical characteristics of the dried food when it is later reconstituted and used. The unique activated smoke liquid solution is made from a special process which gives it the desired characteristics which, when properly applied before drying, result in improved quality of dried food when later reconstituted. By applying the unique smoke liquid solution according to the present invention, no soaking or immersion of the dried food products in water or liquid is necessary prior to processing or cooking. The resulting dried food immediately absorbs water for prompt processing or cooking; it has increased weight and volume; it has a prolonged shelf life; and it retains much of its original food texture after it is freeze-thawed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing sautéed onion or sofrit. The method includes the steps of sautéing onion or sofrit ingredients in a rotary sautéing machine, and heating the machine with an auxiliary heater concurrently with the sautéing step, whereby the temperature at a center of the onion or sofrit ingredients in a rotary pot of the rotary sautéing machine is increased to 85-950° C. within 10 minutes; and after the temperature at the center of the onion or sofrit ingredients reaches 95° C., deglazing is continuously carried out by spraying water, as required, while maintaining the surface temperature of the onion or sofrit ingredients at 95-120° C. for 15 to 120 minutes, thereby effecting sautéing processing. The method also includes the step of oscillating the rotary sautéing machine concurrently with the sautéing step.

Abstract: A system and method for forming a cooked, shaped product (e.g., an animal food) is provided. A flowable substrate is introduced into one or more shaping chambers in a fixture configured to both shape and cook the substrate. An ultrasonic energy source in communication with the fixture vibrates the walls of the one of more shaping chambers to cook the substrate in a desired manner. The fixture also may be configured to produce a shaped, hollow product and a multi-layer product.

Abstract: A food winding apparatus, system, and method of forming a rolled food item utilizing a slotted spool or cup and a push plate to eject the rolled food item from the spool. A food winding unit utilizes a motor to rotate a slotted spool. The leading end of a supported strip of food is detected by a sensor and directed into the slot of a spool. A micro-controller triggers a motor in response to the sensor signal to rotate and form a rolled food item after a predetermined number of rotations. An actuator is activated to displace an ejection plate to eject the rolled food item from the slotted spool. The winding unit can be integrated into a system including an extruder to deposit food onto support strips, a series of conveyors, and a rotary knife to cut the supported strip of food into predetermined lengths suitable for being rolled into a food item by the winding unit.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an improved extruder die assembly and method for using same to improve the quality of dimensional design aspects of extruded, complexly shaped, direct expanded food products. The improved system includes an improved extruder die assembly comprising an imprinting insert element having a first aperture defined therethrough and at least one prong extending into the first aperture, and a forming insert element having a second aperture defined therethrough and positioned downstream from the imprinting insert element, wherein the shape of the second aperture is defined by at least one projection extending into the second aperture, and wherein each of the at least one projection aligns with a prong when the first and second apertures are coaxially aligned. The improved extruder die assembly of the present invention is designed for adaptation to a wide variety of commercial-grade extrusion devices common in the food industry.

Abstract: A cylindrical mandrel is provided having a hollow core and a flare at one end. The cylindrical tube otherwise has a substantially constant diameter. Dough, such as phyllo dough, is wrapped around an outer surface of the mandrel in multiple layers. The dough and mandrel are then baked together until the dough hardens into a dough tube. The mandrel is then removed from the dough tube leaving the dough tube to be filled with an edible filling. The flare on the mandrel assists in removing the mandrel from the dough tube. The flare also facilitates contact between the mandrel and a baking tray to enhance heat transfer to an innermost layer of dough adjacent an outer surface of the mandrel. The hollow core of the mandrel facilitates baking of the innermost layer of dough adjacent the outer surface of the mandrel.

Abstract: A process for the production of a fat-containing milk powder by preparing a liquid milk, feeding the prepared liquid milk into an evaporator having at least one stage to obtain a pre-concentrate, homogenizing the pre-concentrate, further evaporating the homogenized pre-concentrate in an evaporator having at least one stage to obtain a concentrate having a total solids content of at least 50%, and then spray drying the concentrate.

Abstract: A process for preventing food-borne illness by pasteurizing the surface of a food product. The inventive process preferably comprises the step of heating the product surface in a manner effective to bring the temperature of the surface to at least 160° F. without causing any substantial change in color and without substantially changing the internal core temperature of the product. The heating step is also preferably conducted in a manner effective for achieving at least a 3 log reduction in live bacteria on the product surface. The inventive process is particularly well suited for treating precooked meat, poultry, and fish products.

Abstract: The present invention of a method and device of making dough mixed with cooking oil, fruit and vegetable filling, more especially, a forward operation of making a dough chunk of a green onion crepe, is mainly characterized that it continuously provides a thin dough skin of a constant breadth and evenly spreads a layer of oil on the surface thereof; it evenly sprinkles a layer of fruit and vegetable filling on the surface of the layer of oil; it rolls the dough skin with layers of oil and filling into a continuous dough bar to be conveyed outwardly; it cuts the dough bar into a circular cylinder with ring-shaped oil and filling layers spread evenly therein; by virtue of the prevent invention, chunks of dough with evenly mixed shortening layers and the filling layers of fruit and vegetable are manufactured in mass production.

Abstract: A food cooking apparatus is provided. It includes a first container, and a second container connected to the first container with a passage defined therebetween and communicating with the first container. An ultrasonically tuned basket is rotatably mounted in the first chamber. The first and second containers are pivotally mounted together, and pivot between a first, vertical position and a second, tilted position, causing a heated cooking liquid to flow from the second container to the first container. The basket is rotated in the first container for a predefined period of time. The first and second container are returned to the vertical position, while the basket is provided with an ultrasonic vibrating motion, in order to reduce the amount of fat in the food. Further, a method of ultrasonically removing cooking liquid from food is provided. An ultrasonically tuned flexible membrane, onto which food may be placed, is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating products, which may contain cellular material of eukaryotic and/or prokaryotic origin and in particular micro-organisms, by bringing the product in device comprising two electrodes connected to an electronic circuit such that in said device and in said product a pulsating electrical field is created, characterized by the rise time of each imposed voltage pulse which is less than the electronic relaxation time of the product. Preferably the rising edge of each cycle starts within the relaxation time of the product and even more preferably each electrical field pulse has a duration shorter than the relaxation time of the product.

Abstract: An extruder system (10, 124) for the processing of feed materials is provided including an extruder (12), adjustable back pressure valve assembly (14) and a superatmospheric post-extrusion product treatment assembly (16, 124). The back pressure valve assembly (14) includes an adjustable valve member (48) which can be shifted to alter the effective cross-sectional open area of a product passageway (36), and alternately can be shifted to a product diverting position wherein the product is diverted from downstream processing. The treatment assembly (16) includes a sealed housing (78) directly coupled to the assembly (14) so that product emerging from the assembly (14) passes into housing (78) without experiencing atmospheric pressure. The treatment assembly (124) includes a product-guiding cowling (128) which is open to the atmosphere, together with a sealed housing (134) for effecting above atmospheric pressure treatment of extruded product.

Abstract: A roaster for roasting coffee beans includes a roasting chamber having a top and a bottom for holding coffee beans when the beans are being roasted, a cover seated on the top of the roasting chamber and a base on which the bottom of the roasting chamber is seated. A device is provided in the base for supplying airflow into the roasting chamber. A controller controls the airflow supplying device to generate a roasting temperature inside the roasting chamber that tracks a predetermined temperature curve. The temperature curve includes a first stage in which the roasting temperature is set to a first predetermined level for a first predetermined time period, and a second stage in which the roasting temperature is set to a second predetermined level that is higher than the first predetermined level.

Abstract: A microwave oven and a method of processing frozen food in a microwave oven (1), which microwave oven comprises a microwave source (3), an oven cavity (2), and a control unit (5). The control unit is provided with an input signal containing information about the weight of the food, and causes the microwave source to feed microwaves at high average power into the oven cavity during a first time interval as well as a second time interval, which are separated by a waiting period, so that the foodstuff will be essentially thawed by the end of the second time interval.