Abstract: A method provides a dry granular sugar ingredient, which improves the production of compressed, tableted confection products by enabling them to be formed with a higher initial strength to permit improved handling and packaging with fewer broken and chipped tablets. In the first part of the process, sucrose is ground to a suitable size for processing in the screw-fed mixer. Simultaneously, a corn syrup solution is prepared for mixing with the sucrose in the mixer. Both the ground sucrose and the corn syrup solution are then fed to the screw-fed mixer. After achieving uniform blending of the ingredients, the moist mixture is dropped at to conveyor which brings it to a sieve, which breaks up lumps prior to feeding to a vibratory bed drier in the preferred form. From the drier, the material is passed to a screen separator where the particle size range for the product is finalized. Correctly sized product is recovered and mixed with flavor to be pressed into a candy.

Abstract: The typically employed step of separately hydrating gelatin in warm water for the preparation of aerated, gelatin-containing confections such as marshmallow is replaced by hydrating a dry blend of sucrose and gelatin in cold water prior to heating. The marshmallow products produced by this process are made more efficiently and have good string. The gelatin processed in this manner undergoes less cis isomerization than occurs during conventional processing. The invention improves processing for the production of marshmallow pieces, marshmallow fillers, e.g., for cookies and candies, dehydrated marshmallow bits and spoonable marshmallow toppings.

Abstract: Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an off-line manner to a continuous paper sheet web that is later used for cigarette manufacture. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an on-line manner to continuous paper web moving through an operating cigarette making machine. The coating formulation is applied to the paper web using roll applicator techniques, ink jet printing techniques or electrostatic precipitation techniques. Liquid coating formulation are curable, and are virtually absent of solvent or liquid carrier. Radiation, such as ultraviolet or electron beam radiation, is used to solidify and fix polymerizable liquid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web.

Abstract: Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an off-line manner to a continuous paper sheet web that is later used for cigarette manufacture. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an on-line manner to continuous paper web moving through an operating cigarette making machine. The coating formulation is applied to the paper web using roll applicator techniques, ink jet printing techniques or electrostatic precipitation techniques. Liquid coating formulation are curable, and are virtually absent of solvent or liquid carrier. Radiation, such as ultraviolet or electron beam radiation, is used to solidify and fix polymerizable liquid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web.

Abstract: A mediation system for converged network system for an xSP (i.e., any service provider of Information Technology (IT)/business services) is readily configured to collect revenue related transaction data (usage data) from network elements. A user is able to customize intuitively and efficiently the mediation system for their specific needs by using a Script Design Environment. In particular, a graphical environment presents scripts that receive, parse, validate, format, assemble, correlate and distribute the usage data and provide tools for modifying these scripts.