Abstract: A food baking apparatus includes a compressible die and a mechanical stop for controlling a die spacing of the compressible die. The mechanical stop includes a supporting system and a mounting element mounted onto the supporting system. The mounting element includes at least one protrusion having a particular amount of protrusion from the mounting element, which amount of protrusion may be adjustable for any single protrusion. By translation or rotation of the supporting system and/or the mounting element during operation of the apparatus, a protrusion is selected. The protrusions mechanically stop further compression of the dies during an operation of the food baking apparatus. Thus, the selection determines the die spacing applicable for the baking process, based on the amount of protrusion of the selected protrusion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process, comprising: combining one or more additives with a feedstock to obtain a first mixture, the feedstock comprising a fibrous material and water, the fibrous material comprising lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose; and conditioning the first mixture to obtain a liquid product and a dry pulp product. Also disclosed herein are condition processes and machines for use with the same. Also disclosed herein are liquid products, dry pulp products, and fibrous pellets made by the disclosed processes, and methods of using the same.

Abstract: Popcorn machines having popping kettles in direct fluid communication with exhaust ducts are described herein. The effluent produced as a byproduct of corn popping travels directly from the kettle into an exhaust system of the popcorn machine via an exhaust duct that extends through a kettle cover or lid. The exhaust systems can include one or more filters configured to remove smoke, odors, and/or other particulate matter before venting the effluent into the surrounding area as filtered exhaust.

Abstract: A method of cooking a snack food, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a bed comprising a plurality of particles; b. heating and moving the particles in the bed to form a mobile cooking medium in the form of a heated, mobile bed of particles; c. providing a plurality of snack food precursor elements in the cooking medium thereby to cook the snack food precursor elements to form a plurality of cooked snack food pieces, wherein the heated, mobile particles transfer heat into the snack food precursor elements by thermal conduction; and d. separating the plurality of snack food pieces and the cooking medium.

Abstract: An improved rotary head extruder incorporates a twin auger system, in lieu of the typically used single auger, to create random extruded products having a density within the range of about 3.0 to about 6.0 lbs/cu ft. Extrusion using the rotary die system of a rotary head extruder together with the twin auger system allows for a wide variety of fine materials to be successfully introduced into and conveyed within a rotary head extruder to the die assembly, where the materials are cooked to form random extruded products. A transition piece at the downstream end of the augers allows for continuous, uniform flow to the die assembly, where cooking takes place. The extruded products incorporate formulations with various ingredients aside from the typically used corn meal formulations, having different tastes and nutritional benefits while maintaining the desired bulk density, texture, and crunch of random extruded products.

Abstract: An improved rotary head extruder incorporates a twin auger system, in lieu of the typically used single auger, to create random extruded products having a density within the range of about 3.0 to about 6.0 lbs/cu ft. Extrusion using the rotary die system of a rotary head extruder together with the twin auger system allows for a wide variety of fine materials to be successfully introduced into and conveyed within a rotary head extruder to the die assembly, where the materials are cooked to form random extruded products. A transition piece at the downstream end of the augers allows for continuous, uniform flow to the die assembly, where cooking takes place. The random extruded products incorporate formulations with various ingredients aside from the typically used corn meal formulations, having different tastes and nutritional benefits while maintaining the desired bulk density, texture, and crunch of random extruded products.

Abstract: This invention is a device for puffing snacks and a system for producing puffed snack foods. This invention makes it possible to overcome wiring problems, reduce heating costs of equipment for heat-pressing the ingredients of puffed snack foods, and expand the scale of the device, thereby increasing production efficiency. Pellets of ingredients are transported along a conveyor belt (14) through a hot water tank (13) where they are blanched. Next, the pellets are taken out of the hot water and moved underneath heaters (15). After being dried by the heater, the pellets are fed between rollers (21, 22) in prescribed portions within a prescribed time. The pellets are heat-compressed by the rollers (21, 22) and puffed. The space in the rollers (21, 22) is filled with hot steam so that the surface is uniformly heated.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a food manufacturing apparatus comprising a feed system for inputting a plurality of materials, an extruder and a cutting assembly. The extruder comprises a pump system and a rotating extrusion die removably connected to the pump system, wherein the rotating extrusion die comprises at least one product channel for receiving and extruding the plurality of materials. The cutting assembly comprises at least one groove and a wire attached through the groove. The feed system is attached to the extruder and the cutting assembly is located at a position to cut the extruded plurality of materials with the wire from the rotating extrusion die.

Abstract: An apparatus for making puffed food products from starch-containing raw materials. The apparatus has a baking and molding chamber defined by several heatable mold elements. The mold elements are individually actuated by direct hydraulic drive systems. The hydraulic power for these drive systems is selectively derived from a common oil pressure supply system which provides continuously high oil pressure to the direct hydraulic drive system for each mold element. The apparatus also has an improved feed system enabling the supply of raw material into the mold cavity such that no material gets spilled and each mold receives an accurate predetermined quantity of raw material.

Abstract: An indicator system for use with a popcorn popping machine providing a sensory perceptible signal to a user that ventilation filters should be cleaned. The indicator system may automatically track an interval based on a prior filter cleaning or usage of the popcorn popping machine.

Abstract: This invention is a device for puffing snacks and a system for producing puffed snack foods. This invention makes it possible to overcome wiring problems, reduce heating costs of equipment for heat-pressing the ingredients of puffed snack foods, and expand the scale of the device, thereby increasing production efficiency. Pellets of ingredients are transported along a conveyor belt (14) through a hot water tank (13) where they are blanched. Next, the pellets are taken out of the hot water and moved underneath heaters (15). After being dried by the heater, the pellets are fed between rollers (21, 22) in prescribed portions within a prescribed time. The pellets are heat-compressed by the rollers (21, 22) and puffed. The space in the rollers (21, 22) is filled with hot steam so that the surface is uniformly heated.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for producing cereal puffs, which heats cereals under pressure by means of a continuous circulating operation, puffs the cereals several times by means of a multistage rising operation, and causes the puffed cereals, i.e. the cereal puffs, to stand by at a predetermined position, and then to be rapidly discharged in a forward direction. Thus, it is possible to process the cereal puffs in a uniform shape, and to discharge the cereal puffs in a constant direction. Further, it is possible to simultaneously produce a plurality of cereal puffs having a uniform shape by means of one heating and pressurizing operation in a single apparatus.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method and a device for producing expanded food, for example popcorn, puffed rice and the like. A food is here fed to a container continuously, the food caused to expand under the effect of heat, and, after that, the food is removed continuously from the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for making puffed food products from starch-containing raw materials. The apparatus has a baking and molding chamber defined by several heatable mold elements. The mold elements are individually actuated by direct hydraulic drive systems. The hydraulic power for these drive systems is selectively derived from a common oil pressure supply system which provides continuously high oil pressure to the direct hydraulic drive system for each mold element. The apparatus also has an improved feed system enabling the supply of raw material into the mold cavity such that no material gets spilled and each mold receives an accurate predetermined quantity of raw material.

Abstract: An apparatus for making puffed food products from starch-containing raw materials. The apparatus has a baking and molding chamber defined by several heatable mold elements. The mold elements are individually actuated by direct hydraulic drive systems. The hydraulic power for these drive systems is selectively derived from a common oil pressure supply system which provides continuously high oil pressure to the direct hydraulic drive system for each mold element. The apparatus also has an improved feed system enabling the supply of raw material into the mold cavity such that no material gets spilled and each mold receives an accurate predetermined quantity of raw material.

Abstract: A processing device for coffee beans to undergo a de-husking, bean-halving, membrane removing and roasting device to proceed with a de-husking, bean-halving, membrane removing and roasting step of coffee beans, wherein the de-husking, bean-halving and membrane-removing device comprises: a first beating mechanism having a plurality of rotating blades with hard rubber at the surface thereof to beat and remove the dried husk, flesh and inner skin of coffee beans; a second beating mechanism having a plurality of rotating blades with soft rubber at the surface thereof to beat and remove the silvery skin of the inner layer of the bean; a first separating mechanism mounted with a lower for separating the coffee bean from skin and debris; and the roasting device including a rolling container mounted with a spiral conductive plate and a burner at the bottom section of the rolling container for roasting of coffee beans after the coffee beans have been de-husked, halved and membrane-removed for appropriate stiring for e

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a coffee bean roaster with recirculated, filtered exhaust airflow. The coffee bean roaster includes a roasting drum sized and configured to receive coffee beans for roasting therein. The roasting drum has a drum airflow inlet and a drum airflow outlet for exhausting airflow from the roasting drum. The coffee bean roaster further includes a blower configured to blow airflow through the drum airflow inlet for venting the roasting drum. The coffee bean roaster includes a fluid filter having a filter airflow inlet and a filter airflow outlet. The filter airflow inlet is in fluid communication with the drum airflow outlet. The fluid filter is configured to filter airflow from the roasting drum. The filter airflow outlet is in fluid communication with the blower for recirculating airflow into the roasting drum.

Abstract: The invention provides processes for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes, in particular puffed rice cakes. The processes comprise molding puffed or unpuffed cereal grains under pressure with the application of ultrasound. The ultrasound assists bonding of the cereal grains to form a solid cake. The ultrasound reduces fouling of the mold and increases processing speed. In one aspect, the starting material is prepuffed cereal grains, and these grains are coated with a binder agent and then bonded together at low temperature using ultrasound energy. This permits the formation of puffed cereal cakes with edible inclusions of temperature-sensitive foodstuffs, and also the rapid formation of puffed cereal cakes with shaped or profiled top and/or bottom surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus for puffing granular material, in particular cereals and legumes, has a heating apparatus for preheating the granular material and a puffing reactor for puffing the material. For effective, fast, and uniform heating of the material, it is proposed that: the heating apparatus have a free jet fluidized bed without a flow impact floor in which a batch of the material to be heated can be acted upon, in a preheating operation synchronized with the puffing process and proceeding batchwise, by a heat-carrying gaseous medium.

Abstract: A device for puffing products such as foodstuffs or tobacco comprises an upright puffing reactor having a vessel for receiving product therein. The vessel has a wall provided with a plurality of openings. A chamber surrounds the vessel. The vessel has no openings in an upper section. A first pressurized heat-carrying agent is supplied to the chamber under a first pressure, and the agent flows from the chamber through the plurality of openings uniformly through the product disposed within the vessel. Shortly before the vessel is opened via an opening mechanism, a second agent having a higher pressure than the first pressure is supplied into the upper section above the product disposed within the vessel for providing a “propelling charge” behind the product.

Abstract: A roasting device is designed to fit and operate inside a conventional, general purpose, home oven. The roasting device utilizes the heating and exhaust system already in place for the oven allowing the roasting device to be substantially less complex and less expensive than existing coffee roasting systems. The roasting device includes roasting chamber or drum for containing the coffee beans. The roasting chamber has a first and a second end and a substantially cylindrical sidewall. The substantially cylindrical sidewall includes a plurality of perforations uniformly distributed along its length. The perforations allow the heat from a conventional home oven to reach the circulating coffee beans during roasting thereby producing evenly roasted coffee beans. The coffee beans discard chaff during roasting that is expelled through the perforations to a tray positioned underneath the roasting chamber. The first and second ends are substantially concave for preventing the coffee beans from adhering to the ends.