Abstract: Acid and heat coagulated types of cheese such as Ricotta, Mitzithra, and Galotiri as well as cottage cheese are produced from milk and/or whey starting materials, pasteurizing the starting materials followed by cooling and membrane filtration of the starting materials to form a retentate, whereafter the retentate is subjected to a heating and an acidification under pressure, and then to a sudden pressure drop, followed by cooling, agitation, and packaging, and finally to a secondary cooling, wherein the retentate is initially continuously heated to the precipitation temperature and then coagulant is added continuously under pressure to acidification to form a mixture, and the mixture is subjected to a sudden drop of pressure.

Abstract: A device for tempering chocolate masses comprises a casing and a sequential series of cooling sections in the casing for cooling and working a chocolate mass to produce a stable, homogeneous chocolate product. Each of the cooling sections includes a pair of cooled upper and lower cooling surfaces and a pair of rotating upper and lower working elements which are received between the cooling surfaces therein. The working elements have helical scraping elements on the surfaces thereof which face the adjacent cooling surfaces, and the scraping elements are constructed so that as the working elements are rotated, the scraping elements on the lower working elements move chocolate outwardly along the lower cooling surfaces and the scraping elements on the upper working elements move chocolate inwardly along the upper cooling surfaces.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ice cream making machine which comprises a motor unit operative to rotatively drive a cold storage container whereinto the the mixture to be whisked is introduced. The container includes an inner metal vessel around which an outer case is provided to define a space therebetween. A eutectic liquid is introduced into said space which, when brought to freezing temperature, is effective to keep the vessel at a nearly constant temperature which ensures whisking of the ice cream mixture. The container outer case has a bottom which is expandable relatively to the inner vessel to accommodate expansion taking place during the change of state of the eutectic liquid.

Abstract: An ice-cream making machine, comprises a receptacle for receiving the liquid ingredients to be used for making the ice-cream, a cooling duct conveying the ingredients from the receptacle to an ice-cream outlet of the machine, an air inlet into the cooling duct, a rotor including a plurality of blades rotatably driven within the cooling duct and effective to atomize the liquid ingredients as particles mixed in air and to direct freezing, and a valve controlling the rate of flow of the air from the air inlet to the cooling duct thereby enabling the machine to vary the density of the ice-cream produced. The machine includes a further valve for controlling the rate of flow of the liquid ingredients from the receptacle to the cooling duct to selectively effect a first rate of flow for producing ice-cream, a lower rate of flow for producing ices, or a higher rate of flow for producing cooled beverages.

Abstract: A rotary cheese molder especially adapted for consumer size cheese pieces is disclosed. The molder includes a stationary cooling head having enclosed sides and a bottom wall with a fill opening and a discharge opening. A mold body is rotationally driven within the head and includes an upper plate and a lower plate. Two circular rows of mold sleeves extend between the upper and lower plates. The mold sleeves overlap the fill and discharge openings so that cheese can fill the sleeves and be discharged therefrom. A mold plunger in each of the mold sleeves determines the size and shape of the cheese pieces and cams along a discharge ramp to eject the cheese pieces from the molder. A manifold pipe around the periphery of the mold body and a central pipe which extends into the central portion of the mold body spray cooling liquid onto the sleeves between the upper and lower plates.

Abstract: A cheese molding machine (10) is described in which molds (104) in individual compartments (94) on a molding table (80) are flooded individually.The cheese is brought into contact with heat sinks (112) which created additional surfaces (208) for salting and cooling, resulting in drastically reduced brining and curing times.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for cooling a frozen comestible plasticizer apparatus with a heat exchanger pan over a freezer, protecting the freezer from extraneous matter filling in, while providing a cool circulatable environment to cool the auger and cup of the apparatus to help avoid bacterial growth and minimize the need for cleaning of the apparatus.

Abstract: In an apparatus for preparing flavored frozen comestibles, the improvement comprising means for directing a stream of cold air at the surroundings of the equipment in which the product is being prepared, said air being sufficiently cold to reduce the temperature of the surroundings to about 45.degree. F.

Abstract: Apparatus for heat-treating a liquid product comprising series-connected multi-tube heat-exchangers such as heating-up heat-exchangers (6, 12), a high temperature heat-exchanger (14) and cooling-down heat-exchangers (17, 18, 19), the heating-up heat-exchangers and cooling-down heat-exchangers being interconnected by means of a pipe system (25, 26); (34) for regenerative heat-exchange. The heat exchangers being connected by means of connection members (13) having separate passages which connect the tubes of the heat-exchanger to those of the next heat-exchanger. The pipe system for regenerative heat-exchange being designed so that the quantity of heat to be transferred can be adjusted in order to adapt said apparatus to varying capacities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation and heat treatment of food products and to the apparatus for performing said process.In the process according to the invention, the mixing and heat treatment operations are carried out simultaneously by the injection, under pressure, of the concentrate and at least part of the constituting liquid, superheated to a temperature above about 100.degree. C., into a tubular chamber which is closed so as to prevent any vaporization of the constituting liquid; the apparatus for performing the process according to the invention contains a tubular mixing chamber (20) connected on the one hand to a metering pump (16) delivering the concentrate withdrawn from at least one storage tank (10), and on the other hand to a generator (24) of superheated constituting liquid.

Abstract: A household ice-cream machine has an annular container in which a blade driven by a geared motor is rotatable, the container being releasably supported within an annular vessel so as to define an interspace containing a measured quantity of a liquid with a low freezing point.The cooling system of the ice-cream machine includes an evaporator coil disposed in favorable heat-exchange relationship with the liquid in the said interspace.

Abstract: A flavor mixing and dispensing device for a frozen confection machine including an upright valve cylinder having a discharge outlet at its lower end and a frozen confection inlet port and a plurality of flavoring inlet ports spaced above its lower end. A rotary mixer is provided in the lower portion of the cylinder and a valve piston is slidable in the valve cylinder. The valve piston is formed with a downwardly opening cavity means for receiving the rotary mixer, and the rotary mixer and valve piston are constructed and arranged so that the mixer telescopes into the cavity means in the valve piston when the piston is moved to its lower position, and the mixer and valve piston substantially fill the mixing chamber in the lower portion of the valve cylinder to displace substantially all material from the valve cylinder at the end of a dispensing operation.

Abstract: The compacting apparatus for whole cheeses comprises at least a tank containing cooling water, an inertial table carrying the whole cheeses from one end to the other end of said tank, and a balancing blade receiving the whole cheeses supplied from the table and unloading such whole cheeses from said tank.

Abstract: A cooling method is provided for hot material and in particular for fruit preparations, where the containers receiving the hot material to be filled in are on their outside contacting a cooling medium and are constantly rotated around at least one axis, such that a continuous circulation and mixing of the material to be filled in is provided. The containers are like barrels and are provided with a cylindrical container jacket. Sheet metal mixing baffles extend inwardly from the walls, which provide for a continuous circulation of the filled in material upon rotation of the containers around their axes. The cooling provision is an immersion bath filled with liquid and which bath is provided with a rotary drive for rotating the containers around their longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A cheese cooking apparatus and method that includes a cylindrical cheese cooking tank containing temperature-controlled hot water. Stacked upper and lower cylindrical drums having radially extending paddles forming vertically upper and lower cavities are rotated in indexed steps. Sliced cheese curd product is delivered to an upper cavity from where the curd product is passed to a lower cavity after a rotational distance. After another distance, the partially cooked curd product is passed to a delivery station where stretching means for receiving the partially cooked curd product works the product and simultaneously moves it to a discharge station free of the hot water as fibrous cheese product. A cheese curd cutting system delivers sliced curd product to the working tank. Alternatively, a cheese curd feeding system delivers sliced curd product to the cooking tank.

Abstract: An ice-cream making machine has a container (3) for the ice cream and a motor-driven stirrer (4) located within the container (3), which is cooled by Peltier effect thermo-elements (8) each having a flat side in contact with a wall of the container (3) and an opposite flat side in contact with a heat dissipation member (9). The Peltier effect thermo-elements (8) are located between the bottom wall of the container (3) and the heat dissipation member and the lower surface of the container bottom wall has raised flat surface portions (11) in correspondence with the thermo-elements (89; the heat dissipation member has flat surface zones (9b) in contact with the thermo elements (8), and the surface area of each of the raised flat surface portions (11) and each of the said flat contact zones (9b) are at least equal to the surface area of each side of each Peltier effect thermo element (8).

Abstract: A continuous-flow type pasteurization apparatus for pasteurizing batches of product. The apparatus has a product conduit that defines a continuous flow passage with a heater in heat exchange relation with one section of the conduit to heat the product to pasteurizing temperature as it flows therethrough and cooling coils and refrigeration coils in heat exchange relation with other sections of the product conduit to cool the product. A positive displacement type inlet pump is provided for pumping unpasteurized product from a container to the inlet end of the product conduit and a positive displacement type outlet pump is provided for pumping product from the outlet of the product conduit to a container for pasteurized product. A cleaning system is provided including a cleaning pump for pumping cleaning solution to and from cleaning fluid supply and return fittings located adjacent the inlet and outlet fittings of the product conduit.

Abstract: The circuit of a gas-compression refrigerating unit in ice-cream making machines and/or ice-cream mixture pasteurizing machines has inserted therein a by-pass circuit controlled by one or more switching valves. During the cycle of pasteurization and/or sterilization of the ice-cream mixture and of the elements of the machine contacting said mixture (either liquid or frozen), the hot refrigerant gas coming from the compressor is diverted through the evaporator (by-passing both the condenser and expansion valve) so as to heat to a sterilization temperature all the elements of the apparatus which usually are cooled by said evaporator. On completion of this pasteurization and/or sterilization cycle, said by-pass circuit in shut off and the refrigeration cycle is resumed by switching said valves, whereby the fluid refrigerant is circulated from the compressor to the condenser and expansion valves into the evaporator so as to refrigerate the elements that are in heat exchange relationship with said evaporator.

Abstract: A pasteurization system for dairy farming products, comprises several basins wherein the pasteurization cycle is effected in sequence so that the heat taken from a basin during cooling phase of the same is utilized to effect the heating phase of one or more basins. This is realized by means of a refrigerating circuit working also as heat pump with a heat exchanger at the end of hot and cold parts. Circuit can be selectively connected with its hot or cold parts to the heating or cooling coil provided for each basin.

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for chilling and plasticizing fatty materials, particularly lard, shortening and margarine. The molten fat which generally is at 130.degree.-140.degree. F. is delivered to a feed pump which pumps the molten fat into and through a scraped surface heat exchanger. As normally done, approximately 5-25% by volume of air or inert gas is injected into the molten fat on the suction side of the feed pump, to cause the plasticized fat to be white and opaque, rather than translucent. The molten fat is cooled from 130.degree.-140.degree. F. to approximately 70.degree.-86.degree. F. in the heat exchanger, and is partially crystallized. The cooled, partially crystallized product from the heat exchanger passes directly through a crystallizing element where it is subjected to sufficient shearing forces by the rotational circulation of the product around its own hydraulic center to cause radial mixing of the product to form a fine crystal structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously manufacturing fibrous high protein foods comprises an apparatus for supplying a fixed quantity of fibrous structure formable food raw material from a nozzle, said food material being obtained through the steps of curdling cow's milk such as whole milk or skim milk by the addition of a coagulating agent and removing whey from the resulting curds, an apparatus for extending the raw material supplied from the supplying apparatus by applying a fixed tension thereto while delivering the raw material by the aid of free rollers and drive rollers, an apparatus for cooling the extended raw material supplied from the extension apparatus; and an apparatus for cutting the raw material supplied from the cooling apparatus in fixed lengths.

Abstract: In the production of cottage and similar fresh cheese, of the kind in which a milk coagulate is cut to curd granules of suitable size, the granular structure of the curd is maintained by stirring the cheese curd-whey mixture, the curd granulate is scalded by heating, and the curd granulate thus treated, after extraction of the whey in the meantime, is washed and cooled in water and iced water, the improvement that the cheese-whey mixture is subjected to successive processing operations in a continuous flow.

Abstract: A pasteurizing system for soft drinks comprises a single-pass plate-type heat exchanger which is situated flowpathwise between a supply of prepared beverage liquid and apparatus for cooling and carbonating that liquid. A suitable heat exchange medium is supplied in closed fluid circuit with the plate-type heat exchanger; and advantageously, heat recovery means are situated downstream from the heat exchanger. A holding tube is coupled in fluid circuit downstream from the heat exchanger for retaining the beverage liquid at pasteurization temperature to insure effectiveness.

Abstract: A yogurt maker which requires only hot tap water at the proper temperature and a yogurt preparation to produce a natural yogurt without the need for an external heat source to promote incubation. The maker is constituted by a can which houses a Dewar flask, the can having a removable cover provided with a chromatic liquid crystal cell that serves to test the hot tap water to be sure that it is at the correct temperature before it is poured into the flask to be mixed with the yogurt preparation. The hot water mixture is maintained by the flask at the incubation temperature for a period indicated by a scale on the cover, which scale is settable relative to start and stop points on the can. Upon completion of incubation, the flask containing the yogurt is withdrawn from the can and refrigerated.

Abstract: An apparatus for the temperature control of flowable chocolate, such apparatus comprising a rotor rotating in a temperature-controlled housing and having means which bear resiliently against the housing and which wipe the chocolate away from the housing during rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous manufacture of cheese starting with the ultrafiltration retentate of milk or a milk product until the solids content is approximately that of the desired cheese. Additional constituents such fat are added so that the resulting cheese precursor or precheese has solids content and fat to solids ratio substantially the same as the desired cheese. The cheese precursor is heated and mixed with rennet. The rate of flow of this mixture into a coagulation cylinder is controlled so that the flow in the coagulation cylinder is laminar throughout. The temperature of the cylinder wall is maintained slightly below that of entering mixture so as to obtain, in equilibrium, the formation of a coagulation front which is substantially plane and at right angles to the axis of the coagulation cylinder, thereby homogenizing the texture of the resulting curd. The cylinder cross section is approximately that of the desired cheese.

Abstract: The present invention discloses and provides a fully automatic continuous processing system and apparatus for producing fibrous cheeses of the pizza or mozzarella type, either for immediate consumption or for use in preparing other products. The system has been designed in a modular form such that benefits associated with each component part of the system may be selectively acquired, without the need to acquire the entire system itself at one time. Means are provided for milling curd, accumulating the curd and then cooking it, conveying the cooked product to molding means, automatically molding and form cooling the product in apparatus that positively ejects same to a cooling and/or brining bath, salting the cheese product, and automatically vacuum packaging same in known commercial vacuum packing machines for delivery.

Abstract: Machine adapted to be incorporated in a refrigeration chamber of a refrigerator to make ice cream, comprising means for containing an ice cream mix in an agitation vessel and agitating the same, and means for causing an air layer on the outer surface of the agitation vessel to move. The provision of the air layer moving means is effective to promote heat exchange between the outer surface of the agitation vessel and the cold air in the refrigeration chamber by forcedly moving the air layer which might otherwise interfere with the exchange of heat between the outer surface of the agitation vessel and the cold air in the refrigeration chamber.

Abstract: A conditioning machine for chocolate masses wherein a pump forces the mass through a stack of cooling stages forming a cylinder, each having cooled top and bottom walls connected to a coolant recirculating system, each stage containing scrapers revolving about the cylinder axis for continuously detaching the mass from the cooling surfaces, each stage having two scrapers axially urged apart by an interposed spring.

Abstract: A self-timing yogurt maker is used in combination with a container holding a mixture of milk and yogurt starter culture at an initial temperature between 120.degree. and 145.degree. F. The yogurt maker comprises an insulated wall forming an interior cavity enclosing said container and contents, said insulated wall having thermal properties which allow said initial temperature of the container and contents to decline, at average room temperature, to approximately 90.degree. F. over a period of 9 hours. The method of making exceptionally mild, low acid yogurt comprises heating milk to temperature from 120.degree. to 145.degree. F., adding yogurt starter culture, placing the mixture in a container and capping the container, and cooling the container contents in said yogurt maker by a natural temperature decline to approximately 90.degree. F. at the end of approximately 9 hours.

Abstract: Annular concentric jets of steam and a liquid to be sterilized, respectively, are contacted with each other in a jet nozzle; and the resulting annular jet of steam-heated liquid is swept along both its inside and its outside by two additional annular jets of cold liquid concentric to the first-mentioned jets, thereby preventing material from the liquid to be sterilized from burning onto surfaces of the jet nozzle.

Abstract: Yogurt and other fermented milk products are prepared in a continuous process in which a continuous stream of milk is added to a fermenting mixture of milk and a starter in a prefermenting tank. The pH of the mixture in the prefermenting tank is maintained above the value at which stirring of the mixture will cause syneresis to occur in the final product. A portion of the prefermented mixture is passed into a coagulating tank in which further fermentation and coagulation can take place. In the coagulating tank, the mixture, when its pH surpasses the acidity at which stirring will no longer cause syneresis, is subjected to shearing forces and thereafter filled into containers to produce the final product.