Abstract: A carton of unitary structure which is adapted for heating food, especially frozen food, in a microwave oven. An openable removable top flap for the carton is formed by partially scoring the outer and inner surfaces of the top panel and providing slit lines or foraminating the front flap. The slit lines of foraminations in the front flap, preferably herringbone slit lines formed into the surface of the carton, extend from locations at a top flap crease in the top panel to positions adjacent a lifting tab portion provided at the free edge of the front flap. A pair of spaced apart first and second score lines are formed in the upper surface of the top panel along the crease line forming the folding edges of the side flaps and along the back flap, whereas a pair of third and fourth score lines in the lower surface are closely spaced apart from and in parallel with but wider spread apart than the first and second score lines.

Abstract: A thin, transparent coffee glass is disclosed which is prepared by forming a mixture containing above 4% to 12% water and about 88% to above 96% total coffee derived solids. These solids can further contain up to 20% hydrolyzed mannan and oligomers having a DP from 1 to 10 and up to 10% coffee cellulosic sugars. The coffee melt is characterized by having a glass transition temperature between 30.degree. C. to 80.degree. C. The coffee melt is heated to a temperature of 60.degree. C. to 130.degree. C. and extruded into a thin continuous film, stretched to further form a thin film which is rapidly cooled into a hard coffee glass which is shiny on both sides, dark in color and transparent. This transparent glass is then dried to a stable moisture content. The coffee glass provides a shiny appearance to any coffee product it is combined with an is an excellent means of entrapping and protecting coffee aromas. Furthermore, the coffee glass provides a means for shaping numerous new coffee products.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for drying or otherwise treating materials within a controlled environment are provided. Included is a combination of features that imparts a fluidized state to particulate materials on a foraminous conveyor belt, which features also permit selecting other modes of operation including downflow of treating gas to and through the foraminous conveyor belt and upflow of treating gas to and through the foraminous conveyor belt. By this arrangement, a single apparatus can be used to accomplish a plurality of different treatments by selectively adjusting treatment variables.

Abstract: A method of continuously decaffeinating moistened, green coffee solids with supercritical carbon dioxide. Moistened, green coffee beans are moved periodically through an extraction vessel and contacted with continuously flowing supercritical carbon dioxide which extracts caffeine from the moist, green coffee beans. Caffeine is removed from the supercritical carbon dioxide by counter-current contact with wash water in an open vessel. The caffeine-depleted supercritical carbon dioxide is recirculated back to the extraction vessel and the caffeine-bearing wash water is subjected to concentration by reverse osmosis. Acidic, substantially caffeine-free permeate is directed back to the extraction system as wash water, or to moisturize the green coffee beans prior to extraction, or both.

Abstract: A beverage is prepared employing a package containing at least one beverage ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee. The package (10;200) is located at a brewing station, the package is pierced by a tool (49;248) to form an outlet opening (38;202) in the package, an aqueous medium, e.g. hot water, is introduced into the package, the aqueous medium is allowed to commingle with the beverage ingredient, and the beverage so formed is collected through the outlet formed in the package. The piercing tool is employed both to form the outlet opening, and to fold the material (117;204) surrounding the opening out of the path of the beverage which subsequently emerges through the outlet opening.

Abstract: The present invention provides a container for storing, preserving and dispensing flowable comestible products. A floatingly retained, insulation lid tracks the level of the beverage and prevents oxidation, loss of volatiles and contamination of a beverage contained therein. The liquid food product may be disposed by one-handed pouring with the lid retained therein.

Abstract: Aseptically-packaged pudding products are produced wherein the pudding additionally contains a protein aggregating agent selected from the group consisting of heat-coaguable protein, food acids, food acid salts, food bases, food base salts and combinations thereof. The puddings are particularly useful for making layered pudding products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process to recover beneficial coffee volatiles such as diacetyl and acetaldehyde from an aroma stream generated by the thermal hydrolysis of spent grounds. The aroma stream is passed over a bed of a non-polar microporous adsorbent and effluent is collected until breakthrough of furfural is detected. The invention also relates to the composition of the recovered/purified coffee aroma and to soluble coffee products containing the coffee aroma.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with preparing and preserving fresh stuffed pasta which maintains its freshness for up to 120 days comprising, preparing a uniform blend having a moisture of up to 33%, conditioning the uniform blend by compacting same into a sheet having thickness of at least 0.04 inches; preparing a filled mix for the dough; feeding the conditioned dough and filling mix to "filling" machine to produce a filled pasta; pasteurizing the filled pasta by subjecting it to steam; cooling the pasteurized filled pasta to a temperature between 30.degree. F.; packaging the cooled pasteurized dough in a modified atmosphere environment; and storing the packaged dough for extended periods of time at temperatures ranging from 40.degree. F. to 50.degree. F.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of rapidly soluble DCP and TCP. The process comprises adding calcium to phosphoric acid, during continuous agitation, while regulating the pH and temperature. The resultant slurry is quickly dried. The TCP which is formed is rapidly soluble in an acidic aqueous solution, such as a dry beverage mix.

Abstract: A carton of unitary structure which is adapted for heating food, especially frozen food, in a microwave oven. An openable top flap for the carton is formed by partially scoring the outer and inner surfaces of the top panel and providing slit lines or foraminating the front flap. The slit lines or foraminations in the front flap, preferably herringbone slit lines formed into the surface of the carton, extend from locations at a top flap crease in the top panel to positions adjacent a lifting tab portion provided at the free edge of the front flap. A pair of spaced apart first and second score lines are formed in the upper surface of the top panel extending along the adjoining edges of said upper panel and side panels of the carton, whereas a pair of third and fourth lower score lines in closely spaced apart from and in parallel with but wider spread apart than the first and second score lines.

Abstract: The invention describes a refrigerated, frozen or shelf stable improved baked good which will substantially retain its palatability upon microwave heating. The improvement is accomplished by the incorporation into the baked good of an effective amount of a chemically-modified starch with the exception of modified starches which are cross-linked only. The chemically-modified starch is preferably a food acceptable acetylated starch, hydroxypropylated starch, succinylated starch, propylated starch or combination. The modified starch is incorporated in an amount sufficient to reduce deteriorization in the palatability of the baked good upon microwave heating, preferably from 5 to 30 baker's percent. The starches are derived from potato, corn, wheat, rice and combinations.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that is suitable for puffing a variety of different cereal material such as any cereal grain or cereal doughs or extrusions. A generally frusto-conical pressurizing chamber is provided with a nozzle component at its discharge end portion, which nozzle component is interchangeable with nozzle components having differing shapes and sizes depending upon the particular cereal material to be puffed or expanded. Steam injectors are tangentally oriented with respect to the pressurizing chamber, and they cooperate to provide a generally vortex-like discharge path for the cereal material out of the pressurizing chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with preparing and preserving fresh pasta which maintains its freshness for up to 120 days comprising, preparing a uniform blend having a moisture of up to 30%, conditioning the uniform blend by compacting same into a dough sheet having thickness of at least 0.03 inches; cutting the dough into its desired shape or form; subjecting the cut dough to dry heat to partially dry its external surface; pasteurizing the dough by subjecting it to steam; cooling the pasteurized dough to a temperature between 30.degree. F. and 50.degree. F.; packaging the cooled pasteurized dough in a modified atmosphere environment; and storing the packaged dough for extended periods of time at temperatures ranging from 40.degree. F. to 50.degree. F.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a machine for preparing a beverage employing a package (10;200) containing at least one beverage ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee. The machine has a point of entry (16;209) for the package into the machine, a brewing station within the machine at which the package is supplied with an aqueous medium to produce the required beverage, and drive means (24;217, 221, 222) which engage the package at the point of entry and convey the package to the brewing station. The drive means includes a coupling between a drive part (243;226) and a part (30;252) associated with the package, the coupling enabling the drive to the package to be engaged and disengaged and allowing the part associated with the package to move independently of the drive part.

Abstract: A flavored and sweetened aqueous beverage which rapidly rehydrates dehydrated individuals, containing specified amounts of water, sodium chloride, citric acid and APM.