Abstract: Articles of frozen confectionery which provide a spiral pattern are obtained by extruding frozen confectionery material through a plurality of nozzle member tubes which are aligned successively and which each have a shape to provide a product which has a shape which includes an arc portion and a tangent portion, the arc portion extending from the tangent portion so that the arc portion is defined thereby as two semi-circular portions of differing diameter connected by the tangent portion. Each successive tube of the plurality of aligned tubes has an interior cross-section hollow larger than the cross-section hollow of the preceding tube, and each preceding tube is fitted into the succeeding tube to deliver extrudate within the suceeding tube and additional frozen confectionery material is introduced into each successive tube to add layers to the product.

Abstract: Fluid substances, particularly substances having differing viscosities, are combined and mixed by first segmenting a flow of a first fluid material to form a flowing segmented substance matrix containing a network of voids, such as by passing the flow through a plate having a plurality of passages therethrough and a second fluid substance is discharged into the segmented flow at a position which is substantially centrally disposed with respect to a cross-section of the segmented flow to combine the substance and additive, and then, the combined flow is mixed. The combined flow may be compressed and then mixed or may be compressed and then expanded prior to mixing. Additionally, a flow of a substance from a source such as an extruder may be partitioned into a plurality of streams and then, at least one of the streams is treated as specified above.

Abstract: An oil containing a spice extract which has antioxidant activity is prepared by mixing a spice extract contained in a polar solvent with an oil, evaporating the polar solvent from the mixture, adding a non-polar solvent to the mixture, to dilute the mixture and to precipitate constituents of the mixture, and stirring to obtain a homogenized non-polar solvent/extract/oil mixture, separating precipitate from that mixture and then evaporating the non-polar solvent phase to obtain an oil containing spice extract. The oil containing the spice extract may be mixed with further polar solvent containing the spice extract, after which the process is repeated to enrich the final oil product with spice extract.

Abstract: A process for providing aroma in a container for a product such as instant coffee. Empty, open-topped containers are conveyed one after the other to beneath an aroma spraying station which contains at least one spraying nozzle. Once an open-topped container is positioned substantially beneath a spraying nozzle, the spraying nozzle is activated and aroma is dispensed into the open top of the container while the open-topped container continues to be conveyed. The aroma is dispensed in the form of fine droplets to coat the inner side walls of the open-topped container. The spraying is then discontinued while the open-topped container is still beneath the spraying nozzle. The container may then be transferred to a filling station where product may be filled into the container. In this way, aroma may be incorporated into a product at production rates of 200 to 500 containers per minute.

Abstract: A carton has a top wall having eight side edges which circumscribe a top wall surface area and a bottom wall having four side edges which circumscribe a bottom wall surface area. Four trapezoidal side walls, each having a major edge, a minor edge and two side edges, extend between the top wall and the bottom wall, such that the major edges of the sidewalls abut, respectively, adjacent of the side edges of the bottom wall and such that the minor edges of the sidewalls abut, respectively, alternate of the side edges of the top wall. The carton has four triangular corner wall portions, each having a base, which abuts the top wall at a position displaced inwardly from one of the top wall edges that does not abut one of the minor edges of the side walls, and two sides, one of which abuts one of the side edges of one of the adjacent side walls. A device for opening the carton is positioned in one of the trapezoidal side walls, and a line of weakness is positioned in the bottom wall or in the top wall.

Abstract: Chocolate-based confectionery products having improved heat-resistance are prepared by mixing a polyol gel in particulate form with a flowable chocolate or a flowable mixture of ingredients for preparing a chocolate or chocolate-type composition in an amount to obtain a product having, based upon the product weight, a polyol content of from 0.2% to 60% by weight.

Abstract: A seasoning agent is prepared by adding water to a koji and hydrolyzing at a temperature of from 2.degree. C. to 25.degree. C. at a pH of from 4.5 to 10 for a time of from 6 hours to 28 days. Salt is added to the hydrolyzed koji to form a moromi, which is fermented.

Abstract: An overrun milk product is prepared by combining whole milk and skimmed milk powder to obtain a milk composition, inoculating the milk composition with microcrystalline lactose, admixing at least one sugar with the inoculated composition and heating the sugar-containing composition for a time and at a temperature sufficient to obtain a pasteurized aqueous phase. The pasteurized aqueous phase is admixed with a fatty phase at a temperature sufficient to form an emulsion, and the emulsion is overrun.

Abstract: A garniture applying apparatus includes a container having a wall, which circumscribes a container interior, and a base, which has a plurality of cavities for feeding garniture from the container interior through the base. A housing is affixed to the container adjacent the base, and positioned within the housing is at least one slidably reciprocable plate having a plurality of apertures positioned so that, upon reciprocation of the plate, the apertures reciprocate into and out of alignment with the base cavities to open and close the base cavities for feeding garniture from the cavities through the plate. A plurality of flexible tubes are attached to the housing for receiving garniture from the plate, each tube being in alignment with a respective one of the base cavities and extending away from the housing to a fixed end positioned for depositing garniture.

Abstract: Articles of ice confectionery are prepared in a cavity formed by a complementary countermould and master mould assembly into which a composition for forming an ice confectionery is introduced. The assembly is cooled for freezing the confectionery composition which then is demoulded in two steps wherein the countermould is heated and removed first and the master mould is heated second for removal of the frozen article.

Abstract: Ice nucleation is promoted in an ingestible biological material by treating the material with an ice-nucleating protein carried by a yeast or lactococcal GRAS microorganism, or a fraction thereof, transformed by a plasmid vector carrying a gene coding for the ice-nucleating protein.

Abstract: An apparatus assembly for heating a product has a tunnel and microwave generators positoned for generating a microwave field zone within the tunnel. A conveyor belt extends within the tunnel for passing a product through the tunnel. A plate formed of a material impermeable to microwaves is positioned in the tunnel so that an entire width of the belt passes over the plate in the microwave field zone so that microwave energy is reflected away from the belt. In addition, heating elements for generating an infrared energy zone and a further conveyor belt may be positioned so that a product passed through the tunnel then is passed by the further conveyor belt through the infrared energy zone.

Abstract: A powder-form composition of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline incorporated with a support of maltodextrin and/or cyclodextrin. The composition is prepared by hydrolyzing a 2-(1-alkoxyethenyl)-1-pyrroline with an acid to obtain a reaction medium, adding an equimolar amount of a base to the reaction medium to obtain a neutralized reaction medium containing 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, combining maltodextrin and/or cyclodextrin with the neutralized reaction medium to obtain a support solution and freeze-drying the support solution to obtain the composition.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparation of a layered food product has two conveyor belts, wherein a first conveyor belt is positioned beneath a second conveyor belt, and has a first guide for guiding a plurality of strips of a food material so that one strip is guided onto the first conveyor belt and another strip is guided to the second conveyor belt for transport by the conveyor belts. The conveyor belts extend so that the second conveyor belt has an end positioned above the first conveyor belt at a position between the ends of the first conveyor belt, and a product-forming strip guide is positioned to guide a strip delivered from the end of the second conveyor belt for deposit onto a strip transported on the first conveyor belt for forming a layered food product.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical delivery system includes a dispenser pack containing a pharmaceutical composition. The composition includes a pharmaceutical active principle homogeneously distributed in a water-dispersible gel excipient containing an acrylamide or acrylamidine gelling agent.

Abstract: A dairy composition is prepared by ultrafiltering or microfiltering a skimmed milk to obtain a retentate having a skimmed milk/retentate volume ratio of from 3-6 and by mixing lactose with the retentate to provide a composition having nonfat dry matter solids in an amount of from 20% to 30% by weight and which has by weight, based upon a weight of non-fat solids in the composition, from 33% to 36% protein, from 48% to 58% lactose and from 3% to 5% minerals, wherein the calcium content is from 75% to 100% that of the milk, a phosphorous content is from 50% to 75% that of the milk, a sodium content is from 5% to 20% that of the milk, a potassium content is from 5% to 20% that of the milk, and a citrate content is from 10% to 30% that of the milk.

Abstract: A dosing apparatus has a tap member and a housing member. The tap member has opposing planar surfaces which extend between opposing sides, and an aperture extends through the tap member from one opposing surface to the other. The housing member has a base plate which has opposing planar surfaces and an opening which extends through the base plate from one opposing base plate surface to the other. Two opposing housing member sidewalls each extend from the base plate and have a groove which slidably engages two opposing sides of the tap member so that the tap member is positioned between the sidewall so that one tap member planar surface faces one base plate planar surface and so that the housing member is slidably reciprocative in two opposing directions along the tap member opposing sides. The tap member aperture and base plate opening are positioned so that upon sliding of the housing member in one direction of reciprocation, the base plate opening is positioned in communication with the tap member aperture.

Abstract: A process for encapsulating an aroma or flavour for a beverage. An oil-in-water emulsion is formed from a hydrolyzed vegetable oil, an aqueous medium, and a water-soluble, carbohydrate-based, film forming agent. A sufficient amount of the film forming agent is added so that the aqueous phase of the emulsion contains at least 50% by weight of the film forming agent. The oil-in-water emulsion is sprayed onto a soluble beverage powder whereupon the aqueous layer of each droplet rapidly desiccates to form the capsules; the moisture content of soluble beverage powder after spraying being less than 5% by weight. In use, the soluble beverage powder is dissolved in hot water to release the aroma or flavour.

Abstract: Bifidobacterium breve CNCM I-1226, Bifidobacterium infantis CNCM I-227 and Bifidobacterium longum CNCM I-1228 adhere to and competitively exclude pathogenic bacteria from Caco-2 cells. The strains may be incorporated into yogurts, acidified milks and other food compositions.

Abstract: A tank apparatus has at least one set of three rollers suitable for being positioned therein, one roller of each set having a density less than a density of water so that the roller is floatable in water, and the two other rollers being movable rollers capable of reciprocating vertically from a position above to a position below the floatable roller.