Abstract: Rotary apparatus and a related method for removing foreign and undesirable material from composite cans during the manufacturing operation includes a pair of rotatable plates having an axis of rotation and outwardly-extending fingers faced about the periphery thereof, and a plurality of reciprocating plungers arranged alongside the periphery of the plates and generally parallel with the axis of rotation, the plungers being rotated with the plates about a common drive shaft. The rearward end of each plunger engages a cam race for extending the plungers into and out of composite cans positioned about the periphery of the plate only during a portion of each revolution of rotation of the plate, in order to remove trim ring scrap and other foreign objects from the cans.

Abstract: Pull tabs for easy open containers are fabricated so as to avoid the presence of burrs after severing the carrier lugs, by removing each tab from the carrier sheet by severing each lug and a portion of the tab next adjacent the lug extremity, so that the burrs are avoided. Each radius has a dimension along the periphery of the tab which is slightly greater than the width of the severed lug, and with each radius located along a portion of the periphery of the tab which remains uncurled during the fabrication process.

Abstract: A method, and the product rendered by the method, for processing citrus fruit to tenderize the intermediate membrane between adjacent fruit sections includes heating canned citrus sections containing membranes to an elevated center can temperature in order to tenderize the membrane, but in which the cooking process is insufficient to appreciably damage the juice sacs in the fruit sections adjacent to the membrane.

Abstract: Deriving carotenoid coloring agents from citrus by extracting the natural peel oil from the flavedo of the fruit, treating the oil to remove the undesirable sterols, coumarins and other undesirable waxes therein, and thereafter deterpenating the de-waxed oil by successively folding the oil to a concentration of at least 15-fold in order to remove the major portion of the limonene therein. The de-waxed and deterpenated oil is then distilled under vacuum in a molecular still at a pressure between about 10 microns to 1.0 millimeters of mercury, and at a temperature of between 90.degree. to 120.degree. C to remove the balance of the unwanted constituents and to provide the desired concentrated carotenoids as an output thereof.