Abstract: Food product pieces are formed with corrugations on opposite sides thereof, wherein the corrugations are substantially parallel and of substantially equal frequency and amplitude, and wherein the corrugations on one side are phase-shifted with respect to the corrugations on the opposite side by about 1/4 of the pitch distance of the corrugations. As a result, a food product piece with unique texture, flavor and appearance is produced after later cooking processes.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically closing L-slide lock cases travelling with the lateral axis in the direction of travel and stopped intermittently for closing includes selectively positionable support rods for defining a fold line in an open flap, a flap fold member for folding the open flap over the support rods line and moving the top edge of the open flap adjacent the L-slide locks, and a flap tucking member operable on the folded open flap to slide it into the L-slide lock and flatten out the fold. Each of the members may be driven by cylinders in an appropriate sequential manner to accomplish these folding and tucking operations.

Abstract: Diesters of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are hydrogen or alkyl of from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, and X and Y are alkyl, alkenyl or dienyl of from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms, useful as low calorie synthetic oils suitable for consumption by mammals.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a viscous slurry of seasoning or flavoring material to a moving tumbling bed of snack food and a tumbler drum utilizes a slurry pipe with a plurality of space nozzles and a companion air manifold with a plurality of corresponding air nozzles positioned adjacent the slurry nozzles to direct and atomize the slurry. The pipe and manifold are adjustable together, both axially and rotatably to direct and position the atomized spray of slurry.

Abstract: In the production of snacks such as chips from farinaceous dough, the dough is extruded into a ribbon, rope, web or the like which is partially fried and then cut into pieces. The pieces are further fried or processed to form the snacks.

Abstract: A conveyor for removing generally disc-shaped articles from a liquid and orienting the articles with their planes generally vertical includes an endless conveyor with a surface having a plurality of rods extending therefrom in a generally perpendicular orientation therewith. The rods are of at least two different lengths, and nearest adjacent rods are separated by a distance less than the average diameter of the articles. The rods are arranged on the surface in a pattern of varying heights wherein nearest adjacent rods are generally of different lengths.

Abstract: Cookie preforms are fed to a bakery oven in a manner which maximizes oven space and conveyor belt utilization by extruding a plurality of parallel ribbons of cookie dough extrudate onto a first conveyor belt, cutting the ribbons in a staggered pattern to form individual cookie preforms and feeding the preforms onto a second conveyor belt moving at a speed at least twice that of the first conveyor belt in order to separate successive preforms by at least the length of a cookie preform.

Abstract: The addition of a small amount of a lecithin-in-water suspension to the formulation of dough-based fried snack foods improves dough transfer, sheeting and cutting, and significantly reduces clumping during frying, without the rapid buildup of free fatty acids, and without significant darkening of frying oil normally associated with the frying of foods containing lecithin.

Abstract: A container handling system for distributing a plurality of elongated articles, such as tubular containers, from a source wherein an indexing conveyor is positioned to receive individual articles in a horizontal position from a group of articles, and is adapted to align a plurality of articles along its top surface for intermittent unloading of a selected number of the articles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a fin-type back seal on packages produced in a vertical form and fill machine utilizes a web having cohesive coating stripes on the edges thereof which are juxtapositioned by forming and then guided to a cold sealing zone. A cold seal assembly with a pressure-biased grooved roller and complementary platen apply rolling pressure to the cohesively striped area without the application of external heat to provide a good seal. The unit is adjustable universally so as provided adaptation to various styles and types of existing machines.

Abstract: A method for producing dry sweetened, wafer-thin sliced fruit or vegetable products by exposing only one surface of the slices to an aqueous solution containing a carbohydrate, an anti-browning agent, and an acid and drying in monolayers. The acidity of the finished product may be adjusted so that products appealing to sweet-loving palates or tart-loving palates may be easily produced. The aqueous solution may advantageously be sprayed on the upper surface of the sliced fruit or vegetable, rather than by soaking or steeping the slices, so that the slices maintain their structural integrity and the application of the solution is not a rate-limiting factor.

Abstract: An improved rotating tumbler drum for use in a snack food seasoning apparatus contains, along at least a portion of its length, a plurality of interior wall segments, each of which is constructed of a material having a coefficient of friction with the snack food items different from that of the segments with which it is contiguous. Snack food items such as potato chips are passed through the drum while the drum is rotated, resulting in a random tumbling motion due to differential friction with the various wall segments. Seasoning material is dispensed onto the randomly tumbling snack food items, so that the seasoning material is uniformly distributed.

Abstract: In a process of manufacturing low oil fried potato chips, potato slices are fried in oil or fat at a temperature of from about 280.degree. F. to about 320.degree. F., and removed from the oil or fat when the moisture content of the potato pieces is from about 3% to about 15% by weight. The fried potato slices are then contacted with an oil-removing blast of hot air at a temperature of from about 250.degree. F. to about 350.degree. F. for from about 1 to about 10 minutes until the moisture content of the fried potato product is reduced to about 2% by weight. The low temperature frying and blast of hot air reduces the oil content of the final product.

Abstract: An automatic form-and-fill packaging machine especially adapted for the ultrasonic sealing of food products in flexible bags from ultrasonically sealable flexible packaging material, and a method to utilize said machine. A packaging machine is provided with a first ultrasonic back seal forming unit for producing a continuous longitudinal back seal on the bag, and a second ultrasonic sealing unit provided in a pair of jaw members which are adapted to form the end seals of the bag perpendicular to the direction of travel of the packaging material. The second ultrasonic sealing unit is provided with a horn and an anvil in opposing jaw members, such that when the jaws are shut, the flexible packaging material is tensioned against sealing land areas to provide the end seals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supporting, guiding and temperature-treating a continuously moving rope of puff extruded farinaceous food material of generally C-shaped cross-section. The moving rope is supported and cooled from below by a stream of air exiting from openings in the upper edge of a former bar, which is positioned below the rope and extends into the concave portion of the cross-section. Air is directed downwardly onto the top and sides of the moving rope from a plenum chamber and nozzle assembly positioned above the moving rope.

Abstract: A packaging material has a peelable seal and a sealing of resin which is ultrasonically-sealable, but not readily heat-sealable backed by a backing layer of resin having a higher melting point than the sealing layer. The interlayer adhesion between the backing layer and the sealing layer is below the strength required to break the sealing layer. The thickness and material of the sealing material is utilized to control the seal strength of the peelable end seal of the package.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming and sealing bags in a continuous or intermittent manner where the bags can be filled during the forming operation. Specifically, there is disclosed an apparatus for supplying a sheet or film of bag material to a mechanism for forming the sheet into a tube having overlapping edges in a longitudinal direction. A series of plates are arranged in the forming apparatus for applying adhesive in spaced lines or strips on opposed surfaces of the overlapping edges. After the adhesive is applied in this manner the opposed surfaces of the overlapped edges are pressed together to seal the edges. The tube is sealed in a transverse direction at the bottom, filled in a conventional manner, sealed in a transverse direction at the top, and then cut to form the bag filled with food or other material, ready for distribution and sale.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuous rotary ultrasonic sealing of form and fill machines to produce packages utilizes a rotary anvil and cutter knife and an ultrasonic horn having adjustable simulated rotary motion movable in synchronism with the anvil for providing an end seal on packages.

Abstract: A form-and-fill packaging machine has a separator-folder at the cross-over for separating the web edges and folding one edge to form a fin seal in the back of the packaging tube. The separator-former is of one-piece construction generally U-shaped in section with an anti-friction surface. It reduces the effects of the friction of touching web surfaces and maintains direct control of the folding edge.

Abstract: In a process for manufacturing reduced calorie puffed snack products, edible meal or flour is mixed with hydrophilic polysaccharide coated microcrystalline cellulose and sufficient moisture to form a puff extrudable batter. The batter is cooked in a cooking extruder under puff extrusion cooking conditions and extruded to form collets. The collets may then be baked to reduce the moisture content of the collets to below about 2% by weight, sprayed with oil and dusted with flavoring. Microcrystalline cellulose coated with a hydrophilic polysaccharide does not inhibit the expansion (puffing) characteristics of the batter upon extrusion.