Abstract: Frozen taquitos are made on a commercial scale by preparing a flour-based tortilla dough, shaping that dough into generally circular tortillas, baking the tortillas, applying a strip of filling to each baked tortilla, rolling the baked tortilla around the filling to form a filled tortilla, coating the tortilla with batter, frying the batter-coated filled tortillas, and freezing them. To reconstitute, the frozen taquito can be heated in a microwave oven.

Abstract: A frozen French fried potato product possessing unique taste characteristics is manufactured by producing potato pieces having a desired shape, frying the potato pieces, freezing the potato pieces, and applying a topical addition to the frozen potato pieces. The topical addition is preferably an encapsulated topical addition in which a water soluble ingredient other than salt is encapsulated in an encapsulation material. To impart sweet taste characteristics to the frozen French fried potato product, the topical addition is an encapsulated sugar. The resulting frozen French fried potato product is constituted by potato pieces that have been fried and frozen, with the topical addition such as encapsulated sugar applied to the outer surface of the frozen French fried potato pieces.

Abstract: An edible product in accordance with the present invention involves an edible inner component made from a first material and an edible outer cover component substantially completely encapsulating the edible inner component. In one form of the invention, the inner component is in the form of a hairball treatment for cats and the outer component is a dough-like material. A system for producing the edible product includes a first material source for supplying a first edible material to form the inner component of the edible product, a second material source for supplying a second edible material to form the outer component of the edible product, and an extruder for continuously coextruding the first edible material and the edible second material to produce an elongated rope of edible product. A crimping apparatus receives the longitudinal rope extruded from the extruder for crimping the longitudinal rope to separate the longitudinal rope into individual edible products.

Abstract: A potato product includes potato pieces possessing unique color characteristics through the addition of a food grade color selected from, individually or in combination; xanthine, monoazo, pyrazolone, triphenylmethane, or indigoid color compounds or aluminum salts of xanthine, monoazo, pyrazolone, triphenylmethane and indigoid color compounds extended on a substratum of alumina hydrate. The potato pieces can be formed potato pieces produced by, for example, extruding a potato mixture in which is incorporated the food grade color. Alternatively, the potato pieces can be immersed in a batter solution containing the food grade color. The potato pieces can also be provided with flavoring characteristics by adding flavoring agents to the potato mixture or the batter solution.

Abstract: A recloseable bag for marinading food including a flexible plastic sheet having side edges, a flexible foil sheet having side edges and sealed to the flexible plastic sheet along the edges of the sheets to form a generally rectangular bag having first and second ends and opposed sides, a recloseable closure joining the flexible plastic sheet and the flexible foil sheet adjacent the first end of the bag, and an arcuate rupturable seal extending from one opposed side to another opposed side and joining the flexible plastic sheet and the flexible foil sheet. The arcuate rupturable seal, the opposed sides, and the second end form a marinade storage compartment. A top of the arcuate rupturable seal is approximately centrally located between the opposite sides, and the recloseable closure, the opposed sides, and the second end form a food storage compartment for marinating food upon opening of the arcuate rupturable seal.

Abstract: An edible product in accordance with the present invention involves an edible inner component made from a first material and an edible outer cover component substantially completely encapsulating the edible inner component. In one form of the invention, the inner component is in the form of a hairball treatment for cats and the outer component is a dough-like material. A system for producing the edible product includes a first material source for supplying a first edible material to form the inner component of the edible product, a second material source for supplying a second edible material to form the outer component of the edible product, and an extruder for continuously coextruding the first edible material and the edible second material to produce an elongated rope of edible product. A crimping apparatus receives the longitudinal rope extruded from the extruder for crimping the longitudinal rope to separate the longitudinal rope into individual edible products.

Abstract: A safe container end closure includes an annular central lid portion, an annular peripheral lid portion, and a score line joining the annular central lid portion to the annular peripheral lid portion to permit removal of the central lid portion from the peripheral lid portion. A opening tab is secured to the central lid portion for pivoting movement relative to the central lid portion, with the opening tab having a nose positioned adjacent the score line so that upon pivoting of the opening tab the nose of the opening tab causes a portion of the score line to sever. The closure is formed so that upon removal of the central lid portion, at least the sharp edge on the removed central lid portion is rendered safe.

Abstract: A safe container end closure includes an annular central lid portion, an annular peripheral lid portion, and a score line joining the annular central lid portion to the annular peripheral lid portion to permit removal of the central lid portion from the peripheral lid portion. A opening tab is secured to the central lid portion for pivoting movement relative to the central lid portion, with the opening tab having a nose positioned adjacent the score line so that upon pivoting of the opening tab the nose of the opening tab causes a portion of the score line to sever. The closure is formed so that upon removal of the central lid portion, at least the sharp edge on the removed central lid portion is rendered safe.

Abstract: A multi-pack comprising a plurality of containers, each having a respective label attached thereto, and packaging for holding said plurality of containers together, wherein the packaging is formed from a strip of sheet material which also constitutes at least part of said labels, and the packaging includes a plurality of connecting portions each of which extends from one to the other of a respective contiguous pair of the containers to join those containers together.

Abstract: A disposable muffin tray is used in a baking process having a baking step using a spiral oven with a water bath therein. Hot air is directed into close surface contact with the water pool and then into cross-flow relationship with the muffin trays to effect baking of muffin batter.

Abstract: A shrink wrapped package which provides improved aesthetics in the shrink wrapping of a stack of articles. A stack of articles are received within a sleeve which surrounds the stack of articles and maintains them in stacked relation. One of the end articles in the stack has sidewalls which are spaced from the sleeve. The end of the sleeve adjacent the end article has pivotable panels dependent therefrom, which are moveable from a position spaced from the sidewall of the end article into abutment with the sidewall of the end article. The articles are received in the sleeve with the panels spaced form the article sidewall, and the sleeve is then wrapped in a sheet of shrinkable material. Upon shrinkage of the shrinkable material, the material pulls the flaps into contact with the article sidewall, and the shrinkable material conforms smoothly to the contour of the sleeve without inward bending or warping of the sleeve.

Abstract: A muffin tray made from modified crystalline polyethylene terephthalate has a plurality of baking wells with heat-transfer inhibiting bottoms, and protruding circumferential ridges to accommodate differential thermal expansion while limiting related distortion. The muffin tray is used in a baking process having a baking step using a spiral oven with a water bath therein. Hot air is directed into close surface contact with the water pool and then into cross-flow relationship with the muffin trays to effect baking of muffin batter.

Abstract: A soup concentrate to be mixed with hot water to produce a soup product comprising a combination of a cooked starch slurry, a raw starch and at least one of food particles, flavoring and spices. The soup concentrate has Bostwick Value of between about 0.5 and about 5.0 cm at 40.degree. F. to enable it to be mixed in and dispensed from a machine.

Abstract: A shrink wrapped package which provides improved aesthetics in the shrink wrapping of a stack of articles. A stack of articles are received within a sleeve which surrounds the stack of articles and maintains them in stacked relation. One of the end articles in the stack has sidewalls which are spaced from the sleeve. The end of the sleeve adjacent the end article has pivotable panels dependent therefrom, which are moveable from a position spaced from the sidewall of the end article into abutment with the sidewall of the end article. The articles are received in the sleeve with the panels spaced form the article sidewall, and the sleeve is then wrapped in a sheet of shrinkable material. Upon shrinkage of the shrinkable material, the material pulls the flaps into contact with the article sidewall, and the shrinkable material conforms smoothly to the contour of the sleeve without inward bending or warping of the sleeve.