Abstract: An openable and recloseable tamper evident bag tag is disclosed. Initial opening of a transparent plastic bag provided with the invention breaks frangible connections of end tabs wrapped and adhesively secured around vertical edges of a folded double sectional or triple sectional support member and unsealed bag opening. Tampering is easily discernable from the jagged edges of the broken frangible connections which are formed when the sections of the support member are unfolded. Once opened, the bag can be reclosed and secured by folding the bag opening and sections of the support member together and folding a tin-tie which overlies the end tabs around the vertical edges of the folded bag opening and sectioned support member.

Abstract: The invention is a selective diverting device for diverting an individual cookie from one conveyor belt path to another location. It is preferably used in combination with a sensing device, such as a weigher, optical sensor, color sensor, or the like, the sensor selecting out "rejected" articles and actuating the diverting member.The diverting member itself comes in three embodiments, all similar, and a fourth embodiment which is somewhat different. The first three embodiments include a pivotable conveyor-belt device which is automatically actuated (as by a piston or the like) to pivot out of the main conveyor belt path when a "reject" article is located thereon. In the fourth embodiment, the "reject" conveyor belt is a retractable device, not pivotable, and is for articles having a greater length than the spacing between two rollers (since relatively large gaps occur in this embodiment).

Abstract: An apparatus for handling articles has a rotatable table. A pivotable tray support is attached to the rotatable table. The tray support has a slab-like member for entering rear portions of trays to provide resilient support for the trays. The resilient supporting of the trays avoids damage to articles being loaded in the trays. The tray support has a lower surface for supporting the trays. The trays are unloaded by pivoting the tray support.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling articles has an accumulator with a plurality of spaced apart conveyors to permit crumbs to drop between the conveyors. A plurality of separators are located between the conveyors to separate and guide the articles into columns on the conveyors. A movable stop member is located near a conveyor for conveying articles away from the accumulator. The stop member forms columns in the accumulator by preventing passage of the articles out of the accumulator. A sensor and a controller detects and releases a sufficient number of articles in the columns.

Abstract: L-aspartic acid sweetening agent derivatives are stabilized in comestibles containing .gtoreq.2% moisture by being formulated with cooked aqueous hydrogenated starch hydrolysate having a moisture content of 10.+-.6%. Optionally, glycerine may also be used.

Abstract: A dry hard canine biscuit having visually apparent, discrete particles, which contain (i) meat and/or meat by-product and/or (ii) farinaceous material and/or textured vegetable protein, distributed substantially uniformly throughout the biscuit is obtained by blending the non-fat solids portion of a canine biscuit dough with the particles which are substantially inert with respect to the dog biscuit dough, mixing the dry-blended mixture with water and with the fat portion of the pet biscuit dough to form a dough, forming the dough using low shear into pieces, and baking and drying the formed pieces to obtain a microbiologically stable product which can be packaged without a barrier material. The particle inertness is made possible by using particles having: (1) a moisture content of 35 percent by weight or less and (2) a water activity which is less than the water activity of said biscuit dough.

Abstract: A package for carrying, dispensing and reheating hot fried foods is disclosed. The package comprises an inner and an outer layer. The inner layer is a grease-absorbent layer and the outer layer is grease-resistant and flame retardant. The layers are preferably made from paper. The layers are connected only at two points, e.g., top and bottom, to provide for insulating, circulating air between the two-plies. The invention is able to insulate against loss of heat, allows for the venting of steam to prevent sogginess, absorbs grease on the inside to prevent sogginess, is grease resistant on the outside to prevent grease staining, has structural integrity and is cost effective. The invention is able to provide a reheating package for both microwave and conventional ovens.

Abstract: Active dried yeast is prepared using an osmotically active aqueous solution of a water soluble salt of magnesium or calcium in an initial salt treatment of the yeast cream. The resulting active dried yeast shows greater retention of activity in the final drying step than corresponding active dried yeasts obtained using osmotically active solutions of sodium and potassium salts in the same first step.

Abstract: A cam actuator in a creme sandwich filling machine having a rotating annular drum containing four rows of pistons for extracting filling material from a hopper and depositing a layer of the material on a base cake. A series of identical cams are mounted on a shaft coaxial with the drum, and the pistons are moved radially with respect to the drum by cam followers engaging the cams. The cams are formed so that translation thereof along the axis of the drum brings the cam followers into contact with a different cam contour to adjust the stroke of the pistons.

Abstract: The invention provides a shelf-stable paste-filled shredded cereal biscuits having an extended shelf-stable plurality of textures. A first plurality of net-like sheets of cereal dough are continuously laminated, followed by continuous depositing of at least one extrudate rope filling upon the first plurality of net-like sheets. A second plurality of net-like sheets is continuously laminated upon the at least one extrudate rope to obtain a filled laminate. Each of the net-like sheets has a plurality of generally parallel longitudinal strands and a plurality of crosshatchings which are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal strands. The filled laminate is cut to enrobe the filling and the product is baked. The number of crosshatchings of the net-like sheets adjacent to the filling is greater than the number of crosshatchings of the net-like sheets which are further removed from the filling.

Abstract: Baked goods comprising a base portion and a filling or upper portion are prepared by applying the filling or upper portion dough to the base portion so that the filling or dough penetrates grooves in the dough of the base portion, then is baked in place to cause the two portions to adhere and bond together. A pet egg treat embodiment has the general shape of a longitudinal or transverse slice of hard-boiled egg. The yolk portion contains egg yolk solids, while the outer egg-shaped portion contains flour, egg solids and any type of nutritious meal, including meat meal or the like. The treat is hard and helps to clean pets' teeth and gums, and provides chewing exercise for pets. The product preferably has the appearance of a slice of a hard-boiled egg.

Abstract: Dough pieces are produced in high volume by a plurality of dual extruders spaced across a conveyor and each having a pair of extrusion nozzles aligned in the direction of conveyor travel. A cut-off mechanism severs the dough extrusions to deposit dough pieces on the conveyor. The speed of the conveyor is related to the speed of the cut-off mechanism so that the dough pieces produced by each extruder form a single uniformly spaced line. The extruders are fed from a common supply through individual inlets and means are provided to balance the flow through the nozzles.

Abstract: A ribbon gas burner for use in a baking oven has a row of gas apertures disposed between two rows of air apertures through which air is forced under pressure. The streams of air issuing from the two rows of air apertures are inclined inwardly towards the gas stream, thereby lengthening the ribbon flame produced by the burner and improving the uniformity of heating within the band oven.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming an edible product. The apparatus includes an inside tube, an outside tube extending along and around the inside tube, and a plurality of deflector plates extending across the passageway between the tubes. A first edible material is conducted through the inside tube, and a second edible material is conducted through the passageway between the inside and outside tubes. The deflector plates guide that second material into longitudinally extending spaced apart strands, and also form longitudinally extending spaced apart zones substantially free of the second edible material. The first edible material expands into those zones to form a product having alternating outside strands of the edible materials.

Abstract: An edible composition is provided which is useful for binding solid food ingredients such as nuts, fruit, cereals and the like into flexible, moist bars. The binder composition comprises about 5-10% water, about 15-30% fat, and a mixture of sucrose and partially caramelized non-crystallizing sugar in a weight ratio of about 1:0.8-3.

Abstract: In a method of operating a co-extruder, a co-extrusion die used during a co-extrusion mode of operation is replaced by a simple extrusion die which is used during a simple extrusion mode of operation. The co-extruder has a pair of juxtaposed outlets one of which is blocked by the simple extrusion die during utilization thereof.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling the ripening of fresh fruit, a stack of fruit boxes is spiral wound with a transparent synthetic resin strip around the four vertically oriented faces of the box stack. The boxes within the stack have openings on their upper and lower faces which register with corresponding openings in vertically adjacent boxes to permit a vertical movement of an air-ethylene mixture through the stack. A plastic cap or lid is disposed on top of the stack of boxes and is provided with a blower for drawing air vertically through the stack from the bottom thereof. An air-conditioning unit and an ethylene containing bottle may be disposed in a unit on which a pallet supporting the stack of boxes rests. Effluent air or a mixture of air and ethylene is fed back to the air-conditioning unit via a conduit on the outside of the wrapped stack of boxes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing laminated products, such as candy, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of continuously forming a semifluid sheet of a first material on a longitudinally extending conveyor, depositing a semifluid second material on the sheet of the first material, continuously rolling the sheet from the edges thereof inwardly to form a double roll extending longitudinally along the conveyor, and flattening the roll into a laminated sheet product. The method further includes the steps of forming the sheet into a "rope" of substantially smaller width than the sheet by folding the sheet over itself from the edges of the sheet and allowing the rope to move transversely across a slower moving conveyor so that the rope bunches up on the conveyor. The rope is then flattened by a roller. The method also includes the step of causing the sheet to longitudially fold over itself so as to form laminations.