Abstract: An extrusion die for making shaped extrudate products has structure which defines a central duct which is convergent from a duct inlet opening to a duct outlet opening and has structure which defines a tubular extrusion duct co-axial with the central duct and which also is convergent from a duct inlet opening to a duct outlet opening. A feed diaphragm member has a portion which converges to an opening which opens to a distribution chamber which diverges so that substance being extruded is distributed to the central and tubular ducts. Diaphragms are provided in the ducts to delimit passage of extrudate substance into the ducts. Additionally, members are provided for altering the position of the central duct and its duct outlet relative to the second duct member and its outlet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a frozen food product having enhanced coupling properties with microwaves. The method involves providing a non-frozen food product, adding to the non-frozen food product an amount of carbon dioxide in the form of dry-ice, and freezing the food product containing the carbon dioxide to provide a frozen food product and allowing the carbon dioxide to sublime to form gas bubbles distributed within the frozen food product. The invention also relates to a frozen food product prepared by the method of the invention.

Abstract: An aromatized food package is provided by providing a package body member part which defines a first and second cavity, inserting a food product into the first cavity, dosing a liquid mixture of food-acceptable aroma and a carrier consisting essentially of low boiling point solvent, into the second cavity, pulling a vacuum within at least the second cavity to cause the solvent in the second cavity to substantially evaporate while leaving aroma composition within the cavity, and sealing the cavities with a cover so that the cavities are separated one from the other and which, when removed, opens both cavities.

Abstract: A food substance refill element for an automatic fluid dispensing device. The refill element includes a receptacle containing a quantity of the substance to be refilled into the fluid dispensing device and a closing member that cooperates with the receptacle to form a hermetically enclosed chamber. The closing member includes a detachment portion so that the closing member is at least partially detached from the receptacle when the refill element is introduced into the automatic fluid dispensing device or after the refill element has been introduced in the automatic fluid dispensing device. The invention also relates to a fluid dispensing device for use with the refill element.

Abstract: A powdered creamer which made up of agglomerated creamer particles. The creamer particles are each made up of a sweetener, a water-dispersible or water-soluble protein and an edible oil having a bland flavor and a melting point below 10° C. The powdered creamer is soluble in cold water.

Abstract: An article of manufacture that combines a squeezable food product and a packaging unit for storing and consuming of the food product. The squeezable food product includes a first food component forming a base component and a second food component forming a filling component. The first food component and the second food component form a combinable food product upon consumption having sensory and nutritive properties close to a solid metal. The packaging unit is a supple pouch having a main external squeezable body and at least one partition layer which divides the squeezable body into at least two separate cavities. The first and second food components are separately stored in different cavities. On extrusion and recombination, the two food components are perceivable as two different components.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing cyclodextrin inclusion complexes that increases the efficiency of the complexation so that a higher percentage of the active is recovered as a cyclodextrin inclusion complex. The process involves adding a cyclodextrin to a solvent in a reaction vessel, adding an active to the cyclodextrin solution with stirring, and allowing the mixture to stir for an appropriate amount of time and at a sufficient temperature to form an inclusion complex between the cyclodextrin and the active. A solids content increasing agent such as gum acacia, maltodextrin, modified dextrins, or mixtures thereof, is then added to the solution to increase the total solids content of the solution and the solution is at 25° C. and 40° C. and relative humidity of 53 percent dried to recover the cyclodextrin-active inclusion complex as a dry powder with the amount of active in the powder ranging from 1 to 20 percent by weight of the complex.

Abstract: Immortalized human cornea). epithelial cell line capable of becoming stratified, and capable of expressing (1) metabolic markers specific for non-immortalized human epithelial cells such as vimentin, cytokeratins, connections between the cells, cytochrome P450s, a glutathione-S-transferase, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, aldehyde reductase and catalase; (2) metabolic differentiation markers specific for non-immortalized human cornea). epithelial cells such as the cytokeratin of 64 kfl, the glutathione-stransferase hGST 5.8, and the profile of cytokines and growth factors comprising the compounds TNF&agr;, IL-1&bgr;, IL-1&agr;, IL-6, IL-8, GM CSF-&bgr;, IL-ra, TGF-&bgr;1, TGF-&bgr;2, TGF&agr;, EGF, PDGF-&bgr;; (3) and markers specific for an inflammatory reaction such as collagenase I, the bradykinin, histamine and PAF receptors, and the system for transduction of an inflammatory signal by the phosphoinositides.

Abstract: A patterned composite food product has an ice confectionery composition component and an edible material component which is different from the ice confectionery composition, the edible material having a pattern form which is an inclusion pattern zone in the ice confectionery composition, and the pattern may have a layer form wherein a plurality of edible material layers are separated one from another and surrounded by the ice confectionery composition. The composite product is prepared by pumping an ice confectionery composition into a former structure provided with an extrusion die for product extrusion from the former structure and by pumping a the edible material component through an assembly of a hollow spindle with nozzle(s) attached wherein the nozzle(s) is (are) provided with ports, particularly slots, for delivering the edible material to within the ice confectionery composition pumped through the former structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multilayer dessert having at least one heat-treated component, which comprises mousse, creme, jelly and/or sauce, where this component is coated with a continuous sterilized layer of fat coating or chocolate of a thickness between 0.1 and 3 mm, or in that these components (7, 8, 9) are separated by a continuous sterilized layer (10, 11) of fat coating or chocolate of a thickness between 0.1 and 3 mm, and in that the component or components have a Bostwick viscosity below 8 cm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plated frozen meal comprising a plate, a first group of individually frozen predominantly meat-based ingredients positioned on the plate, a second group of individually frozen predominantly carbohydrate-based or predominantly vegetable-based ingredients positioned on the plate, and at least one pellet of frozen sauce. The at least one pellet of frozen sauce is positioned such that when it thaws it facilitates the thawing or heating of at least one of the first or second groups of ingredients. This invention is also directed to a method of increasing the rate of thawing or heating of a frozen plated meal.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of chocolate crumb which comprises mixing and heating mixing and heating low fat milk solids, sugar, in the absence or presence of cocoa solids and from 1.2 to 8% by weight of water based on the weight of the mixture in a mixer to a temperature of 85° to 120° C., reacting at a temperature of 85° to 180° C. for a period of from 2.5 to 25 minutes followed by drying to a moisture content of less than 3% by weight based on the total weight of the mixture. The present invention also provides a concentrated chocolate crumb comprising low fat milk solids, sugar and optionally cocoa solids wherein the ratio of milk solids to sugar is between 1:1.5 and 1:0.1. When cocoa solids are present, preferably the amount of cocoa solids in the concentrated chocolate crumb is from 10 to 15% by weight based on the total weight of the mixture.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for preparing chocolate coatings having a marbled appearance, and confectionery products having a component provided with a chocolate coating having a marbled appearance thereon.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a composite consumable product by double extrusion, wherein a liquid or pasty consumable substance is prepared in a first section of a twin-screw extruder, a plasticizable consumable substance is cooked-extruded in a second section of the twin-screw extruder, wherein the first and second sections are separated dynamically, to provide at least one strand of a cooked-extruded mass that is cut into pieces. The liquid or pasty consumable substance is added to the cooked-extruded mass to provide pieces of a composite consumable product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of candied tomato pieces, in which tomatoes are peeled and cut into pieces, the pieces are sprinkled with a mixture based on sugar and salt, and then cooked. The invention also relates to candied tomato pieces prepared according to the process and food products containing the candied tomato pieces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding and fast chilling food products, preferably confectionery products. The method involves sequentially depositing a solidifiable food substance into one or molds that are part of a plurality of molds radially attached to a chilled roller while the molds are in a substantially horizontal position. The chilled roller is then rotated to move the one or more molds filled with the food substance into contact with a conveyor belt sufficiently soon after the solidifiable food substance is deposited in the molds so as to avoid the exterior surface of the food substance from becoming distorted when the molds move away from the horizontal. The chilled roller at least partly solidifies the food substance in the molds. The at least partially solidified food substance is then separated from the molds onto the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A composition of a fortified liquid food or beverage product containing a fortifying amount of a metastable Calcium Lactate-Citrate or Calcium-Magnesium Lactate-Citrate complex formed by the interaction of an alkaline calcium source with a mixture of lactic and citric acids and optionally stabilized with carbohydrates. Also, methods for forming these complexes.

Abstract: Crumb products for preparing chocolate products are prepared by adding together ingredients which include milk solids and a sugar ingredient, particularly sucrose, and which include, optionally, cocoa solids and so that the ingredients added together have a moisture content between 1.2% and 8%, and the ingredients added together are mixed and heated so that the ingredients being mixed are heated-up to a temperature in a range of from 85° C. to 180° C. and so that upon being heated-up to a temperature in the range which is a temperature of at least 85° C. and up to 180° C., the ingredients being mixed are maintained at temperatures in a range of from 85° C. to the heated-up temperature for a period of from 2.5 minutes to 25 minutes to provide a heat-treated reaction product which then is dried. Crumb may be prepared which has, by weight, a milk solids to sugar ingredient ratio of between 1:0.1 and 1:3.