Abstract: A reclosable, hermetically-sealed flexible package which has an inner, hermetic peel seal and a reclosure seal comprised of interlocking closure strips is provided with a tamper-evident feature located peripheral to the reclosure seal. The tamper-evident feature must be visibly disrupted to gain access to the reclosure seal.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for cooking a casingless food product such as a casingless sausage or the like is provided. The apparatus includes a tray to support a plurality of casingless sausages and the like which nest within laterally extending recessed areas and the tray is provided with a plurality of pores or slots extending therethrough. The tray is positioned within an oven housing and separates the interior thereof into a first space above the tray and a second space below the tray. The air within the housing is heated and the second space is pressurized to a positive pressure over that within the first space to provide for the forced escape of heated air from the second space into the first space through the pores in the tray to thereby lift the casingless food product above the surface of the tray and to cook the food product while suspended above the tray.

Abstract: A method for cleansing metal mesh gloves to remove particles of meat or the like embedded within the metal mesh of the gloves includes elongated rollers which preferably counter-rotate with respect to each other and define an entry slot area within which the gloves are inserted for cleansing.

Abstract: A blank and carry-out tray for carrying a variety of food products are provided and the tray is capable of transformation from a storage condition of a substantially flat configuration to an erect and upright useable condition by manipulation of a plurality of foldably connected portions that move similarly to a parallel linkage arrangement and which are provided with a locking mechanism that automatically lock the tray in its upright and useable condition.

Abstract: A new and improved hot oven countertop display station is provided in a hot oven countertop display unit having a reclosable front door panel opening and an integral upper sign and menu board structure. A dispenser display rack is provided in the oven compartment for supporting flanged food packages in gravity feed arrays of columns and rows terminating at the front door opening. The rack has been designed to reduce or eliminate the presence of any heated rack surfaces at the front opening of the oven. An optional refrigerated condiment dispensing display may be located adjacent the hot oven display to complete the self-service food station. The hot oven countertop food station provides a clean and safe arrangement for displaying and storing pre-cooked pre-heated ready-to-eat foods for extended periods of up to four hours until purchased by the self-service customer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for slicing food product sticks such as loaves or chubs or the like of meat and cheese. A blade assembly is utilized which includes a plurality of, typically two, blade members, each of which has a curved cutting surface that terminates at a trailing tip. A non-slicing mode is achieved by having the blade assembly exhibit a substantial gap between the trailing tip of one blade member and the curved cutting surface leading edge of another blade member. The apparatus and method are particularly well suited for enhancing the throughput of a food processing line and for improving the quality of sliced products processed therethrough.

Abstract: A new and improved integrating indicator system operable to signal the attainment of one or more preselected time-temperature integrals which monitor the temperature and time history of a product utilizes a dual system of specific reaction pairs which simultaneously generate acid and alkali from two neutral substrates. One of the substrates is present in excess of the other. The preferred dynamic indicator system generates a constant pH buffer in the alkali range that is maintained until one of the substrates is depleted. At that time, a rapid pH change in the indicator solution to the acid range occurs, resulting in a very sharp visual color change in a pH-sensitive dye. In preferred embodiments, the specific reaction pairs are enzyme/substrate pairs, preferably urease/urea and yeast/triacetin.

Abstract: A process for forming an adhesive-based peelable, hermetic seal for a package in which the adhesive ruptures uniformly when the package is opened. A first polyacrylonitrile packaging film has a surface thereof treated with a corona discharge. An adhesive is applied to either the treated film or an opposing second packaging film and the first and second films are brought into contact. The corona discharge treatment of the polyacrylonitrile film reduces the bond strength between the adhesive and the treated film such that the adhesive peels cleanly and uniformly away from the seal area of the treated film, without "stringing".

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring individual slices of food material from a food material supply source to a support member includes at least two rotating hollow drums disposed on and rotating around two associated stationary inner drums. The first rotating drum is disposed proximate to the food material supply, while the second rotating drum is disposed proximate to the support member and the first rotating drum. The stationary drums have hollow inner cores to which negative air pressure in the form of a vacuum is supplied which causes individual material slices to adhere to the outer shell of the first drum and transfer to the outer shell of the second drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying adhesive to a seal area of an article, particularly a package component, or simultaneously to a seal area of each of a plurality of package components. The apparatus may consist of a single unit or a gang of units. Each unit incorporates a receptacle for holding a body of adhesive which may be heated and which may be connected to a source of supply. An adhesive pick-up and applicator element has a lip which has a surface for picking up adhesive when it is raised out of a body of adhesive in which it has been immersed. The adhesive pick-up and applicator element can be in the form of a sleeve or cylinder with the rim serving as the adhesive pick-up lip. An actuator is connected with each adhesive pick-up and applicator element so as to reciprocate it between a lowered position in which the lip is immersed in adhesive and a raised position in which the lip engages and applies or deposits adhesive on the seal area of a package component or other article.

Abstract: A package is provided for enclosing a proteinaceous product under vacuumized and hermetically sealed conditions. The package has a peelable hermetic reclosure and a body member of semi-rigid preformed plastic with a first planar marginal portion and a central portion shaped to provide a packaging chamber. The package also has a flexible dimensionally stable base member having a corresponding second planar marginal portion and a central portion to provide a closure for said packaging chamber. The two planar marginal portions are adhered together face-to-face by an adhesive to provide at least a portion of the hermetic seal wherein said adhesive is a high molecular weight pressure sensitive hot-melt adhesive having a viscosity of between about 5,000 and about 100,000 centipoise at 300.degree. F. and said adhesive provides a peelable hermetic reclosure.