Abstract: A butter-like product is recirculated from a mixing bowl (10) by a recirculating pump (14) until its viscosity is adjusted to the equivalent of 16,000 to 18,000 centipoise at 75.degree. F. The viscosity adjusted butter is pumped through an aerator (22) to a closed holding tank (40). A positive displacement pump (42) recirculates the viscosity adjusted butter from the holding tank, through a recirculating feed line (44) at a preselected pressure, and back to the holding tank. A plurality of packaging machines (C) each include a metering pump (60) which pumps metered amounts of the butter from the recirculating feed line through at least one filling nozzle (62). Sheets of heat-sealable plastic material from rolls (64, 66) are heat sealed (70, 72, 74, 76) into squeeze packets surrounding the metered volumes of butter. A conveyor (100) conveys the filled squeeze packets to a fluid cooling hood (104) in which the squeeze packets are bathed in a cooling fluid, e.g.

Abstract: Margarine or other foodstuff with similar physical properties is warmed to room temperature and placed in a mixing bowl (10). The margarine is blended by stirring with paddles (12). Then, the margarine is mixed until it has a substantially uniform viscosity by a recirculating pump (14), extrusion of the margarine from the recirculating pump through a screen (16), and continued stirring with the paddles. A 15 to 30 second burst of steam is applied into jacket (20) liquifying but not clarifying the margarine contiguous with the edge of the vessel. The recirculating pump draws the liquified margarine from the edge of the mixing bowl and pumps it into the top center of the margarine where it is blended into substantially unheated margarine. The process is repeated until the margarine attains a viscosity in the range of 16,000 to 18,000 centipoise. Once this viscosity range is reached, the margarine is pumped into a holding tank (26).