Abstract: A peeling and slicing apparatus is disclosed which comprises a corer consisting of a cutting cylinder, a peel removing ring and a plunger. The cylinder is forced into a piece of fruit to produce a core and the ring moves relative to the cylinder to separate the peel from the core. The plunger then moves into the cylinder to push the core from the cylinder. A holder is provided for receiving the core. The holder has first and second components which are moveable relative to one another so that the core is clamped in the holder and may be released from the holder after the core has been sliced. The holder has a plurality of fingers which are spaced apart so that slicing blades can enter the spaces between the fingers to slice the core. The cylinder may have segmenting blades and may be mounted for rotation about its axis to facilitate cutting into the fruit.

Abstract: A method of producing a printed article includes the following steps: providing a first web of polyethylene upon which a pattern has been printed; providing a second web of plastics material from which the article is to be formed, one of the first or second webs having a heat seal lacquer applied thereto; passing the first and second webs through a pair of heated rollers to cause the heat seal lacquer to become tacky; directing the first and second webs in adjacent overlying relation to a vacuum forming machine including a mold and applying heat and vacuum in the vacuum forming machine to cause the first and second webs to conform to the shape of the mold to produce the printed article, wherein the application of heat in the vacuum forming machine activates the heat seal lacquer to adhere the first and second webs together.