Abstract: A bread toaster comprising a housing and at least one slot opening for receiving an article to be toasted. The bread is progressively traversed by a linear heat source in a pair of passes. A first pass is at a rate which is sufficient to drive moisture from at least the surface of the bread, but which is insufficient to significantly darken the bread. A second pass is at a rate which is sufficient to darken and toast the surface to a desired degree.

Abstract: An improvement to a grill wherein the affective radius of a rotary heating element is locally varied to improve engagement and rotation of a food items, including next generation dough involved food items and the like, on the grill. Attachments for retrofitting of existing, commercially available grills, and methods of using the improved grills are disclosed.

Abstract: An improved breadmaker capable of maintaining the freshness of the bread baked for a period of time. A temperature sensor and a humidity level sensor located inside the baking chamber of the breadmaker monitor the ambient conditions inside the baking chamber. In response to these sensors, a surface heater and humidifier are employed to maintain a predetermined temperature and humidity level inside the baking chamber.

Abstract: An extract of an oak aged alcoholic product is produced by adding a food grade solvent, such as ethyl acetate, to the oak aged alcoholic product and mixing the two liquids. The resulting mixture is allowed to separate into two layers, a first layer and a second layer. The first layer, including the food grade solvent, flavors, color, alcohol (i.e., ethanol) and water, is separated from the second layer. The solvent is then removed from the first layer to produce the extract. The extract can be added to a less costly alcoholic beverage, such as grain neutral spirits, or sugar beet spirits, to produce a beverage having the taste of a mature oak aged alcoholic beverage. Also disclosed is an accelerated whisky maturation method, including combining an alcoholic distillate with toasted oak chips, heating and aerating and/or oxygenating the resulting mixture to produce an accelerated oak aged alcoholic product. The toasted oak chips are then removed.

Abstract: An etching apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices which reduces contamination of the processing surface of a wafer by transporting a plurality of wafers stacked in a cassette with their processing surfaces facing down from the cassette supply chamber to one or more process chambers where the etching operation is performed on each wafer, one at a time. The apparatus has a load lock chamber for transferring the wafers stacked in the cassette from the cassette supply chamber, which is maintained under atmospheric conditions, to the process chamber, which is maintained under a strong vacuum. The process chamber has a cathode to which a wafer is clamped by a wafer holder with its processing surface facing down; the process chamber may also have a removable lower cover for easy repair and cleaning.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer chamber filled with a gas to have an upper limit of a target pressure range, a gas supply system connected to a gas supply source to supply the gas into the transfer chamber, a gas exhaust system for releasing the gas from within the transfer chamber, first and second vacuum chambers connected to the transfer chamber, first and second gate valves interposed between the transfer chamber and the vacuum chambers, which selectively permit the transfer chamber and the vacuum chambers to communicate with each other and a transfer mechanism for transferring a target object from the first vacuum chamber to the transfer chamber via the first gate valve and for transferring the target object from the transfer chamber to the second vacuum chamber via the second gate valve.

Abstract: The growth of spoilage bacteria in yeast preparations and in fermentation products is inhibited by addition of lysozyme at various steps in the production process.

Abstract: Cooking appliances, cooking assemblies, and cooking assembly components that improve heat distribution are provided. In one embodiment, a cooking assembly has a sear grid including a radiant panel having an undulating shape. The panel defines at least one generally parabolic dome with a radiused peak to allow liquids at the peak to be rapidly heated by the burner. The dome has sides extending away from the peak with a generally increasing slope to cause liquids flowing down the sides of the dome to accelerate. In another embodiment, a double U-shaped burner is provided. A U-shaped burner has a base for positioning at the front of the cooking assembly and a pair of legs that extend toward the rear of the cooking assembly. A second U-shaped connecting tube is positioned to connect the U-shaped burner base to the front of the cooking assembly housing.

Abstract: A process for removing creases from a film eliminates a problem in the quality of the heat seal for a patch bag having at least a segment of one or more bag side edges (or the bag bottom edge) covered by one or more patches. The film creases are removed by inflating the film tubing which is later converted to a bag, heating regions containing the creases with a heating means to a temperature which, in combination with the pressure within the inflated tubing, causes the creases to relax. The heated crease-containing regions are then cooled and the inflated tubing is deflated and wound up in a new configuration in which at least one patch covers at least one side edge or the bottom edge.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cleaning apparatus used during the production of foodstuffs, in particular the filtration thereof, wherein this apparatus is contacted after use with a cleaning system based on the combination of a cyclic nitroxyl compound and a hypohalite.

Abstract: A patch bag has a convex bag edge and a convex seal inward of the convex bag edge. A patch is adhered to the bag. The patch covers at least a portion of the bag and has a convex patch edge. The patch covers at least a portion of the bag within the convex seal. A process for making the patch bag is also disclosed, as is a packaged product which utilizes the patch bag for the packaging of a bone-in meat product.

Abstract: The degradation of compounds contained in a liquid or solid waste stream is described. The invention provides a system that can be operated economically on a commercial scale that is capable of handling diverse waste streams without significant inhibition of the degradation process. The system involves the use of a semi-permeable membrane partition and pressure to drive reactants into a waste stream.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of a novel carbonated alcoholic beverage having a characteristic flavor. A mixture of malt and an amylaceous raw material is added with a koji which has been prepared using a mold selected from the group consisting of yellow Aspergillus and white Aspergillus. The mixture is then saccharified by the koji to obtain a saccharified malt liquor. An output from production of an alcoholic beverage, which is of a type different from the saccharified malt liquor, is incorporated in the saccharified malt liquor. Prior to the incorporation of the output in the saccharified malt liquor, a hop flavor can be added to the saccharified malt liquor by adding hops to the saccharified malt liquor and heating the hops and the saccharified malt liquor.

Abstract: A novel pretzel chip is produced by extruding pretzel dough to form a dough extrudate comprising concentric dough rings that are interconnected and partially fused. The extrudate is sliced, and the slices are cooked following conventional pretzel cooking procedures. The dough is extruded through a die that includes a dough inlet having a plurality of metering passages arranged in concentric circles, a die interior comprised of a dough passageway containing a plurality of arcuate divider walls arranged in concentric circles, with each of said arcuate divider walls comprised of a base portion affixed to said dough inlet and a tip portion that is recessed from a dough exit port.

Abstract: A dual-film package and method for making such package is disclosed which combines the manufacturing simplicity of a package having a single, peelable lid with the consistent peelability of a package having separate permeable and impermeable lids. This is accomplished by providing a support member and a lid having a gas-permeable film and a substantially gas-impermeable film. A first heat-weld bonds the gas-permeable film to the support member and a second heat-weld bonds the gas-impermeable film to the gas-permeable film. The first and second heat-welds each have a bond-strength which is greater than the intra-film cohesive strength of the gas-permeable film so that the lid preferentially delaminates within the gas-permeable film upon peeling, thereby leaving a portion of the gas-permeable film lidded to the support member.

Abstract: A method for providing nutrition to critical care animals such as dogs and cats is provided which comprises administering an amount of an artificially produced canine or feline milk substitute composition. The canine milk substitute composition comprises, on a dry matter basis, from about 35 to 45% by weight protein, from about 25 to 35% by weight fat, and from about 10 to 25% by weight carbohydrates. The feline milk composition comprises, on a dry matter basis, from about 30 to 50% protein, from about 25 to 50% fat, and from about 10 to 25% carbohydrates.

Abstract: A water-dispersible lipidic hop extract composition, comprising at least 10% by weight of free fatty acid substances derived from hops, is useful to increase the utilization of the hop aroma and flavor components. It may be produced by treatment of an extract of hops with an excess of alkali. The starting hop extract, made conventionally as by extraction with organic solvent or carbon dioxide, preferably has alpha, isoalpha, and beta hop acids removed before treatment with excess alkali. A cosolvent, such as a lower alkanol, polyol, or wetting agent, heat, or high shear may be used to improve mixing of the lipidic organic phase of the hop extract with the excess alkali. The water-dispersible lipidic hop extract imparts an enhanced hop aroma and flavor upon addition to the wort at some point during the brewing process between boiling and the beginning of fermentation. A beer incorporating the dispersible lipidic hop extract has a stronger hop aroma and flavor than beer incorporating the usual hop extract.

Abstract: A method of forming an edible chip by providing a sheet layer of flexible, edible material, bending the sheet layer about a fold line to define first and second sheet layer walls which abut to each other at a location spaced from the fold line, and treating the sheet layer to rigidify the sheet layer with the first and second sheet layer walls bent about the fold line.

Abstract: A process for immobilizing viable cells in gelled carrageenan beads comprises preparing an aqueous phase that is a mixture of a gellable concentration of un-gelled carrageenan, in an aqueous suspension of viable cells, in which the mixture's potassium concentration is low enough that the thermogellation temperature of the carrageenan in the suspension is below a temperature to which the viable cells are substantially thermosensitive. This is done at a first processing temperature that exceeds the thermogellation temperature of the carrageenan in that aqueous suspension, but which is below the temperature to which the cells are substantially thermosensitive. A mixture of the aqueous phase and a non-reactive food-grade oil phase is then prepared, and subjected to shear by passing it through a static mixer under flow-rate conditions selected to disperse the aqueous phase in the oil phase, such that a resulting emulsion has a selected droplet size distribution.

Abstract: A process for reducing the propensity of riboflavin-containing malt beverages employs the treatment of beer or its intermediates with Fuller's earth absorbents and, in particular, colloidal magnesium aluminum silicates, especially attapulgite and montmorillonite clays. This process effects absorbance of riboflavin contained in such beer or its intermediates and can be shown to improve the stability of a treated beer against the formation of skunky off-flavors following exposure to visible wavelengths of light.