Abstract: A continuous solvent free gelatin encapsulation apparatus and process includes an oil roll back assembly (20) for applying a controlled amount of a food-approved lubricant to a first side of the gelatin ribbon and an applicator guide bar assembly (40) for applying a controlled amount of food-approved lubricant to a second side of the gelatin ribbon. Two opposing food-approved lubricant coated gelatin ribbons are then united in a die assembly (50) to form gelatin capsules which are then dried and recovered.

Abstract: A control circuit and method for brewing and storing sweetened tea in large volume using an automatic tea brewing apparatus utilizes a separate timer to control the introduction of a liquid flavoring agent into the canister. The timer is initiated at the same time as the brewing apparatus and introduces the viscous syrup at the same time as the hot tea is introduced to the canister. The apparatus introduces the flavoring agent and dilutant water through a common line such that the line is purged of flavoring agent as each canister of tea is prepared.

Abstract: Dough intended for use in producing bakery products is homogenized and advanced to extrusion nozzles where it is cut into successive pieces that fall onto a moving conveyor. The pieces are of precisely uniform weight because a constant pressure is maintained on the dough as it is forwarded by a metering pump toward the nozzles. Apparatus for achieving such result includes an auger, a developer positioned downstream from the auger, and a transition chamber fed by the developer and located upstream from the metering pump. A pressure-measuring monitor serves to control the rotational speed of the auger, thereby maintaining the dough under constant pressure within the apparatus.

Abstract: A cryogenic control system measures product temperature in a cryogenic food mixing machine such as a vacuum tumbler or agitator blender to determine the time it takes for the product to be chilled down to the point where the first cells of product start to freeze, and then stop the addition of cryogenic after a number of seconds beyond this point. By measuring the length of time it takes to chill the product down to the freezing point temperature, the proper forming point can be programmed as a multiple of this time.

Abstract: A rolled food item is fabricated by advancing food (14) and a sheet of support material (16) between the rollers (18, 20) of a strip sheeter (12) where the food (14) fills grooves (24) of the first roller (18) to deposit the food (14) in continuous strips on the support material (16). After passing through a cooling tunnel (58), the support material (16) is also cut into strips between the strips of food (14) in a first cutting section (62). The multiplicity of strips are then cut to lengths in a second cutting section (64). Labels (68) are secured to the trailing ends of the strips and the trailing ends of the strips are pressed by a label presser (70) to adhere the labels (68) to the strips. The strips are simultaneously rolled in a roll-up section (74) including a rotatable fork (76). Specifically, after the leading ends of the strips are inserted between the legs (78, 80) of the fork (76), the fork (76) is rotated to roll the strips on the fork (76).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing shredded food products, such as cheese, is disclosed. The method and apparatus permits the production of cheese shreds to be accomplished in a unified operation wherein a sheet of cheese is produced and that sheet of cheese is cut to desired dimensions directly from the casting line. An arrangement of the invention may comprise a sheet former, a casting line, and a shredding assembly, all of which function as a single unit. The shredding assembly, itself a unique arrangement, first slices the incoming sheet of cheese into ribbons, and then cuts each of these ribbons to length. The sheet of cheese may be sliced into ribbons by passing the cheese through a pair of rollers having grooves or slots machined into their surfaces, the width of the slots corresponding to the desired width of the cheese ribbons. The cheese ribbons are presented to a plurality of transversely mounted elongate blades, each of which revolves about a common axis.

Abstract: A rotisserie apparatus and method of cooking food items are provided. The rotisserie apparatus includes a housing containing a heat source for supplying heat to an area above the housing. A plurality of spit supports are positioned on the housing, and extend vertically upwardly from the housing. A plurality of horizontally-disposed spits are carried by the spit supports, and located in vertically-spaced relation above the heat source for holding respective food items to be cooked. Counter-rotating sprockets are operatively connected to the plurality of spits for rotating adjacent spits in opposite directions during cooking, and permitting contacting adjacent food items to counter-rotate away from each other after engaging without being inadvertently forced off the spits.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of deep frying coated ingredients, while giving high-frequency AC energy to frying oil or spraying water decreased in ORP value, method of suppressing degradation of the frying oil, an apparatus for giving high-frequency AC energy to the frying oil in a deep fryer, and a deep fryer which incorporates the apparatus for giving high-frequency AC energy to the frying oil. The supply of high-frequency AC energy or spraying the water decreased in ORP value suppresses an increase of acid value in the frying oil, which depends on heating period of time, and spattering of oil and/or water drops, which occurs, when the coated ingredients are dropped into the heated frying edible oil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means for pathogenic risk management utilizing a clamshell grill cooking and staging process for transferring heat to food articles sealed within heat conducting containers comprising the step of placing at least one food article sealed within a heat conducting container between a top cover plate and a bottom plate spaced apart and in alignment with one another, and the top cover plate is hingeably mounted to a frame of the cooking and staging grill by a floating hinge. The heat transfer fluid contained within a reservoir of the clamshell cooking and staging grill is heated to a selected temperature of less than 212.degree. F. The temperature of the heat transfer fluid is controlled at a selected temperature of .+-.5.degree. F.

Abstract: A screw shaft, with associated first kneading elements rotates in a screw extruder, with further kneading elements being provided in the housing and being situated between the first kneading elements, with the further kneading elements being rotatable in the direction of rotation of the extruder and being radially displaceable in lateral and axial directions of displacement, with a back-pressure element being axially displaceable at the outlet end of the extruder screw via a known cylinder-and-piston unit thereby making it possible to alter the cross-section from the screw extruder outlet openings, with a rotating cutter cutting the product, discharged from the outlet openings, into predetermined lengths, wherein several support rings serve to support the screw in the screw extruder housing, with the rotatable further kneading elements being jointly adjustable via a driven rack, and the extruder housing being split into pivotable upper half and a fixed lower half, so that the further kneading element can be e

Abstract: A process for preparing a meat product to be cooked in a microwave oven comprising the following steps. Freezing the meat product; partially thawing the meat product whereby the exterior surface is thawed and the nucleus remains frozen; conventionally heating the thawed surface to seal the surface; and re-freezing the sealed surface of the meat product.

Abstract: A method of processing potatoes or vegetables to dehydrated hash browns or other forms is disclosed where cooked and cooled potato slices are subjected to a second cooking time to improve flavor, texture and composition. The potato slices are further cooled to a chilled temperature which modifies the starch content of the potato so that the potato can be easily processed to smaller sizes, shapes or dimensions. When processed to a smaller size, shape or dimension, the potato material is contacted with a lubricating substance devoid of water which reduces or prevents the potato pieces from sticking together and improves the composition of the dehydrated potato pieces. The process of the present invention improves the flavor, texture and composition of the potatoes, both during the processing steps and at later rehydration. The process of the present invention also merely modifies the starch content of the potatoes without having to remove the starch and/or add the starch back in at a later time.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bread products comprises the sequential steps of subjecting dough pieces to baking, the baking conditions being such that the crumb of each piece is fully developed but not the crust thereof in order to obtain partially baked bread pieces; exposing the partially baked bread pieces to a vacuum cooling stage; and, after a delay, subjecting the partially baked bread pieces to further heating, whereby the crust is fully developed and baked bread products result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extending the shelf life of fresh food products that provides magnetic strips, matting formed from the strips, and pads having magnetic north sides and magnetic south sides, wherein the negative magnetic north sides of the magnetic strips or pads are arranged to impinge on the fresh food products stored in a low-temperature environment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing shelf-stable, ready-to-eat rice products. The method involves coating pregelatinized rice grains with an emulsifier. A food acid and glucono-delta-lactone are then added to the coated rice to lower the pH to 4.6 or less. The rice is then thermally treated at a temperature and for a time sufficient for sterilization. The resulting products have the same or superior texture, appearance, and flavor when compared to other commercially produced, shelf-stable, ready-to-each rice products.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wafer comprises a series of steps. First, one proceeds with baking a mixture of flour and water to form sheets of bread. The sheets of bread are then thoroughly hydrated. The hydrated sheets are passed through a pair of roll cutters having complementary cutting surfaces, to cut a plurality of wafers, and a quantity of scrap. One then sorts the cut, hydrated wafers from the scrap by passing the wafers and scrap through a sorting drum to separate the wafers from the scrap. One then proceeds, arranging the wafers in a single horizontal layer on a surface that is substantially transparent to radiant heat, and exposes the single layer of wafers to radiant heat from above and below, to dry said wafers evenly and substantially without warping or bulging.

Abstract: A process of converting food waste to a dry rehydratable, edible food material, including the steps of collecting large quantities of edible food and food scraps at one location, feeding food and food scraps to a device for chopping to comminute the food and food scraps to a mixture of food pieces, feeding the mixture of food pieces to a device for grinding the mixture to a flowable mixture of homogeneous food particles, feeding the flowable mixture of homogeneous food particles to a filter to extract a portion of liquid therefrom to product a more flowable mixture of homogeneous food particles, subjecting food particles to intimate contact with ultra-violet radiation to kill unwanted bacteria and viruses in the mixture, feeding an irradiated mixture of homogeneous food particles to a drying device for drying the mixture of food particles to a dry mixture of homogeneous food particles that are packageable and later rehydratable with addition of liquid.

Abstract: An extrusion die apparatus adapted for coupling to the outlet end of an extruder barrel and corresponding methods of use are described. The die apparatus, when so coupled to the extruder barrel, has 1) an inlet-end chamber downstream of and in communication with the interior of the extruder barrel, 2) a secondary chamber downstream of and in communication with the inlet-end chamber, and 3) a plurality of individual, spaced die-outlet orifices downstream of and in communication with the secondary chamber. The die apparatus includes manually or automatically controllable inserts for controlling the operating pressures within the chambers and outlet orifices. These operating pressures are adjusted so that the pressure within the inlet-end chamber, which controls cooking, is greater than the pressure within the secondary chamber, and the pressure within the secondary chamber is greater than the pressure within each outlet orifice. In operation, the die apparatus receives product from the extruder barrel.

Abstract: Multicolored ice convections are a popular consumer product and are often sold in tubs. A multicolored marbled effect is obtained in an ice convection by mixing the streams of different colors in a paddle extruder.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a frozen spoonable water-ice comprising the steps of:(i) producing of ice flakes at a temperature of -10.degree. C. or below, preferably -20.degree. C. or below;(ii) grinding the ice flakes produced in step (i) into approximately spherical ice granules at a temperature of -10.degree. C. or below, preferably -20.degree. C. or below;(iii) mixing the ice granules produced in step (ii) with a flavoured ice slurry; and(iv) packaging the mixture obtained in step (iii) and freezing for storage.