Abstract: A beverage mixing system/method allowing faster mixing/blending of frozen beverages is disclosed. The system/method in various embodiments utilizes inductive coupling to introduce heat into the frozen beverage during the mixing/blending process via a rotating driveshaft and attached mechanical agitator to speed the mixing/blending process. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to magnetically induce heat into the driveshaft and/or mechanical agitator mixing blade to affect this mixing/blending performance improvement. This heating effect may be augmented via the use of high power LED arrays aimed into the frozen slurry to provide additional heat input. The system/method may be applied with particular advantage to the mixing of ice cream type beverages and other viscous beverage products.

Abstract: Disclosed are packaging systems and methods useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The packaging systems and methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The packaging systems preferably employee a high headspace and flexible architecture and may use a fuel cell to maintain a reduced oxygen level in a high carbon dioxide environment surrounding the foodstuff. Also disclosed are methods useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The methods preferably use a low oxygen gas source to maintain a reduced oxygen level in the environment surrounding the foodstuff.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for warming a nutritional substance (i.e. mother's milk or formulated liquids) for ingestion by a neonate. Structurally, the system includes a warmer for holding a container of the nutritional substance as it is simultaneously vibrated and warmed in preparation for the neonate, and it includes a controller which determines how the system will be operated. For an operation of the present invention, a user provides input to the system controller to establish a mode of operation (e.g. warming; warming-frozen; or thawing). The user will also input a predetermined protocol to the controller. During the operation, a heat sensor monitors temperatures of the nutritional substance which are provided as feedback input to the controller for operating the warmer in accordance with the protocol.

Abstract: Disclosed are: an assembly and method for thin bread-like food having a housing, rotatable drum, infeed roller for moving food toward drum rotation, and a drum heater. A radiant heater associated with the housing radiates heat towards food on the drum. Food can be directed toward the infeed roller by an infeed platform. The drum can be rotatably supported by a bearing arrangement. An interior drum heater and a thermostat sensor can also be supported by the bearing. A guide can contact food that separates from the drum, to redirect it toward the drum surface. A discharge scraper can separate food from the drum. A discharge roller can direct food from the drum toward a discharge direction. A motor drive assembly can drive drum, infeed roller and discharge roller rotation.

Abstract: A plant for the automatic production of baked goods using a dough strand has a kneading device to knead dough from prepared starting products. An extruder is used to extrude the dough to form the dough strand. A portioning device is used to divide the dough strand into dough strand portions of a predetermined weight. A post-preparation device is used to finish the baked goods from the dough strand portions. The post-preparation includes the supplying of the dough strand portions to associated receivers in at least one transporting mould, fermenting the dough strand portions in the transporting mould and baking the fermented dough strand portions. The result is a production plant with an increased throughput in the production of baked goods and simultaneously a plant outlay which is as low a possible.

Abstract: In order to provide reheating of cooked food that leads to an improved result of the reheated food, e.g. meat, in a facilitated manner, an apparatus (10) for reheating cooked food is provided that comprises a container (12) for receiving food to be reheated, a sensing module (16), a heating module (18), and a processing unit (20). The sensing module is provided with an emitter arrangement (22) configured to emit at least light as first sensing radiation (SRA1) with a first sensing peak wavelength (SWL1), and light as second sensing radiation (SRA2) with a second sensing peak wavelength (SWL2). The first and the second sensing radiations have different reflecting characteristics in relation with fat and protein in the food, e.g. meat to be reheated. The sensing module is also provided with a sensor arrangement (24) configured to detect light with the first sensing peak wavelength and light with the second sensing peak wavelength; wherein the light is reflected by the food.

Abstract: A method for producing dairy products used in the food industry in milk processing plants involving the laser treatment of raw milk under turbulent flow conditions at a reception point, and heat treatment to produce pasteurized milk in equipment sanitized using rinsing and cleaning agents treated with laser radiation. Another variant of the method comprises the laser treatment of raw milk under turbulent flow conditions at the reception point, heat treatment to produce pasteurized milk in equipment sanitized using rinsing and cleaning agents treated with laser radiation, and the subsequent processing of the pasteurized milk into dairy products.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a germination apparatus for raw coffee beans and a germination method of raw coffee beans using the same that are capable of germinating a large amount of raw coffee beans within a short period of time, thereby remarkably increasing the content of ?-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Abstract: For producing an aerated confectionery mass, a raw confectionery mass is fed at a feed rate from a supply to an aeration unit for introducing gas into the confectionery mass and wherein the aerated confectionery mass is fed to a production line for the production of confectionery or tablets. The feed rate of the raw confectionery mass is controlled such that it corresponds to the demand of the production line, the amount of introduced gas is controlled in response to the feed rate of the confectionery mass so that the aeration level of the confectionery mass remains substantially constant and the temperature of the aeration mass within the aeration unit is controlled such that it remains substantially constant and independent from the feed rate.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The methods preferably use a low oxygen gas source to maintain a reduced oxygen level in the environment surrounding the foodstuff.

Abstract: Disclosed are packaging systems and method useful in extending the storage-life of foodstuff such as fresh fish. The packaging systems and methods can be used to transport or store the foodstuff for an extended period of time. The packaging systems preferably use a fuel cell to maintain a reduced oxygen level in the environment surrounding the foodstuff.

Abstract: A method for creating hexahedron or cubed nut cluster having a high level of nuts or seeds. The invention is an improved process for manipulating and shaping high content nut and seed food products. In one aspect, the invention manipulates processing conditions to provide a nut slab high nut content nut slab that is conducive to slicing and cutting. In one aspect, the invention manipulates unit operation conditions so as to provide a method of slicing a high content nut slab into longitudinal strips in a continuous operation that minimizes or eliminates jamming at the cutting and/or slabbing conveyors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for smoking food products includes a method or apparatus configured to provide a pH level of a smoked food product. The determination of the pH level of the smoked product provides an objective measure of the amount of smoke received by the food product, as well as an indication of the agreeability of the flavor of the food product. Based on the determination of the pH level, the method and apparatus can be adjusted to provide a more consistent, high quality smoked food product.

Abstract: In a method of controlling a process in which the particle size of a material is reduced by passing the material through a nip between rollers at least one operational figure, such as the motor current, of at least one motor associated with at least one roller is continuously measured and the nip is adjusted by controlling the operational figure so as to match a target operational figure. A machine for reducing the particle size of a material by passing the material through a nip between rollers has a device for measuring at least one operational figure, such as the motor current, of at least one motor associated with at least one roller and a device for adjusting the nip on the basis of the measured operational figure matching a target operational figure.

Abstract: A combination oven for cooking with heat and steam provides a boiler system for creating steam and includes a smoker appliance for generating smoke flavor during the cooking process. An oven controller detecting the use of the smoke appliance institutes a flushing and filling of the boiler after such use to reduce the transfer of smoke flavors to food that is subsequently cooked in the oven.

Abstract: A pizza base shaping tool and a pizza base shaping method are provided that are capable of simply shaping a thin circular plate-shaped pizza base using sliced bread pieces. The pizza base shaping tool includes: a die receiver which serves as a seat; a cutting die which presses and shapes the bread piece; and a circular slipping sheet which is disposed between the die receiver and the cutting die, wherein the die receiver includes a disk-shaped placement base for placing the bread piece thereon, the cutting die includes a pressing plate which compresses the bread from the upside and a cutting die blade which is provided so as to protrude in a direction perpendicular to a pressing surface of the pressing plate and is used to cut the bread piece into the predetermined diameter, and the slipping sheet is positioned to the bread piece placed on the placement base.

Abstract: A method for slicing pita chips in a conveyorized system is provided that includes transporting whole pita chips on a first conveyor belt from a first location of the conveyorized system to a second location of the conveyorized system and a third location of the conveyorized system, wherein transporting the whole pita chips from the second location of the conveyorized system to the third location of the conveyorized system, the whole pita chips are disposed in a gap between the first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt is below the whole pita chips and the second conveyor belt is above the whole pita chips, and slicing the whole pita chips into two halves at the third location of the conveyorized system by a slicing means, the slicing means including a blade and a blade guide.

Abstract: A frozen confectionery product, a method of manufacturing same, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus manufactures a frozen confectionery product by rotary vertical extrusion. The apparatus comprises a nozzle at least one ice cream passage with at least one inlet port and an outlet portion, and at least one chocolate passage with respectively an inlet port and an outlet port. The outlet ports are provided in the nozzle and have elongated cross-sections, and each chocolate outlet port extends in parallel to an ice cream outlet port, so as to form annular or helical chocolate layers upon rotation of the nozzle and the container with respect to each other.

Abstract: Implementations of a food fryer are provided. In some implementations, the food fryer comprises a body portion, a stand, burners, and a drain. In some implementations, the body portion of the food fryer may be a curved hollow tube having an opening on each end. The body portion is configured to hold liquids therein for the purpose of frying or cooking food. In some implementations, the food fryer may include a storage container comprised of a body portion, a lid, and two extension members. In some implementations, the two extension members of the storage container may be configured to individually or collectively secure about the openings of the food fryers body portion such that the storage container is positioned above the food fryer. In some implementations, the storage container comprises openings from which the extension members extend.

Abstract: A method for the continuous production of cookies having a high content of large inclusions, such as chocolate chips, nuts, and fruit pieces includes extruding a cookie dough containing the inclusions through a die orifice to obtain an extrudate dough rope, and cutting the extrudate dough rope with an ultrasonic cutting blade. The ultrasonic cutting severs the extrudate dough rope into dough pieces which fall onto a moving conveyer into a substantially uniform or regular array for uniform baking. The ultrasonic cutter is controlled to provide a roughened top surface on a dough piece to provide a home baked appearance upon baking, while cutting through the inclusions without substantial displacement of the inclusions which would cause pock marks on the surface of the dough piece, and without substantial dough piece weight variation.