Abstract: The machine comprises a refrigerating store (2) which is provided with a series of columns (3) wherein are piled annular dishes (4) which contain the precooked product (1), columns(3) which are supported by a rotary platform (5) and which can rotate with respect to a fixed platform (7) situated at the bottom, the rotary platform (5) having a series of openings (6) wherein are located the extreme dishes corresponding to one column (3); parallel to the fixed platform (7) a sliding plate (8) is provided which has an opening (6) in which falls the plate (4) in a situation facing the opening (10) of the rotary platform (5), also having a lower fixed plate (9) on which the sliding plate (8) can move thereby displacing the plate, and which is provided with a cavity (11) for the passage of a vertically displaceable horizontal support (12) which pushes the product (1) till it is introduced into an oven (14).

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for hydrothermally processing a raw grain composition with steam in a conditioner as a preliminary step in the production of a pelletized feed product. More specifically, this invention is directed to an apparatus and a method for massing in-process grain composition in a chamber to enhance efficacy and efficiency of hydrothermal treatment and to improve the production rate and quality of pelletized feeds.

Abstract: A spit riser mount for mounting a rotating spit to a tabletop grill. The spit riser mount includes an annular spit mount that has a plurality of pieces. Each of the pieces has opposite first and second ends. The first end of a piece removably engages the second end of an adjacent piece. A first of the pieces has a slot downwardly extending from an upper edge of the piece. The slot is adapted for receiving a spit therein. A second of the pieces has a first aperture positioned towards its upper edge. The first aperture is adapted for receiving a spit therethrough.

Abstract: A tray for warming food has a tray body of double cup shape formed of a plastics material base structure with an aluminum top diffusion layer attached to the base structure in the part to receive a cloche. The cloche has a plastics material outer jacket fastened to an aluminum bottom diffusion layer in contact with an intermediate member made of a material that can be heated by magnetic induction. The top diffusion layer of the tray body comes into contact with the bottom diffusion layer of the cloche at the periphery of the interior space along peripheral contact rims. This provides a meal tray assuring fast heating of food placed in the interior space of the first part, the second part being intended to carry food that is to remain cold.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for improving the flavor of distilled liquor by applying a vacuum to remove volatile compounds. The apparatus allows a consumer to treat various kinds of liquor in differing quantities regardless of the size or shape of the liquor bottle. A pitcher serves as a receiving vessel for the liquor to be treated. The pitcher has a hollow handle which, in conjunction with a vacuum stand, allows air to be drawn through the hand and discharged into the liquor at the bottom of the pitcher. The vacuum stand is especially adapted to sealingly receive the pitcher and cause air to flow through the liquor. The pitcher is placed on the vacuum stand, a lid portion of the stand is placed over the pitcher to create a seal, and a vacuum is applied on the contents of the pitcher. Air is drawn through the hollow handle and percolates or bubbles out at the base of the pitcher, creating agitation of the liquor and causing removal of the volatile compounds.

Abstract: A lid for a pressure cooker has two radially slidable jaws with upstanding lips, respectively. A locking plate can slide transversely outwards from the position shown so that the lips ride along limbs of apertures and are thereafter held, to prevent radial movement, by the plate. The plate is held in its transverse outward position by a plunger (not shown) of a locking valve that is engaged in an aperture in the plate. The plunger is released to fall from an uplifted locking position when pressure in the cooker falls below a predetermined level and to enable the plunger to become slidable along the aperture. This allows the plate to move and unlock the jaws so that the lid can be removed.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying pathogens on food, including a steam chamber having an entrance opening and an exit opening. An entrance door structure nominally closes the entrance opening in the steam chamber and an exit door structure nominally closes the exit opening of the steam chamber. Each of the entrance and exit door structures are composed of a plurality of closely vertically adjacent segments that are mounted to the entrance and exit openings to open and close independently of each other. Flanges extend horizontally from the upper and lower edges of the door segments to maintain a relatively close seal with the adjacent door segment even though the door segments are opened or closed a relatively differing amount.

Abstract: Described is a process for producing one or more tastands including food and beverage additives from Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves) by means of carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on a plurality of such leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof whereby one or more natural food additives is separated and isolated from the remainder of the plurality of leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof. Such unit operations include pressurization using hydraulic press means, steam distillation, fractional distillation, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, volatile solvent extraction and/or charcoal column separation means. Also described is apparatus for carrying out such processes as well as the products produced using such processes and organoleptic uses of such products. Also described are compositions comprising (a) such tastands in admixture with (b) an eatable having a bitter and/or metallic taste.

Abstract: Treatment systems for treating flowable food products using electrical pulses to inactivate microbes. Systems described include one or more stages having flow-through processors. The flow-through processors have first and second electrodes which are spaced across a treatment chamber in which an intense electrical field is generated using bipolar electrical pulses. The treatment chamber is temperature stabilized to improve processing and minimize surface buildup on the electrodes. Oversized processor electrodes can be used such as in conjunction with an electrode spacer to provide a treatment zone having a relatively uniform and high electrical field strength.

Abstract: A food smoker for providing a smoky flavor to food. The food smoker includes an elongate cylinder having opposed open ends and an interior adapted for receiving wood chips. The cylinder has a plurality of rows of generally equally spaced apertures extending through it. The apertures are positioned in an upper 1/3 portion of the cylinder. A pair of end caps are detachably coupled to the ends of the cylinder.

Abstract: A clamshell or two-sided cooking system utilizes an upper platen and a lower platen. The upper platen is movable to a non-cook and to a cook position. In the cook position, the upper platen is separated from the lower platen by a gap. The gap can be electronically adjusted for various thicknesses of foodstuffs. Preferably, an electronic adjustment mechanism is located within the upper platen assembly. The adjustment mechanism utilizes a stepper motor.

Abstract: A toaster comprises a housing (1) enclosing a toasting chamber (2) in which is movably mounted a bread carrier (4) between an ejection position and a toasting position in which it is retained by an electromagnetic actuating device (5) comprising a control winding (6) with a hollow support (7) which is secured to a plate (20) carrying electrical connection members (22), and which surrounds a magnetic core (8), as well as a movable armature (9) adapted to retain the bread carrier (4) in its toasting position. The magnetic core (8) is mechanically mounted independently of the support (7) of the winding (6) and of the plate (20), and is secured to a member (24) on the housing (1).

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide a method of injection into meat in which brine for curing or seasoning liquid is uniformly dispersed in a green meat efficiently and continuously without deteriorating a meat property; curing and seasoning can be accomplished without using a tumbling machine, a massage machine or the like for a long time; and the brine for curing and the seasoning liquid can be uniformly dispersed even if there is a difference of injection resistance in meat property. The object can be achieved by using a pickle injector which is provided with a high-pressure liquid generator constituted of a plunger pump or the like, a coherent stream injection nozzle for injecting the brine for curing and a pressure control mechanism which can raise an injection pressure gradually from 0 or a low pressure while injecting the liquid substance when the brine for curing is injected from the nozzle to the green meat. In addition, for pressure control, a servo motor or the like can be used.

Abstract: A centrifugal watermelon juice extractor including a main housing having an upper section and a lower section removably coupled together. The upper section has first and second openings through a lower end thereof offset from a center opening thereof. The upper section has a peripheral flange extending upwardly from an interior surface thereof. The peripheral flange contains the first opening interiorly thereof. The second opening is disposed exteriorly of the peripheral flange. The upper section has an angularly disposed ramp secured to an outer surface of the peripheral flange. The ramp has a lower portion disposed over the second opening. A motor is disposed within the lower section of the main housing. A funnel member is removably received within the peripheral flange of the upper section of the main housing and operatively coupling with the motor. The funnel member has a mesh cylindrical side wall. The mesh cylindrical side wall is defined by apertures.

Abstract: A mobile container adapted for transporting perishable goods includes a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls extending therebetween so as to define an elongated enclosure having a longitudinal axis and adapted to receive a cargo load. An air recirculation plenum is defined in the enclosure adjacent to the front wall. A refrigeration system is in fluid communication with the air recirculation plenum and is adapted to induct air at a first temperature and to exhaust air at a second temperature. A pair of air delivery plenums extend from the bulkhead along the length of the enclosure parallel to the longitudinal axis. Each of the pair of air delivery plenums is defined by a corresponding one of the pair of side walls and a plenum wall disposed spaced from the corresponding side wall and extending from the upper margins of the enclosure such that the plenum wall is adapted to be co-extensive and in abutting contact with a portion of the cargo load.

Abstract: A cooking grill having upper and lower cooking plates supported between first and second supports is disclosed. The upper and lower cooking plates are each hingedly connected to the supports at a rear hinge axis. The upper cooking plate may be manually tipped to a raised position. The lower cooking plate is automatically tipped downwardly to a food ejection or second position by means of an actuator. An ejector may be provided for positively ejecting the cooked food at the end of the cooking cycle, onto a support or receiving tray, from which cooked food may be removed by hand. Alternatively, the lower cooking plate may be rotated past the second position to a removed, where the cooked food may then be removed by hand.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a blender that employs a combination of mixing blades and a stirring bar that are capable of producing rotational mixing action and rotational stirring action. The invention includes mixing blades which are in communication with a drive source for the production of rotational movement and the use of a gear reduction transmission to provide rotational stirring action that operates at a slower rate of speed than the mixing blades.

Abstract: A convection meat cooker characterized by an elongated, cylindrical cooker tank which, in a preferred embodiment, is provided on a portable cooker frame and includes concentric outer, middle and inner shells. The inner shell defines an interior cooking chamber which is hermetically sealed by a door hinged to the outer shell at one end of the cooker tank and a cylindrical, annular heat chamber is defined between the middle and inner shells throughout the length of the cooker tank. Insulation is typically provided between the middle and outer shells of the cooker tank. A heat entrance port extends from the middle shell and receives a propane-fueled burner for heating the cylindrical heat chamber and a heat exit port vents excess heat from the annular heat chamber. An open water container may be removably attached to the cooker frame and pressure vent piping provided in fluid communication with the cooking chamber is immersed in water provided in the water container.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance for preparing yogurt, soft frozen yogurt and ice cream, hard frozen yogurt and ice cream, and cheese. The appliance includes a housing having a base and side walls defining an open top. A motor-driven paddle device is rotationally journaled with respect to the cover and base and the motor therefor is adapted to be driven either continuously or with a predetermined duty cycle, dependent upon the product being made. Also mounted on either the cover or the base is a vent hole occluder that is normally positioned to block the vent holes in the cover or base, but which shifts to a second position uncovering those vent holes when the consistency of the product being produced, as tested by the paddle motion or other apparatus reveals that a predetermined cultured state has been reached. Shifting of the occluding device from the covering position to the open position also actuates a switch to shut off the drive motor and a warming element.

Abstract: A cooking medium management system and method from manipulating a cooking medium during cooking operations. The system has a controller generating a lock-out signal and a transfer signal, and selectively generating one control signal selected from the group consisting of a discard signal, a fresh fill signal, a drain signal, a filtration signal, and a polish signal. The system also has a cooking medium transfer pump and a transfer conduit for transferring the cooking medium to and from a frypot, wherein the transfer pump activates in response to the transfer signal. The system further includes a lock-out device, which receives the lock-out signal and disables a fryer heater. Moreover, this system includes a discard device, which receives the discard signal and includes the frypot, the drain pan, a drain valve and a cooking medium drain. The frypot and the drain pan are placed in communication with the transfer conduit via the drain valve.