Abstract: Substantially triangular shaped container bottoms include a bottom wall with a concave surface. The container bottom can be used with a container body having an interior chamber for receiving at least one article. Exemplary embodiments include a container bottom attached to a container body wherein the container bottom includes a central surface area that is inwardly concave towards an interior chamber of the container body. Methods of loading a plurality of articles in a container are also provided.

Abstract: An article of commerce comprising an edible substrate having an image which provides value beyond the aesthetic value of the image. In one aspect, the present invention provides an article of commerce comprising: (a) an edible substrate; (b) a first image disposed upon said edible substrate, wherein said first image comprises a first game element; (c) a second image disposed upon said edible substrate, wherein said second image comprises a second game element; and (d) optionally a container for containing said edible substrate. The first game element and the second game element provide elements of a game. In a preferred embodiment, the edible substrate comprises a fabricated snack chip.

Abstract: An article of commerce comprising an edible substrate having an image disposed thereon, and a method for making edible substrates having a variety of different images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to articles of commerce comprising edible substrates, and more particularly to edible substrates having an image disposed thereon.

Abstract: An article of commerce comprising an edible substrate having a composite image disposed thereon, and a method for making edible substrates having a variety of different images.

Abstract: An article of commerce comprising an edible substrate having an image disposed thereon. The article further has a message associated with the image, wherein the message links the image to an interactive component. Optionally the article comprises a container which contains the edible substrate.

Abstract: A tumbling bed of edible cores is formed which has a longitudinal axis extending from an entrance end to an exit end of the tumbling bed. Individual edible cores travel through the tumbling bed from the entrance end to the exit end by rotating in a generally helical path along the longitudinal axis of the bed. The edible cores are coated within the bed by repeatedly tumbling through both a wet zone(s) and a dry zone(s) formed within the bed. These wet and dry zones are formed, respectively, by spraying the surface of the tumbling bed with a hydrating liquid and by dusting the surface of the tumbling bed with a farinaceous powder. Both the wet and dry zones thus formed are generally rectangular, but not overlapping, zones with the major dimensions of these rectangular zones being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tumbling bed.

Abstract: Individual coated nuts or seeds are produced by mixing nuts or seeds at 180.degree. F. to 270.degree. F. with coating syrup (including sugar and sweetener syrup) at 270.degree. F. to 330.degree. F., in a rotating pan coater or other shear mixing coater until the coating syrup is distributed over the nuts or seeds, then cooling until the coating syrup begins to set, then adding separating composition, and when individual coated nuts are produced, optionally coating with particulate ingredients and/or a protective alpha-tending emulsifier coating, then transferring from the coater and cooling, then optionally coating with chocolate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing individual, crunch-confectionery-coated edible nuts. The raw, unblanched nuts are first coated with a film-forming polysaccharide to maintain the skins adhered to the nuts in a durable polysaccharide coating. The coated nuts are then subjected to shear mixing, e.g., in a pan coater, during which sucrose syrup is applied to the polysaccharide-coated nuts. Heat is applied to the nuts during shear mixing to remove moisture and to thereby form a crystalline coating, which is then partially melted to form a crystalline-amorphous coating on top of the polysaccharide coating on the individual nuts.