Abstract: A rotary blade assembly for cutting a food product into helical strips is disclosed. The rotary blade assembly includes a substantially spiral-shaped blade holder for mounting in a food product flow path, and a plurality of axially extending slitter blades connected to the blade holder. The blade holder includes an axis of rotation, an upstream surface, an upstream end and a downstream end. The upstream end is axially spaced apart from the downstream end to define a radial slot. A radial cutting edge is positioned adjacent the radial slot. Each slitter blade extends upstream of the upstream surface and includes a slitter cutting edge. At least a portion of the slitter cutting edge of at least one of the slitter blades extends substantially non-perpendicularly to the upstream surface toward or away from the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A system for cutting hasselback food items is disclosed. The system includes a conveyor having an upper surface for supporting at least one food item and for moving the food item along a path, and a cutting device positioned above the conveyor along the path. The cutting device includes an array of four or more parallel side-by-side cutting blades. A method of cutting hasselback food items is also disclosed.

Abstract: A wiggle-shaped food product, and a method of cutting a wiggle-shaped food product strip is disclosed. The method includes cutting an undulating slice from a food product, the slice having two opposed undulating first surfaces, wherein the first surfaces are spaced apart by a slice thickness, wherein the first surfaces have a first undulation amplitude parallel to the slice thickness, and cutting a wiggle-shaped strip from the slice, the strip having two opposed undulating second surfaces, the two first surfaces and the two second surfaces extending longitudinally, wherein the second surfaces are positioned at an angle to the first surfaces, the second surfaces are spaced apart by a strip thickness, the second surfaces have a second undulation amplitude parallel to the strip thickness.

Abstract: A cutting device for cutting twisted-shape food pieces is disclosed. The cutting device includes at least one tube, the tube having an open inlet end and an open outlet end, wherein the tube defines a longitudinal passage extending from the inlet end to the outlet end. At least three cutting blades are coupled to the tube downstream of the inlet end of the tube. Each cutting blade includes a blade edge facing the inlet end, and each blade edge extends from an upstream edge end to a downstream edge end across a portion of the bore.

Abstract: A rotary blade assembly for cutting a food product into helical strips is disclosed. The rotary blade assembly includes a substantially spiral-shaped blade holder for mounting in a food product flow path, and a plurality of axially extending slitter blades connected to the blade holder. The blade holder includes an axis of rotation, an upstream surface, an upstream end and a downstream end. The upstream end is axially spaced apart from the downstream end to define a radial slot. A radial cutting edge is positioned adjacent the radial slot. Each slitter blade extends upstream of the upstream surface and includes a slitter cutting edge. At least a portion of the slitter cutting edge of at least one of the slitter blades extends substantially non-perpendicularly to the upstream surface toward or away from the axis of rotation.