Abstract: Automated meal preparation apparatus for continuous preparation of meals, comprising a closed-loop conveyor rail configured to support a plurality of cooking pots, driving means configured to simultaneously convey the cooking pots in a conveying direction along the closed-loop conveyor rail to a plurality of separate stations sequentially located along the closed-loop conveyor rail and being stationary with respect thereto, the plurality of stations comprising an ingredient dispensing station comprising an ingredient dispenser configured to dispense ingredients in a cooking pot, a preparation station, located downstream from the ingredient dispensing station in the conveying direction, and comprising a heating element, a serving station, located downstream from the preparation station, and comprising a dispensing mechanism, and a cleaning station, located downstream from the serving station and upstream from the ingredient dispensing station in the conveying direction, and comprising a cleaning unit configure

Abstract: A covering material for agricultural soil contains starch or a derivative or fraction thereof as binder together with a structure-improving amount of an acid and/or an oil, and a finely divided vegetable filler such as straw. The oil is for instance palm oil or linseed oil in an amount of 1-25 wt. %. The acid is preferably 0.2-4% by weight of phosphoric acid or citric acid. The material may further comprise fungicides, bentonite and/or rubber latices.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the oxidation of carbohydrates with periodate in an aqueous medium, with which method a less than equivalent amount of periodate is used and the periodate is regenerated during the reaction in a separate reaction chamber. The periodate is preferably regenerated electrochemically. The oxidation leads to dialdehyde carbohydrates in which advantageously 30-85% of the available diol groups are oxidized to dialdehyde groups.