Abstract: An apparatus useful for continuous pan coating of edible cores which includes a coating drum arranged for rotation around an inclined axis and having an inlet opening at the upper axial end of the coating drum for reception of the edible cores, and a discharge opening at the lower axial end of the drum, so that the force of gravity urges the cores through the drum. The apparatus also includes a means for continuously driving the drum, means for providing coating material to the cores at a controllable rate, and means for delivering drying gas, such as air, to the cores also at a controllable rate while the cores are in the drum. The present invention has at least one after-treatment drum likewise arranged for rotation around an inclined axis and having an inlet opening at the upper axial end of the after-treatment drum and a discharge opening at the lower axial end, as well as a means for continuously driving the cores from the coating drum to the first after-treatment drum.

Abstract: A system for producing cracker meal by reclaiming baked products such as crackers and cookies from broken and rejected packages. The packages are shredded to break up the product and reduce the packaging material to strips so as to release most of the product from the confinement of the package. The strips of packaging material which are free of product are separated by aspiration from the product prices and the package portions, such as corners, still containing product pieces. The product pieces and remaining wrapper sections are passed through a mill which reduces the product pieces to a fine meal without cutting the wrapper pieces. The cracker meal is separated from these wrapper pieces by means of a shaker screen.