Abstract: An apparatus for refrigerating and dispensing soft serve food products from one or more containers of product maintained at temperatures, respectively, appropriate for the products. The containers comprise flexible and impermeable bags having heat sink structures contained therein and the apparatus includes respective container receptacles and a refrigeration system having cooling sections located adjacent the respective receptacles wherein the cooling sections are aligned with the heat sink structures of the containers when the containers are seated within the receptacles. Adjustable refrigerant controls are provided for controlling the flow of refrigerant to the respective cooling sections and a monitoring system, including pneumatic and electric control circuits, provides signals corresponding to the volume of space in a container receptacle external of the flexible bag to detect the existence of an empty or nearly empty container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining and dispensing chilled or frozen products including a plurality of dispensing apparati each within a chilled chamber and each having a valve outlet through which the chilled or frozen product is dispensed. In another aspect the chilled or soft frozen product dispensing apparatus utilizes gas pressure extrusion of the chilled or soft frozen products wherein the chilled or soft frozen product passes along a heat extrusion head projection as it is extruded which results in a dispensing of uniformly chilled flowable food products.