Abstract: A cooling die, for use in the manufacture of extruded food products, the cooling die including: a plurality of core members forming a main body portion of the cooling die between die inlet and outlet ends and arranged about an axis of the die in neighboring relationship; a plurality of extrudate flow channels extending through the cooling die from the inlet end to the outlet end, defined by gaps between neighboring ones of said core members; at least one bore in each said core member through which coolant may flow; an enclosing structure adapted to secure the core members against radial movement relative to the die axis; means for connecting the cooling die to an outlet of a food extruder, a cooling fluid source and a cooling fluid receptacle; and extrudate flow distribution means, located adjacent the inlet end, adapted to direct extrudate from the outlet of the food extruder into selected ones of said extrudate flow channels.

Abstract: A cooling die, for use in the manufacture of extruded food products, the cooling die including: a plurality of core members forming a main body portion of the cooling die between die inlet and outlet ends and arranged about an axis of the die in neighboring relationship; a plurality of extrudate flow channels extending through the cooling die from the inlet end to the outlet end, defined by gaps between neighboring ones of said core members; at least one bore in each said core member through which coolant may flow; an enclosing structure adapted to secure the core members against radial movement relative to the die axis; means for connecting the cooling die to an outlet of a food extruder, a cooling fluid source and a cooling fluid receptacle; and extrudate flow distribution means, located adjacent the inlet end, adapted to direct extrudate from the outlet of the food extruder into selected ones of said extrudate flow channels.

Abstract: A cooling die for extruding of high moisture extrudate food products having a cooling die body in which are defined a plurality of extrudate flow channels extending between an inlet end of the cooling die that is attachable to an extruder and outlet end for delivery of cooled-down extrudate, and coolant cavities located in heat-exchanging communication with the extrudate flow channels and connectable to a source of coolant, characterized in that the cooling die body consist of a plurality of thick plates having first and second channels extending between and opening at the planar surfaces of the thick plates, and that the plurality of thick places are stacked and fastened together such that the opening of the first and second channels of adjoining plates are respectively aligned with one another, whereby the first channels form said plurality of extrudate flow channels and the second channels form a plurality of discrete coolant channels extending through the length of the cooling die body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a texturised proteinaceous meat analogue product, including: subjecting, in a food extruder a mixture containing: about 40 to 95% by weight edible proteinaceous materials selected from the group of predetermined mixtures of defatted soy flour, soy meal, soy concentrate, cereal gluten in vital or starch-containing form and egg white, and up to about 7% by weight of edible mineral binding and cross-linking compounds; to mechanical pressure and added heat sufficient to convert the mixture into a hot, viscous protein lava; extruding the protein lava through and from a temperature controlled cooling die which cools and reduces the viscosity of the protein lava to obtain a cohesive, texturised, extrudate slab or ribbon in which vapour-flashing is substantially inhibited; and subjecting the solidified extrudate slab or ribbon to mechanical shredding in a hammer mill having a cage plate with a plurality of elongate discharge openings and a plurality of hammer bars hinged to discs attached to

Abstract: A cooling die for extruding of high moisture extrudate food products having a cooling die body in which are defined and a plurality of extrudate flow channels extending between an inlet end of the cooling die that is attachable to an extruder and outlet end for delivery of cooled-down extrudate, and coolant cavities located in heat-exchanging communication with the extrudate flow channels and connectable to a source of coolant, characterized in that the cooling die body consist of a plurality of thick plates having first and second channels extending between and opening at the planar surfaces of the thick plates, and that the plurality of thick places are stacked and fastened together such that the opening of the first and second channels of adjoining plates are respectively aligned with one another, whereby the first channels form said plurality of extrudate flow channels and the second channels form a plurality of discrete coolant channels extending through the length of the cooling die body.