Abstract: A method of making a soft pretzel bite includes cutting a series of transverse slots on one lateral side of a dough strip, curling the transverse slotted dough strip into a respective rolled dough strip, exposing each transverse slot, and transversely cutting each rolled dough strip into dough bites. The method includes washing each dough bite in a caustic solution with the length of each transverse slot being sufficient for excess caustic solution to drain way from the dough bite. The dough bite is baked into a pretzel bite. Each transverse slot allows a volume of the pretzel bite to increase without being constrained by a pretzel skin formed around each transverse slot to aerate an interior of each pretzel bite.

Abstract: Described herein are extrusion processes to produce hollow pellets. Also disclosed are pelletizer devices that can be used to produce the hollow pellets. The processes and devices make use of an extrusion die having a die orifice and an insert that is placed in the die orifice to produce the hollow pellets.

Abstract: A system for removing trim from sheet dough including a belt defined by an upper edge, lower edge, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, wherein a plurality of brushes extend from the lower edge of the belt at an orientation substantially perpendicular to the lower edge, an idler sprocket in communication with the interior surface of the belt, and a motor configured to rotate the belt about the idler sprocket.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for producing portions of food products in pieces, especially chunks of fresh meat, comprising at least one pump capable of outputting an approximately constant flow rate of food product in pieces, a tubular distributing pipe (2) connected to the delivery outlet of said pump, and comprising at least one delivery opening (22a, 22b), and cutting and shaping means (61) acting on the food product distributed by the outlet opening of the pipe to form portions (P1), said tubular pipe being equipped with a cutting system (3) comprising at least one cutting means, such as a flat oscillating blade (310a, 310b1 320a, 320b, 410), which traverses transversely from one side to the other of said main internal passageway in order to cut the food product into at least two layers and so produce textured portions (P1) of food products.

Abstract: A molded body cutting apparatus according to the present invention comprising a first conveyer member that conveys an extrusion-molded pillar-shaped ceramic molded body a cutting member that moves in a direction parallel to a movement direction of the above mentioned first conveyer member while moving also in a vertical direction, and cuts the above mentioned ceramic molded body to a predetermined length by passing through the interior of the above mentioned ceramic molded body and a second conveyer member that conveys a cut ceramic molded body cut to a predetermined length by the above mentioned cutting member, wherein a conveyance speed of the above mentioned first conveyer member and a movement speed of the above mentioned cutting member in the above mentioned parallel direction are almost the same, before the above mentioned ceramic molded body is cut, and each of the conveyance speed of the above mentioned first conveyer member, the movement speed of the above mentioned cutting member in the above mentio

Abstract: A cutting apparatus cuts a rolled dough product. The apparatus includes a conveyor conveying a rolled dough cylinder along a dough travel path. A nozzle is coupled to a liquid source providing liquid under pressure and is directed toward the dough travel path. The nozzle is offset from a surface of the dough cylinder by an offset distance sufficient so the cutter can cut a portion from the dough cylinder and provide sufficient separation between the cut portion and the dough cylinder so the cut portion does not stick to the dough cylinder.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shaping cutter including upper and lower blades (4) and (3) fastened at one end so as to open in the shape of the letter X and cut when they close. The upper blade has an operating lever (6) extending from the end at which the upper and lower blades are fastened. An endless linear conveyor (2) has the lower blades fixed thereon, and a guide rod (7) extends parallel to the conveyor. When the conveyor moves, the operating levers of the upper blades slide along the guide rod to cause the upper blades to move from the opening position to the closing position relative to the lower blades, thereby cutting into pieces an elongated edible dough running at the same speed in the same direction as the endless linear conveyor runs. The elongated edible dough can be cut into pieces of a desired shape and size in succession. Advantageously a variety of funny-shaped pieces of confectionery or food can be provided by selecting appropriate blade shapes.

Abstract: Three-dimensional food products such as crackers, cookies, puffed snacks, puffable glassy half-products, pet foods, pasta, confections such as chewing gum, and ready-to-eat cereals are produced on a mass production basis by feeding a dough or other food composition to a plurality of dies which shape it into ropes. The shaped extrudate ropes obtained from each die are cut by a cutting device which passes across only a portion of each of the orifices of the dies to partially cut each of the shaped extrudate ropes. The cutting device passes across the entire orifice of each of the dies to completely cut each of the partially cut extrudate ropes into individual pieces. The use of a multi-port extrusion die permits higher mass flow rates and thus greater dough piece production rates at lower cutter speeds. The use of multi-port extrusion and lower cutter speeds increases shape, definition, and accuracy of cutting and reduces scattering and deformation of the individual pieces.

Abstract: The die essentially comprises a top chain and a bottom chain entrained between horizontal parallel axis gear wheels and having corresponding sliding portions contacting one another.The top chain defines at a central position, by inner and outer links thereof, substantially dihedral structures, forming open seats therealong can slide the two portions of a sugar drop forming die.The bottom chain, in turn, defines like dihedral structures the corner portions of which are adapted to cut a sugar bead, means being moreover provided for clamping the two portions of the die.

Abstract: A method serves to deposit a continuously extruded formation or string of an edible product, such as an ice cream formation upon a continuously driven conveyor for a plant for treating the product. In order to be able to deposit the formation discontinuously upon a conveyor consisting of trays, the formation is extruded upon an endless depositing band driven by means of a driving device with contant speed which is slower than the speed of the conveyor. The depositing band is driven around an end reversing location arranged above the container and the end reversing location is moved with respect to the driving device of the depositing band in the same direction as the direction of movement of the conveyor and with a speed which at least is equal to the speed with which the depositing band is driven by means of its driving device. Then the movement of the end reversing location is reversed with respect to the driving device of the depositing band and a formation portion is being deposited upon the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for preparing extruded dough pieces. A dough is extruded to form a ribbon of extruded dough. The ribbon of extruded dough is cut into the extruded dough pieces by means of a high velocity liquid jet. The high velocity liquid jet is comprised of (i) water or (ii) water and an edible, long-chain polymer or (iii) an edible, long-chain polymer and an edible oil.

Abstract: Uniform pellets of thermoplastic material are formed by centrifugally expressing strands of heated material from orifices on the rim of a hollow rotor and severing the strands with a linearly moving endless blade at a selected radial distance from the rim. The severed pellets pass in a tangential path through a cooling spray at the entrance to a pellet outlet duct. The severing blade is mounted on a bracket for movement to and from the severing position and for adjustment radially and circumferentially of the rotor axis. Two blade assemblies are employed alternately so that blade replacement may be accomplished without interrupting operation. Downstream from the outlet duct an auxiliary knife-gate is employed adjacent a scrap duct and is movable from a severing position to a scrap duct closing position.