Abstract: A pizza shell and a method for forming pizza shells. The pizza shell comprises a dough base, a plurality of closed pockets uniformly distributed about at least a portion of the base, and a plurality of food portions held within those closed pockets. To form the pizza shell, a flat dough base is formed, a plurality of food portions are placed on the dough base, the food portions are covered, and a plurality of closed pockets are formed to enclose each food portion within a separate closed pocket. The pizza shell is then used in a conventional manner to make a pizza pie.

Abstract: A peanut butter-filled snack product or the like is disclosed. This product includes an edible, heat stable, lubricious filling having a fat content of from about 40% to about 70% by weight. In addition, an edible hydrophilic material coats this filling. The coated filling is then surrounded by a layer of dough. After the snack product is baked, the filling retains its softness and lubricity.

Abstract: An exit orifice of an outer extrusion port of a coextrusion apparatus for producing a composite doughy rope-like extrudate product has a D-shaped cross-section with a straight boundary line or edge located at an upstream side of the exit orifice relative to the direction of motion of a conveyor for taking up and transporting the extrudate product. The D-shaped cross-section of the exit orifice results in an extrudate product having on one side a flat surface which engages the surface of the conveyor upon deposition of the product thereon. An inner extrusion port recessed by a distance from the outer extrusion port has an exit orifice with a substantially oval cross-section taking the form of a pair of semicircular end portions joined by a rectangular central portion. The cross-sections of the exit orifices are elongated in a direction extending parallel to the direction of motion of the conveyor.

Abstract: An egg treat has the general shape of a slice of a hard-boiled egg. The yolk portion contains real egg yolk solids, while the outer egg-shaped portion contains flour and any type of nutritious meal, including meat meal, fish meal, oatmeal, or the like. Flavorings, as well as vitamins, coloring agents, and minerals may be included. The treat is hard and helps to clean a pet's teeth and gums, and provides chewing exercise for a pet. The treat preferably has an appearance simulating the yolk color and the shape of a hard-boiled egg, and has a larger shaped base portion having a light coloring to simulate the egg white portion of a hard-boiled egg.

Abstract: Filled food products are made by cooking and extruding a casing, in the form of a closed loop in cross-section, moving it past a knife so that it becomes slit open and then introducing one or more fillings into the casing through inlet ducts which pass through the opening formed by the knife, a system of forces being arranged to close up the opening or at least, to prevent it from opening or widening. Introduction of the filling material is preferably spaced downstream from the knife, so that the opening can allow steam or other vapor evolved from the casing to escape.

Abstract: A process for producing center-filled food products comprises forming a hollow cylindrical shell of edible material having a single continuous longitudinal slit. The shell is conditioned until it is able to maintain its hollow, cylindrical shape and longitudinal slit without external support, and may subsequently be dried to a shelf stable moisture content. The shell is then filled through the longitudinal slit with an edible food substance which is substantially stable at product storage temperatures. The shell may then be cut to final product size, externally coated with seasoning, and packaged.

Abstract: An electroplasmolyzer for processing vegetable stock comprises a housing which accommodates therein electrodes provided with a plane surface of contact with vegetable stock being processed, said electrodes connected to a power supply. Adjacent electrodes in each pair thereof are connected to different phases of the power supply. The use of the herein disclosed electroplasmolyzer in a production line for primary processing of vegetable stock results in an increased efficiency of pressing equipment and higher yield of juice from vegetable stock.

Abstract: A device operatively connected to a machine for the production of cone-shaped wafers and comprising: (1) a chain or belt conveyer for moving cone-shaped receptacles, which can be of an insert type; (2) a cream batcher and a presser for the wafers. The product obtained is an ice-cream cone constituted of a pair of equally tapered cone-shaped wafers and of a layer of cream interposed between the two wafers, one being fitted into the other.

Abstract: A pumping apparatus mountable on a mobile cart or shelf for transferring a liquid or slurry pie filling such as is used for pumpkin and custard pie to pre-formed pie crusts within the confines of an oven. The device is used in small 1-3 man bakery in the manufacture of pumpkin or custard pie.The device features a housing having a pump and motor and an inlet pipe to bring the filling to the pump from which it is transferred to other locations within an oven by an outlet hose connected to a loading arm. The flow of filling is controlled by the operator via a switch mounted on the arm.

Abstract: A continuous co-extruded food product is formed having dissimilar inner and outer portions wherein the inner portion is enveloped by the outer portion and the outer portion is a dough containing particulate material such as chocolate chips. The product is formed by an inner extrusion port being recessed a distance d from an outer extrusion port with the distance d being sufficient for permitting particulate material in the outer dough portion to pass through an exit passage between the inner and outer extrusion ports without clogging or agglomeration. Turbulence is induced in the outer dough portion which envelops the inner portion thereby causing the particulate material to tumble whereby at least a portion of the particulate material partially penetrates the exterior surface of the outer dough portion enveloping the inner portion. Dough is removed from the surface of the part of the particulate material penetrating the exterior surface of the outer dough portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for continuously producing a co-extruded wrapped food product is disclosed. The apparatus includes a double nozzle extruder member having inner and outer tubular barrels arranged with the inner barrel being positioned centrally within the outer barrel. First and second hoppers are adapted to supply a filling food material and a moldable food material to their respective barrels. Feeding means continuously move the two food materials from each of their hoppers through the barrels to form a filled ribbon of food material. Means is included for continuously shaping, cutting and sealing the ribbon to form the wrapped food product in a single step and without any waste. The shaping, cutting and sealing means is adapted to receive the ribbon of food material and continuously produce the final wrapped food product.

Abstract: A device for producing multiple food turnovers, such as ravioli, pirozhki, and similar food products made from dough with filling, comprises a female die (10) with a plurality of cavities (14) for forming individual products, and a male die (24) with a plurality of protrusions (26) mating with said cavities (14) of the female die (10). The device is provided also with a shield (40) having openings (42) which are smaller in dimensions than the cavities (14). In operation, female die (10) is covered with a first sheet of dough, and then the dough is pressed into cavities (14) by means of protrusions (26) on the male die (24). The male die (24) is removed, the female die (10) is covered with the shield (40), and the filling is poured into the dough pockets of the female die (10) using the guide openings (42) of the shield. The female die with dough and filling is covered with the second sheet of dough, and the latter is covered with a baking tray (46).

Abstract: A snack-type confectionary product is comprised of a hollow, substantially tubular body, made of extruded cooked biscuit with particular characteristics of lightness, crispness and digestibility, with the ends closed or open, stuffed with more or less fluid cream with or without grains and fruit, possibly covered with chocolate and grains of various kinds. A process is also provided for the production of the confectionary product described above, involving the high temperature extrusion cooking of said biscuit, as well as subsequent operational phases for completing the product.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a chocolate coated creamed wafer candy bar, wherein the coating layer does not crack or delaminate during normal storage. Wafer sheets are first baked and their moisture content is substantially increased. A layer of cream having a moisture content less than that of the wafer sheets is applied to the wafer sheets and smaller units of creamed wafers are formed and coated with a paste to produce a candy bar.

Abstract: A novel frozen-dessert coated with a viscoelastic material is disclosed. The viscoelastic material is prepared by mixing and kneading starch of substantially amylopectin with saccharides and water. Preferably, the starch is selected from starch of glutinous rice, corn or glutinous corn.

Abstract: For treating and conserving filled dough food products, such as "ravioli", "tortellini", "cappelletti" and the like, the products are subjected to a high moisture and temperature environment and then dried until the dough casing thereof reaches a predetermined moisture content. Then the dried products are packaged under vacuum and subjected again to a high temperature environment, thereby obtaining filled dough packaged products which can be perfectly conserved for long periods without developing any signs of deterioration, mold, etc.

Abstract: Products such as small chocolate bars, intended to be uniformly aligned on other products passing on a conveyor, such as pieces of dough in the manufacture of chocolate-filled cookies, are placed in a hopper having resiliently mounted walls. Beneath the hopper is a feeder comprising a cylindrical-sector-shaped feeder part. The feeder part includes a slot through which the chocolate bars can be disposed on the pieces of dough. By means of a motor-driven main crank assembly and a supplementary crank assembly, a perturbed sinusoidal motion is imparted to the feeder part, thus ensuring that the chocolate bars are consistently introduced into the feed slot, particularly in the vicinity of the walls of the hopper. A blocking and release mechanism, connected to the feeder and controlled by a sensor unit, ensures that only one chocolate bar drops on each piece of dough.

Abstract: An ice cream cone assembly comprising a cone with a pre-formed seating area whereby the male portion of a pre-formed ice cream scoop interlocks with the cone, the said ice cream scoop being stackable on other scoops in a cavity of the same shape as the male guide of the ice cream scoop.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously manufacturing multi-layered dough materials containing at least dough layers comprising the steps of continuously extruding material in a tubular form onto a conveyor belt, stretching the material to a thin strip while being transported, folding and piling up the strip of material and re-stretching the piled up material. The apparatus comprises a dough feeder comprising a vertical hollow screw and a double-layered annular bottom outlet, a first conveyor means, a first roller assembly consisting of rollers progressing along a closed orbit, a swinging means positioned between the first and the second roller assemblies for swinging dough material so as to allow it to be riled up on a second conveyor means in a multi-layered form, and a second roller assembly similar to the first roller assembly for stretching the piled up dough material in coaction with the second conveyor means.

Abstract: An improved food preparation process is disclosed. In order to practice the process, a container is provided which has a centrally-depressed receptacle with an outwardly and downwardly extending rim. A food filling is first deposited in the container receptacle. The container receptacle and rim are then covered with a sheet of unbaked dough so that the dough conforms to the container rim. The now-filled and covered container which comprises the food product is then frozen. The frozen product filled container is inverted in a conventional oven and heat is applied. A seal is formed between the dough sheet and the container at the juncture of the container walls and rim. The filling heats to a fluid state. When the container is removed, the filling flows outwardly to fill the upstanding crust formed by the baked dough.

Abstract: Baked filled pies having a meat filling which are succulent and non-soggy and have a high bacteriological standard, are obtained by dispersing chemically set gel particles, like alkaline earth metal alginate or low-methoxy pectate, into the meat filling in a weight ratio of meat filling to gel particles of 50:50 to 95:5, respectively.

Abstract: A prepared specialty frozen food product and method. The product is a frozen pizza with a filling-receiving crust portion made from a bread dough and a filling portion received within the crust. The method comprises preparing a bread dough product, subdividing the bread dough into individual dough elements, permitting the dough elements to rise, placing the dough elements within a forming pan having a flat, lower surface portion and an upwardly and outwardly tapering sidewall surface and pressing the dough elements within the pan so as to form the dough elements into flat sheets substantially co-extensive with the lower pan surface portion. Next, the dough sheets are allowed to rise, and are re-pressed so as to further exclude the dough radially. This causes the dough sheet to assume the contours of the pan bottom and sidewall and causes the crust to assume substantially uniform thickness in the bottom and sidewall areas of the pan.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing a tubular centerfilled food product having a rigid, friable baked outer shell and a core of edible filling material by a continuous, straight-through process. A semi-liquid batter having a relatively high content of mono-and/or disaccharides is carried between a pair of spaced apart heated moving surfaces and baked to form a continuous, elongated flat thermoplastic sheet having a controlled thickness. The continuous thermoplastic sheet is rolled around its longitudinal axis while warm and pliable to form a continuous tube having a closed longitudinal, non-overlapping seam. As the baked sheet is rolled around its longitudinal axis, a viscous edible filling material is injected into the core of the continuous tube as it is formed. The filled tube is cooled until the outer shell becomes rigid and is then cut into pieces of a desired length.

Abstract: A food product suitable for preparing a filled pastry shell and a method for preparing it are disclosed. The food product comprises an unbaked sheet of puff pastry dough which comprises a central portion which is sufficiently disrupted to reduce normal rising and a substantially-continuous peripheral portion which rises to a greater extent than the central portion during baking. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a frozen food insert is disposed over the central portion of the sheet and, during baking, the insert cooks to fill a recess formed as the peripheral portion of the sheet rises to form a shell.

Abstract: A process for producing a frozen, pre-prepared food product is disclosed. In order to practice the process, a container is provided which has a centrally-depressed receptacle with an outwardly and downwardly extending rim. A food filling is first deposited in the container receptacle. The container receptacle and rim are then covered with a sheet of unbaked dough so that the dough conforms to the container rim. The now-filled and covered container which comprises the food product is then frozen so that when a sufficient amount of heat is applied to the product, the filling heats to a fluid state. Thus, when the food product is inverted and the container is removed, the filling flows outwardly to fill the upstanding crust formed by the baked dough.

Abstract: An edible food container (10) and mold (22) for making the same. The edible food container (10) is cylindrically contoured and extends in a longitudinal direction having a cylindrical food cavity formed therein. An end section (16) of edible food container (10) is closed to provide an overall cup-shaped contour. A food (12) may be inserted within the food cavity (14) and the food (12) and edible food container (10) may be consumed as a unitary combination. The food (12) is captured within the edible food container (10) and provides for a minimization of leakage and spillage during the ingestion process.

Abstract: A substantially spherical filled food product comprising an outer closed shell of pastry enclosing a soft filling. The shell is seamless and consists of an oven-baked yeast-less pastry having a humidity content not exceeding 1 wt.%. The shell has a coarse-cellular inner structure, with the cell size decreasing towards the exposed outer surface of the shell, said outer surface being substantially impervious to air and humidity. No yeast is used in the dough for the shell; the cellular structure-building aid in the dough is the white of egg. The outer diameter of the shell is from 10 mm to 20 mm, while the weight ratio of the filling to the shell is at least 2:1. The product is buoyant in commestible aqueous liquids such as fruit juice or milk.

Abstract: An edible server is disclosed comprising an elongated wafer formed with a series of cup-shaped receptacles sized for individual disposition within a human mouth and with bridges joining adjacent receptacles together with each bridge having a score line extending between and segmenting adjacent cup-shaped receptacles. The cup-shaped receptacles may be filled with fluid foodstuff, serially inserted into a human mouth, and individually broken from the remainder of the wafer along the score lines and eaten.

Abstract: A fabricated baked potato product comprises a core of potato mash enclosed by a fabricated outer skin containing baked potato solids. The outer skin is preferably made by baking peeled potato pieces to impart a baked potato flavor, grinding the baked pieces, and mixing the ground baked potato pieces optionally with water, starch, and cooked potato solids to form a pliable, cohesive baked potato dough. In a presently preferred method, the baked potato pieces are dried to a moisture content of less than about 10% and then comminuted to form a dry baked potato powder which is mixed with the optional ingredients to form the baked potato dough. An intermediate product is produced by forming the dough as a thin layer around a core of potato mash. The potato mash core is completely encased in the outer dough, preferably by simultaneous extrusion techniques. The intermediate product is eventually fried in hot cooking oil to form a novel potato product which retains the flavor of fresh baked potatoes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a filled tubular food product in which tubular dough pieces are extruded onto a supporting die member which maintains the internal diameter of the cavity in each dough piece fixed during raising and baking after which said cavity is filled with another relatively softer food product.

Abstract: A dough processor is disclosed in which a pair of parallel rollers are geared for coacting space relationship to pass a predetermined amount of dough therebetween. Means are provided to adjust the spaced relationship between the rollers, and in fixed dimensional relationship each to the other so that firm spacing takes place as the dough is repeatedly processed between the rollers. A preferred ratchet type mechanism for adjusting the space between the rollers is provided. Gear reduction for the handle permits use by the average homemaker, and optionally the same may be power driven.The method contemplates the steps of sequentially and repeatedly passing the preformed amount of dough through the rollers, and adjusting the space closer and closer until the desired thickness is achieved.

Abstract: The pelleting of fibrous agricultural material, such as beet pulp is facilitated by the incorporation of a mixture of expanded vermiculite and/or finely divided vermiculite ore with an organic material which may be animal fat or a vegetable oil product such as cottonseed oil.

Abstract: A device for the production of a food article, in which food material is extruded through a generally arcuate die opening so that a differential in the frictional forces between the center portion and the end portions of the arcuate opening causes the material to curl about an axis transverse to the die axis and thus assume the general shape of a shell. The device lends itself to the fabrication, in an automatic, consistent and simple way, of a food product of a unique structure which has a filling of meat within a covering of dough.

Abstract: A food product in the form of a frankfurter having an opening through the center thereof is filled with seasoning material substantially from end to end thereof and is sealed at opposite ends.The emulsion forming the body of the frankfurter may be extruded into a casing in the usual way. The meat emulsion usually has a filler which, when cooked, will cause the emulsion to be stable, allowing the casing to be peeled off. The seasoning material can be extruded from one side into the center of the emulsion and substantially throughout its length. It also should have a filler that will cause it to solidify upon cooking. An adible sealant is used to seal off the seasoning material at opposite ends of the frankfurter as frankfurters are continuously formed (extruded).The frankfurter is inserted into an elongated dough-type roll having an opening through one end but with the opposite end closed.

Abstract: A fried tofu product, such as "aburage", "ganmodoki", "aburage casing" and "jointless aburage casing", is prepared without coagulants normally used in conventional processes for making tofu by forming a kneaded soy proteinaceous material or soy protein dough from a heat coagulable soy protein, shaping the protein dough into a desired shape (e.g., thin sheet, rounded disc, or tubular) and deep frying the shaped material in two successive stages. Egg components and/or edible oils or fats can be incorporated into the protein dough to improve the texture, taste and/or food value of the fried product.

Abstract: A process for producing hollow pastries wherein a strip of pastry dough is wound off a rotary drum on a winding spindle disposed relative to the drum to produce a hollow pastry body by spirally overlapping the pastry strip on the spindle. A coating is applied on the inside of the pastry strip from a dispending nozzle before the strip is wound on the spindle to protect the pastry body from the wet filling introduced subsequently into the hollow pastry body and to bond the overlapping turns of the pastry body to each other.