Abstract: A food preparation appliance comprising a sieve having an inner perforated surface for extracting a food item into liquid and solid particles, a source of rotatable power for rotating the sieve, a cleaning device for removing unwanted buildup of pulp from the perforated surface of the sieve, and a reservoir holding a pre-determined volume of cleaning fluid that is released and directed onto the sieve when the cleaning device is operated.

Abstract: An Avocado Skinning and Pulping Device. The avocado pulper has two grip belts approximately oval in shape and further having a plurality of grip plates around the grip belts. The grip plates are knurled thereby facilitating a grasping of an avocado as it is conveyed into the grip belts and rides through to the rear opening. A pivotable and adjustable belt guide within an inner section of each grip belt is adapted to exert maximum squeezing pressure on the avocado at the approximate middle section of the grip belts at which point the grip belts are in approximate contact with one another. Pulp is thereby squeezed from the avocado. The grip belts separate at the approximate rear defining space for releasing the skin of the avocado. A de-seeder adjacent to the front end opening of the grip belts removes the seed from the avocado prior to its entry into the maximum squeezing section.

Abstract: The combination of: a) an apple with a top and bottom and having fibrous/woody carpels and seeds removed to produce a cavity extending from the bottom of the apple upwardly but not fully to the top of the apple so as to leave the top stem intact; and b) an edible filling added to the apple within the cavity.

Abstract: A dehydrated avocado in pieces that is a semi-porous, rigid and fragile solid preserving the organoleptic properties of the fresh fruit and having a dry base weight chemical composition of 17.6 grams to 30.4 grams of carbohydrates, 6.8 grams to 8.4 grams of proteins, 61.2 grams to 69.2 grams of oil, 0.5 grams to 1.5 grams of water and 5.6 grams to 8.4 grams of fiber is produced selecting the avocado at a ripeness level higher than the climacteric maximum; pre-cooling; scalding; cutting the tip, wherein the tip is the section of the fruit immediately behind the petiole; removing the skin; slicing with the pit included; applying vacuum and microwave dehydration; and removing the pit sections from the slices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a machine for stoning mangoes. The method includes a stage of blocking the mango fruit frontally of a cutting blade (3), which performs a first cut below the stone and a second cut above the stone; the cuts, performed with the same or with different blades, intersects a whole length in a longitudinal direction of the fruit and are performed by thrust-insertion of a cutting blade in the longitudinal direction of the stone. The machine for implementing the method includes one or more work stations (6, 7, 8, 9), each of which includes at least a blocking group (10) which blocks the fruit in a desired position thereof; at least a station includes a blade (3) with a shaped cutting profile which is provided with straight motion and performs the cuts envisaged by the method; sliding means (11) are provided to cause the straight motion of the blade.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a machine for stoning mangoes. The method comprises a stage of blocking the mango fruit frontally of a cutting blade (3), which performs a first cut below the stone and a second cut above the stone; the cuts, performed with the same or with different blades, intersects a whole length in a longitudinal direction of the fruit and are performed by thrust-insertion of a cutting blade in the longitudinal direction of the stone. The machine for implementing the method comprises one or more work stations (6, 7, 8, 9), each of which comprises at least a blocking group (10) which blocks the fruit in a desired position thereof; at least a station comprises a blade (3) with a shaped cutting profile which is provided with straight motion and performs the cuts envisaged by the method; sliding means (11) are provided to cause the straight motion of the blade.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for aqueous extraction of chemical compounds from solid material in which the solid material is entrained in an extraction liquid phase that flowed around immersed sonotrodes emitting radial or focused high energy ultrasonic waves. A significant increase in extracted material and decreases in extraction time is observed.

Abstract: Described is a pitting machine, system and process that singularizes or individualizes fruit pieces, such as cherries, olives, dates and plums and that attempts to remove pits and pit material from each fruit piece. A conveyor comprises wells or receptacles for accepting fruit pieces. The conveyor passes fruit pieces into a pitting area wherein the pitting machine removes pit material from the fruit pieces by a matrix of punching or pitting needles. Pitting needles include vanes or blades for reducing damage to fruit pieces and centering of pits or pit material. The matrix moves in an oscillatory fashion in synchronization with generally continuous movement of fruit pieces engaged in the conveyor. Singularization enables improved processing, sorting, and quality checking of fruit pieces. The system virtually ensures sufficient removal of pits and pit material. Fruit pieces that fail quality checking can be ejected or rejected from the conveyor.

Abstract: Described is a pitting machine, system and process that singularizes or individualizes fruit pieces, such as cherries, olives, dates and plums and that attempts to remove pits and pit material from each fruit piece. A conveyor comprises depressions, wells or receptacles for accepting fruit pieces for processing. The conveyor accepts fruit pieces into wells, passes the fruit pieces into a pitting area wherein the pitting machine removes pit material from the fruit pieces by a matrix of punching needles or pitting needles. The matrix moves in an oscillatory fashion in synchronization with generally continuous movement of the fruit pieces engaged in the conveyor. The singularization enables easier and better processing, sorting, and quality checking of fruit pieces. Quality checking may be done before and after pitting of fruit pieces. Quality checking may include desired color and size of each fruit piece. Quality checking virtually ensures successful or sufficient removal of pits and pit material.

Abstract: Described is a pitting machine, system and process that singularizes or individualizes fruit pieces, such as cherries, olives, dates and plums and that attempts to remove pits and pit material from each fruit piece. A conveyor comprises depressions, wells or receptacles for accepting fruit pieces for processing. The conveyor accepts fruit pieces into wells, passes the fruit pieces into a pitting area wherein the pitting machine removes pit material from the fruit pieces by a matrix of punching needles or pitting needles. The matrix moves in an oscillatory fashion in synchronization with generally continuous movement of the fruit pieces engaged in the conveyor. The singularization enables easier and better processing, sorting, and quality checking of fruit pieces. Quality checking may be done before and after pitting of fruit pieces. Quality checking may include desired color and size of each fruit piece. Quality checking virtually ensures successful or sufficient removal of pits and pit material.

Abstract: A safe and convenient cherry pitting device that includes a freestanding detachable base, a fruit support and pitter passthrough unit and a pitter containment cone. The unit is adapted for vertical mounting on the base. Further, the unit defines axially aligned top and bottom openings and one or more side openings. The pitter containment cone generally has a cone shaped outer surface including one or more walls defining a central cavity with a top closed end and a bottom open end for placement over the unit. The cone also includes a pitter bit that projects vertically downward within the top closed end of the cone in axial alignment with the top and bottom openings of the unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating joined components, purifying liquid, promoting interaction between two or more components and improving combustion. The apparatus has a housing, a rotor inside of the housing, a plurality of protrusions extending from the rotor, a shaft coupled with the rotor and a prime mover for rotating the shaft. Fluid within the housing cavitates as the rotor rotates and the protrusions move through the fluid. Cavitation causes joined components within the fluid to separate, kills undesirable organisms within the fluid, promotes interaction of components within the fluid and improves combustion of a liquid fuel. The fluid and components may also be subjected to abrasion and centrifugal and impact forces for separating the components, purifying the fluid, promoting interaction of the components and improving combustion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting and stuffing food items include a processing tool that may pit any type of fruit of vegetable product. The same processing tool then stuffs the fruit or vegetable with another food item. The processing tool may include two sets of opposed knife assemblies that work in combination to remove a core of the first food item by cutting into the food item from one side to push the core toward the other knife. The second knife assembly defines and cuts the interior space of the first food item. The core may be retracted by the second knife assembly or completely pushed out by the first knife assembly. The second food item is loaded into the second knife assembly and then pushed into the space created in the first food item by a piston within the second knife assembly.

Abstract: An avocado processor extracts the pulp from the fruit. The avocados are heated, cooled, sliced in half, depitted, and squeezed all while continuously traveling along a conveyor path. The squeezing is handled by V-shaped finger assembly. Guides force the fingers to close as they move along the path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting olives (or other fruit) and slicing the pitted fruit. In preferred embodiments, a pitting knife and a coring knife horizontally translate each olive to be pitted while the pitting knife, coring knife, and olive revolve together about a horizontal axis, the pitting knife pushes out the pit horizontally as the olive and cup translate along a segment of a circular first path around the axis, the apparatus includes slicing pockets (in positions horizontally separated from the first path) which translate along a circular second path parallel to the first path, after pitting, a pitting knife pulls the pitted olive horizontally away from the first path and into one of the pockets, and the pitted olive in the pocket is sliced by slicing knives as the pitted olive and pocket translate around the axis along a segment of the second path into engagement with the slicing knives.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for the processing of oil-producing drupes, notably olives, is described comprising at least one device (20, 24) for the processing of whole drupes which effects a physical destructuring with incipient detachment of the drupe pulp from the skins and stones, under conditions which substantially avoid the oxidation mainly of the pulp's natural antioxidants; at least one device (42, 52; 110; 120, 124, 130, 134, 160, 170) for the physical separation and recovery (at 100) of the pulp essentially devoid of stones and advantageously skins, and (at 92, 96, 110) of the stones essentially devoid of pulp, advantageously with the skins, ly under conditions which substantially avoid oxidation; and at least one device (160, 170, 172, 174) for the separation and recovery of the pulp oil essentially devoid of stone oil and containing the pulp's natural antioxidants, thereby improving the purity and oxidation resistance of the pulp oil.

Abstract: The invention concerns concentrates of ursolic acid or its salts and oleanoic acid, wherein (i) ursolic acid and oleanoic acid or its salts are present in an total amount for the two of more than 22 wt %, preferably 30 to 65 wt % (ii) sugar residues are present in an amount of less than 40 wt %, preferably less than 25 wt %, in particular in an amount of 1 to 10 wt % (iii) while ursolic acid and oleanoic acid or its salts are present in a weight ratio of more than 3.6, preferably 4.0 to 6.0 (iv) the balance being other materials, including glycerides and/or triterpenes other than ursolic acid and oleanoic acid and a method to make these concentrates.

Abstract: A drupe which is infested with a larva of a moth or larvae of other insects, and is contaminated with related excretions, referred to as a “frass”, in a central zone within the drupe, is cleansed with a longitudinally bored pitting knife mounted in the pitting head of a conventional pitting machine. A source of cleansing fluid is connected to the bore within the knife and fluid is discharged through radial passages in the knife, which radial passages communicate with the longitudinal bore. In operation, while the knife pits the drupe, fluid discharged from within the knife contacts the walls of the passage left by the ejected pit, and removes the frass. If desired, the drupe may be first pitted, then decontaminated or washed, and/or dried sequentially, in separate stages. The invention is particularly effective with dates, prunes, olives, cherries, nectarines, peaches and avocados.

Abstract: Olive oil is fortified with oleanolic acid by including olive leaves in the malaxation mash of conventional olive oil pressing in an amount of 5-50 wt. %, based on the weight of the malaxation mash. The invention comprises vegetable oils fortified with a concentrate of oleanolic acid and, optionally, oleuropein. Food products fortified with oleanolic acid containing oils or concentrates according to the invention are also part of the invention.

Abstract: A servo driven peach pitter mechanism with a servo motor (100) for a gripper mechanism head assembly (60) and a servo motor (118) for a selective knife (56), to achieve unlimited control flexibility in rotation of gripper mechanisms (62) and selective knife (56). Servo motor (100) controls rotation of a tubular housing (69) of the head assembly (60), which in turn rotates the gripper mechanism (62). Servo motor (118) includes a 90 degree gear box (114) which connects with a spindle (112) that carries the selective knife (56).

Abstract: Devices and corresponding mechanical non-fermentive methods for isolating seeds from fruits or vegetables and for releasing and separating the isolated seeds from their coats, according to one embodiment the device includes a first station including a first chamber and a second chamber at least partly separated therebetween by a perforation element, the first chamber engages a mixing mechanism for circulating a coated seeds including liquid mixture such that the coated seeds are scraped against the perforation element and passing through the element into the second chamber, the device further includes a second station including a third chamber engaging a vortexing mechanism for vortexing the liquid mixture, such that the seeds resulting from the first station are scraped against one another, thereby releasing the seeds from their coats, the device further includes drains for separating the released seed coats from the naked seeds.

Abstract: A method of continuously de-activating enzymes, sterilizing or deodorizing a liquid material such as liquid foodstuff or liquid medicine with a supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide. The method includes the following steps: 1) the liquid material is continuously supplied from an inlet at a bottom of a processing tank; 2) micro-particles of the supercritical fluid of the carbon dioxide are formed so that a density of the supercritical fluid is smaller than that of the liquid material; 3) the micro-particles of the supercritical fluid are injected continuously into the liquid material from another inlet at the bottom of the processing tank; and 4) the liquid material and the supercritical fluid are separated into different phases at the top of the processing tank and are taken out of the processing tank separately.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing pathogen-reduced seeds from fruits or vegetables by sterilizing the surface of the fruit or vegetable, and subsequently releasing a seed and pulp mixture from the fruit or vegetable, are disclosed. Contamination of seeds by the transfer of pathogens from the surface of the fruit or vegetable to the seed during seed harvesting is prevented. The seeds produced by use of the method and apparatus of the invention are thus significantly reduced in pathogens. The use of these pathogen-reduced seeds in the commercial growing industry may be expected to inhibit the spread of plant diseases such as bacterial fruit blotch of watermelon.

Abstract: A floatation separation method is described for separating pieces of fruit or vegetable of the same type, but wherein desirable pieces have a slightly different specific gravity from the undesirable ones, and all have a specific gravity about the same as that of water. The pieces (12, FIG. 3 ) are placed near the surface of a body of water, and a cloud (40) of tiny air bubbles is maintained in the water. As the bubbles float to the surface they encounter the articles and slightly increase their buoyancy. The increase in buoyancy is slight and uniform, so those articles having a density slightly greater than that of the water will remain at the water surface, while those of a slightly greater density cannot be floated by the air bubbles and will sink to the bottom. The cloud of air bubbles is created by allowing air at about atmospheric pressure, to emerge from apertures in a rapidly spinning rotor that open in a direction primarily opposite to the spin direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting olives and then slicing the pitted olives. In a preferred embodiment, each olive is carried in a cup positioned between a coring knife and a pitting knife in a manner so that the longitudinal axes of the cup and the knives coincide. As the cup and knives rotate around a drive shaft along parallel circular paths, a system of cams extends and retracts the knives relative to the cup, in order to pit the olive. After the pitting operation, the cup (containing a pitted olive) continues to rotate along its circular path past a set of slicing knives or water jet cutters. The slicing elements are oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the cup's circular path, so that the slicing elements will sever the olive cleanly into slices as the cup translates past them. In the inventive method and apparatus, both the pitting and slicing operations are performed on each olive while the olive is held in a known orientation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting olives, in which each olive is held between a pair of matching knives as the knives are rotated along parallel circular paths by a rotating drive shaft. The knives may both be coring knives or may both be pitting knives, and are aligned so that their longitudinal axes coincide and the common longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the olive's circular path. As the knives rotate along parallel circular paths, they are translated by cams along their common longitudinal axis so as to penetrate opposite ends of the olive simultaneously and then to push the pit out through one end of the olive. The coring knife embodiment of the invention leaves a clean bore through the pitted olive after removal of the core (including the pit), and prevents the pit from tearing away an irregularly shaped olive portion during removal.

Abstract: A method for depitting an olive wherein at least one elongated member moves horizontally through an olive having a horizontal longitudinal axis and supported at one end in a recess of a cup to force the pit through a central opening in the recess.

Abstract: A fruit refrigerating device includes a cylindrical hopper receiving fruits and provided with an axially disposed rotatable worm which moves the fruits through the hopper and a cooling unit for cooling a liquid which fills the hopper and cools the fruits. An automatic depitting machine is connected to the cylindrical hopper for receiving chilled fruits therefrom and depitting the fruits. The fruit receiving hopper has two spaced-apart nozzles, through one of which fruits are fed into the hopper, and the other of which serves to discharge the fruits from the hopper and is connected to a hopper of the automatic depitting machine. Control elements are provided in the fruit refrigerating device to control the level of fruits in the fruit feeding nozzle to prevent feeding of fruits into the cylindrical hopper when the fruit level in the feeding nozzle attains its maximal value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for removing skins and pits from avocados and the like in a process where the avocado is initially held in a split cup, knife means being operated for cutting through the avocado skin and flesh and for engaging and holding the avocado pit, jaw means being operated for engaging respective skin portions of the avocado, the jaw means then being retracted with the avocado skins, stripper means being movable relative to the knife means for urging the avocado flesh away from the avocado pit, the flesh portions of the avocados being collected in a first collection means, the pits and skins of the avocados being collected in a second collection means. Prior to processing in the manner described above, the avocados are preferably treated by immersion in hot avocado oil or the like in order to loosen their skins.

Abstract: A method for chopping olives comprises feeding olives into an abrading zone in a pulper having at least one rotatable brush which clears a screen extending around the periphery of the abrading zone. The brush is rotated to abrade the olive meat between the brush, the screen, and the pits from the olives. The product passing through the screen is collected and has a uniform character and is essentially pit free. The pit caps are separated from the olive pits by this process and shredded through the screen.

Abstract: A machine for the pitting of drupaceous fruits, e.g. prunes, has an endless chain of articulated conveyor plates each provided with several vertical cylindrical bores whose flared mouths face upward on the upper run of the chain where each plate passes successively, in steps, through a loading station, a pitting station and an ejection station. The loading station comprises a hopper filling each bore of an underlying conveyor plate with a fruit to be pitted; in the pitting and ejecting stations, the conveyor plates are overhung by a vertically reciprocable carrier supporting a series of pushers and an adjoining series of plungers. In the pitting station the conveyor plates are underlain by a base plate having perforations aligned with their bores, each perforation being provided with an elastic insert which closes around a pit being dislodged by a pusher in order to strip adhering pulp therefrom.

Abstract: Improvements to a torque-type peach pitter and method, during each cycle of which a peach is presented to a pair of peach bisecting and pit gripping blades for cutting the flesh of the peach to its pit at its suture plane and gripping the edges of the pit to hold it stationary and wherein the peach halves are twisted to separate them from the held pit. The improvements reside in a pre-slitter blade positioned to cut a portion of the peach flesh at the suture plane prior to its presentation to the peach bisecting and pit gripping blades.The peach pitter includes a normally inoperative curved spoon which is extended upon the detection of a split or defective pit and serves to cut such pit from the peach. The pre-slitter blade detects the absence of a peach in any pitting cycle and triggers means to disable the spoon operating mechanism so that the spoon will not be extended during such cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for separating the meat of an olive into two end portions and preparing such an olive for packing. This method and apparatus provides for receiving an olive and producing a cut substantially through the meat in a plane transverse to an axis extending through the ends of the olive, thus defining a pair of olive meat end portions each extending around and adhered to a portion of the olive pit, with the receiving and cut-producing structure being configured to restrain movement of the olive end portion along the axis while permitting movement of the pit of the olive along that axis. Also provided are first and second punches each aligned with and mounted for reciprocation along the axis between two sets of respective positions, in one set the punches being outside the respective ends of the olive meat end portions and in the other set of positions the punches extending at least partially through the olive meat end portions sufficient to dislodge the pit from the end portions.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for pitting fruit of the drupe type, in which fruit having sound pits are torque pitted and fruit having split pits are spoon pitted. A coring spoon is spaced from the pit gripping portion of the fruit bisecting blades with spoon pitting being accomplished by moving the blades and coring spoon through the fruit and between the halves of the split pit to move the fruit gripping portions of the blade away from the split pit and bring the coring spoon adjacent the pit for cutting a core, including the split pit, from the fruit.

Abstract: A method is described for pitting fruit of the drupe type in a cyclical manner in a processing operation involving a series of processing steps in which fruit having sound pit is torque pitted and fruit having a split pit is spoon pitted. In the method the presence or absence of a fruit to be supplied to the pitting station from a preceding station is sensed and the cyclical operation of the process with the cyclical sequence of steps and machine operations is varied depending upon whether a fruit is presented to the pitting station during a cycle of operation or not, and if a fruit so presented has a sound or split pit. When a fruit having a split pit is presented, a coring spoon spaced from the pit gripping portion of fruit bisecting blades is moved into position by moving the blades and coring spoon through the fruit and between the halves of the split pits for cutting a core including the split pit from the fruit.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for pitting fruit of the drupe type in a cyclical manner in a processing operation involving a series of processing steps in which fruit having a sound pit is torque pitted and fruit having a split pit is spoon pitted. In the apparatus and method the presence or absence of a fruit to be supplied to the pitting station from a preceding station is sensed and the cyclical operation of the process and the apparatus with the cyclical sequence of steps and machine operations is varied depending upon whether a fruit is presented to the pitting station during a cycle of operation or not, and if a fruit so presented has a sound or split pit. When a fruit having a split pit is presented, a coring spoon spaced from the pit gripping portion of fruit bisecting blades is moved into position by moving the blades and coring spoon through the fruit and between the halves of the split pits for cutting a core including the split pit from the fruit.

Abstract: Method for pitting peaches using a machine which receives a peach by partially cutting it and gripping the stone and while then rotating the peach through a circle engages the peach halves by resilient pneumatic grippers which adapt to the surface of the peach halves. After rotation through a predetermined angle in the cycle, the grippers rotate in opposite directions to separate the peach halves from the stone and, therefore, release the peach halves and the stone.

Abstract: In a peach bisecting and pitting machine in which the fruit is gripped by a deformable gripper during the pitting operation, apparatus is disclosed for sensing the presence or absence of a fruit within such gripper and for preventing the gripping deformation of the gripper when no fruit is present during the operation of the pitting machine.

Abstract: A torque-type pitter for pitting drupes such as cling-stone peaches and the like, having coplanar, body-bisecting and pit-holding blades, and coaxial elements for gripping the peach body at opposite sides of the plane of said blades for twisting the peach halves from the blade-held pit. One of said blades has pitting knives or a pitting spoon in the plane of said blade that are normally inoperative where the pit in the peach between the blades is sound, or momentarily appears to be sound, but upon said blade passing between the halves of a split pit without hesitation, said knives or spoon will automatically be projected into the gripped halves to positions in which the rotation of said halves by said elements will spoon-pit the halves.

Abstract: A torque-type pitter for pitting drupes such as clingstone peaches and the like, having coplanar, body-bisecting and pit-holding blades, and coaxial elements for gripping the peach body at opposite sides of the plane of said blades for twisting the peach halves from the blade-held pit. One of said blades has pitting knives or a pitting spoon in the plane of said blade that are normally inoperative where the pit in the peach between the blades is sound, or momentarily appears to be sound, but upon said blade passing between the halves of a split pit without hesitation, said knives or spoon will automatically be projected into the gripped halves to positions in which the rotation of said halves by said elements will spoon-pit the halves.

Abstract: A single-stone containing fruit of the drupe family is laid open to permit removal of the stone and implanting of a filling, if desired, by centrally impaling it on a row of tines, every other one of which is held on one half of a split platform with the remainder being held on the mating other half of the platform such that when the split platform is forceably opened the fruit is torn open exposing the stone. The row of tines has tines of lesser length in mid-portion to accommodate the stone and an overhead moveable bar carries a mating row of tines that pierce the fruit above the stone. This bar can be carried on a strike arm adapted to engage a strike plate on one of the platform halves and force the platform to open when the bar is forced downwardly as by being struck smartly with the hand.

Abstract: Pitted olives are stuffed with an edible food that has been dried to facilitate its handling, and the dried food is reconstituted within the pitted olives by packing the stuffed olives in an aqueous solution. Drying an edible food, such as pimiento, is carried out to cause an increase in stiffness and a drying of the surface texture to permit gripping of the food without slipping. Also, a reduction in size will accompany the drying of the food particularly if air drying is used. With this reduced size condition of the food, greater clearance can be allowed between the walls of the olive pit cavity and the sides of the food to be inserted since the food will swell to a tight fit within the pit cavity upon subsequent reconstitution. The stiffness of the dried food will be greater than that of the olive adjacent the walls of the pit cavity so that the walls of the pit cavity will deflect outwardly to receive the dried food if the dried food is somewhat oversized or slightly out of alignment.