Abstract: Flexible sheets of foodstuffs, such as a tortilla, are prepared for cooking by automatically wrapping each tortilla around a perforated inner cooking cylinder and telescoping an outer cooking cylinder over the so-wrapped inner cylinder. Vacuum is applied to the inside of each cylinder to hold the tortilla in place, and as the cylinder continues to move along its circular path it moves past a flexible guide arrangement which contacts the opposite surface of the tortilla and wraps it around the cylinder.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for making a fruit filling composition-containing yeast-raised dough product such as a Danish pastry-type snack product which can be cooked by frying. The process comprises making a dough-shortening laminate, perforating a portion of the laminate, applying fruit filling composition to the laminate, folding the laminate over the filling, proofing the dough under yeast-activating conditions, and frying the raised product. Icing may be subsequently applied to the resulting product before it reaches room temperature.

Abstract: A composite ice confection product comprises an open-ended wafer with an internal fat-based coating and filled with the ice confection, a continuous fat-based capping covers the open-end(s) of the wafer. In a preferred process for preparing the product the capping is formed, for example by applying it below its slip-melting point and in fluid condition, in such a way that it forms with the internal coating a substantially expermeable envelope around the ice confection. A suitable apparatus is described in which the fat-based confection for the capping can be maintained fluid by shear and optionally also by overpressure.

Abstract: Deviled eggs are prepared by an improved method, starting with a blended mixture of liquid egg whites. The mixture is evacuated to remove air and other gases, then dispensed into a multiplicity of open molds carried on conveyor means, said molds shaped like half an egg and of similar size. A second mold is positioned centrally in the first mold to make a cavity in the egg white similar in shape and size to half an egg yolk. The egg white is cooked in steam at atmospheric pressure, then cooled, and removed from the mold. Into the resulting cooked egg whites is dispensed a mixture of cooked egg yolk and seasonings, yielding the desired deviled egg product.

Abstract: A method for making skin-on potato boats includes blanching whole potatoes to gelatinize the outer layer beneath the skin, cutting the potatoes in half to expose cut surfaces and in one embodiment abrading away the ungelatinized center portion of the potato halves. In a second embodiment, the center portions are manually removed with a scraping device. In either embodiment, the resulting hollowed-out potato halves may then be blanched, air cooled, parfried and frozen for later reconstitution. After parfrying, the potato boats have a solids content of about 35%-45%. Upon reconstitution the potato boats may be filled with condiments, such as cheese and the like, and served as so-called "potato skins.

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: The invention is an improved beef product for cooking, particularly for cooking on a vertical rotisserie. The product includes a list of ingredients to be mixed with beef. The recipe lists the ingredients by percentages in the order of predominance. The disclosure also provides the manner of processing the beef product and the equipment used in the process.

Abstract: Male and female cone-shaped molds are brought into locking engagement with one another to force a quantity of dough deposited upon the upper portion of the male mold throughout a cone-shaped cavity defined by the molds. After seating of the female mold upon the male mold, a lock mechanism maintains the molds coupled as a mold unit during cooking of the dough, whether the cooking is by immersion of the mold unit within hot oil. Relief ports are included in the mold unit to accommodate expansion of the dough and/or gases. The resulting edible cone is fillable with a food substance to serve as an edible container for the food substance. A process for manufacturing the edible cone is also described.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing hollow, thin-walled pastry articles, particularly cone shaped waffles, wherein a kneadable, firm dough body is conveyed to a plurality of baking molds of a cone baking apparatus, each baking mold consisting of a matrix and a patrix, the dough body being delivered into each matrix. The patrix or core of the mold is lowered into the matrix to distribute the dough body over the matrix wall, and is raised again to allow the escape of air and vapor developed by the dough body during baking. The lowering and raising operation of the patrix core is repeated several times and the patrix core remains in the lowered and raised position at varying intervals. The patrix is finally locked on the mold and after final baking the mold is opened and the finished hollow, cone shaped waffle is released.

Abstract: The invention is an improved process and process equipment for preparing beef for cooking, particularly for cooking on a vertical rotisserie. The process is a step-by-step procedure for preparation of the beef. The process uses special process equipment of this invention that molds and compresses the beef preparation in a specific way to accomplish the end result that overcomes problems of the prior art in preparing beef for cooking on a vertical rotisserie.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of formed edible products from moist edible pieces. Pneumatic suction draws the pieces into a mold or die cavity. A binder such as a gel solution is applied to the pieces in the cavity to cause adherence between the pieces. Thereafter contact with a chilled surface serves to attach the formed mass to the surface. The die is then withdrawn, leaving the form attached to the chilled surface. The preferred source material is onion pieces, with the method being carried out to produce onion rings. Also apparatus for carrying out the method and products resulting therefrom.

Abstract: A frozen ear of fresh corn having a passage in and extending along the majority of the length of the cob is cooked by introducing the ear into cooking oil at an elevated temperature.

Abstract: A baking mold assembly employing a plurality of spaced vertical batter containers removably positioned on a horizontal base plate. Each batter container consists of two removable tubes, one concentrically about the other end, with sufficient space between them for the inclusion of a batter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooking food products such as flat sheets of dough is described. The apparatus includes a plurality of mating pocketed cooking irons mounted upon endless conveyors, electric or gas burners for heating the irons and a drive motor for the conveyor. Each mating pair of irons includes an upper iron provided with upwardly extending, downwardly opening recesses or pockets to engage the top of the food product being cooked and a lower iron with downwardly extending pockets. The food products expand into these pockets to form, in many cases, hollow blisters therein as the food product expands. Briefly, the method employed is to place a sheet of dough between the hot irons, close the irons by bringing their edges into contact and heat the dough therein until it expands into the pockets and is cooked sufficiently to set the crumb structure. The cooked or baked dough pieces, which can be used as pizza shells, are then topped, frozen and packaged for shipment.

Abstract: A device for use in cooking a frozen food item with a heat probe which includes an insert rod member having a point on one end and a handle on the other end, the insert rod having threads thereon for aid in inserting and removing the insert. The method of cooking a frozen food item with the use of a heat probe consisting in inserting an insert rod into the food item in an unfrozen state, then freezing the food item with the insert rod therein, then removing the insert rod from the frozen food item thereby creating a hole in the frozen food item, then inserting a heat probe into the hole in the frozen food item, then cooking the food item with the heat probe therein.

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 method of making a tubular collagen casing includes extruding collagen gel into two sets of gel ropes, each of the sets comprising a plurality of ropes. The ropes in one of the sets are directed radially outwardly and helically in one direction to form a first tubular layer. In the other set, the ropes are directed radially inwardly and helically in the opposite direction to form a second tubular layer concentric with the first layer. Following this, the layers are hardened in united relationship with one another.

Abstract: A method for forming rolled sheet articles, such as cookies, which are rolled after heating, by advancing, preferably on a conveyor, the sheet tangentially into association with a roll-up roller. The roll-up roller is rotated at a slower speed than the movement advance of the surface and it engages the sheet article or cookie and causes the bending thereof around its surface. A roller board is arranged adjacent the roll-up roller and it includes a stopper which prevents complete rolling of the article around the roll-up roller and instead deflects it forwardly in the feed advance direction of the conveyor. A friction surface is arranged above the conveyor and it is either stationary so that it provides a drag on the periphery of the partially rolled up article so as to complete its rolling during the advancing movement of the conveyor or it is moved in a direction and in an amount to cause a frictional drag on the periphery of the cookie and to continue its rolling and winding movement.

Abstract: A method for processing pineapples by sequentially drilling a central hole, cutting off the upper end, transferring the pineapple to a peeling spindle, indexing the pineapple on the spindle through a series of peeling stations, cutting off the bottom end, rotating the spindle a single turn at each peeling station adjacent an array of rotating cutters to remove spaced bands from the outer surface of the pineapple while maintaining the original ovoid shape of the pineapple, pushing the peeled pineapple through a rotating circular knife to form the pineapple into a cylinder and an outer blanket, and removing the remaining fibrous core prior to discharge.

Abstract: A mold for forming a hamburger patty comprising upper and lower mold members. The lower mold comprises a flat disc portion of a suitable material such as stainless steel, etc. At the center of the disc, a wooden dowel or post extends upwardly, the dowel or post being annular or any other desired configuration. A half round rib extends annularly around the central dowel or post and spaced therefrom. The top of the mold is annular with a depending wall portion which defines the perimeter of the patty. The upper member has a central hollow post of the same shape as the lower dowel or post but with an internal diameter equal to the outer diameter of the lower post. This permits the upper post to slide over the lower post. The upper member is also provided with a complementary half round rib spaced from the central post and adapted to seat over the lower rib when the mold parts are positioned together. A glob or portion of ground meat is placed on the bottom portion of the mold surrounding the central post.

Abstract: The disclosure embraces a method of and apparatus for processing or forming bodies of confections or desserts that become viscous or of paste-like consistency at reduced temperatures such as dairy ingredients including ice cream, ice milk or other edibles such as aerated marshmallow or the like, the bodies of confections being of disc-like configurations having central voids, providing a supply of a mixture embodying a viscous or paste-like edible and fragments of solid edible materials, successively severing metered quantities of the mixture from the supply by a sharp instrumentality, and moving the metered quantities of the mixture by the instrumentality into the central voids of the disc-like bodies.

Abstract: Edible wreath shaped food casings are produced by a blow-extrusion method in which the inflated extruded tube is fed onto a series of rotating carrier elements whose peripheral velocity is the same as the rate of discharge of the tube from the extrusion nozzle. The carrier elements may be shaped in a variety of ways but the extruded tube is always led onto the first one tangentially. Lifting guides ensure proper transfer of the tube from one carrier element to the next. The method permits the production of thin-walled casings.

Abstract: An edible, water-soluble, thermoplastic molding composition comprising a starch material, a neutral inorganic alkali salt of protein material, water, an edible plasticizer, an edible lubricant, and other additives. This composition shows excellent moldability and processability when subjected to various constomery dry processes for molding and processing customary plastics, such as compression molding, transfer molding, extrusion molding, blow molding, inflation molding, injection molding, vacuum forming, pressure forming, heat sealing, etc. Transparent or translucent shaped articles obtained from the above composition have unique properties such as gas impermeability, solubility in water, edibility, biodegradability, etc., and may be utilized with favorable results in various fields such as food industry, feedstuff industry, agriculture, fisheries, etc.

Abstract: A mold has a support of heat-resistant material, a surface which is displaced in the upward direction from that support, a recess of semicircular cross section which is displaced in the downward direction from that support and which extends around and extends laterally outwardly relative to that surface, and an inclined wall which extends upwardly from the inner periphery of that recess to the periphery of that surface. Yeast-raised dough can be placed so the center thereof rests on that surface, so the edge thereof extends into that recess, and so the intermediate portions thereof are supported by the inclined wall; and that dough will "proof" on the mold, and can then be baked to form a bun which has a centrally located recess defined by an upwardly and outwardly inclined wall with gently rounded upper edge.

Abstract: A bland protein product having a texture and mouth feel simulating animal meat is prepared by forming a dough-like mixture of protein material and water, and extruding a continuous tubular shell of the protein dough, while simultaneously injecting steam into the interior of the tubular shell, whereby the tubular shell of protein is blown into discrete pieces of irregularly shaped protein material by the steam flow. The steam flow then propels the protein pieces into and through a confined treating zone in which further texturization is accomplished. Finally, the protein material is passed through a back pressure maintaining means and recovered in usable form. Apparatus for performing this process comprises an extrusion assembly consisting of a screw feed chamber communicating with an extrusion die assembly which produces a continuous tubular shell of extrudate. The extrusion die is provided with means for injecting steam into the interior of the tubular shell of extrudate formed.

Abstract: Method for hollowing out an article of food such as a fruit or vegetable so that a shell of substantially uniform predetermined thickness is formed. A rotating knife is rotated about its axis, while an end area of an article of food is guided with a curved guide member against the rotating knife. The guide member loosely supports the food for rotation and translation about its longitudinal axis while maintaining the knife a predetermined distance from the surface of the food. The distance between the guide and the blade is adjustable to control the thickness of the shell.