Extruding Through Restricted Orifice To Give Desired Final Shape Patents (Class 426/516)
  • Patent number: 11890381
    Abstract: A present invention relates to a natural lubricant composition, a tablet comprising a natural lubricant composition and a preparation method thereof. The Natural Lubricant composition for a tablet comprises an active lubricant ingredient selected from a corn flour, a corn starch, and an arrowroot flour. The Natural Lubricant composition for a tablet also comprises a natural oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: NITIKA PHARMACEUTICAL SPECIALITIES PVT. LTD.
    Inventor: Ravleen Singh Khurana
  • Patent number: 11490626
    Abstract: A low profile water bath co-extrusion process for sausage manufacturing is disclosed, along with machines for accomplishing this process. The process is an automated assembly line which begins with co-extruded food product, such as a sausage emulsion coated with collagen and finishes with cooked, boxed, packaged link sausage. The process includes the steps of co-extrusion, linking and cutting the co-extruded food product to individual links. Following these steps and prior to a liquid smoking step, the casing is prepared by steps which includes chemical treatment of the individual links in a water bath, while dehydrating the product in a salt solution, the water bath being a two-part process and following the water bath using a forced hot air drying step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventors: Shawn Brammall, Danny Janecka
  • Patent number: 11134708
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an artificial rice and a preparation method thereof. The method includes the following steps: pre-curing quinoa by microwave irradiation after pretreatment; evenly mixing the pre-cured taro whole powder and the pre-cured quinoa powder with a banana powder, a kiwifruit powder and a molecular distillation monoglyceride; and quantitatively adding a tempered composite material into a twin-screw extrusion machine through a feeder; setting a working temperature of a cavity of each machine section of the twin-screw extrusion machine, in which a temperature gradient in Zone I is 45° C. to 65° C., Zone II 75° C. to 95° C., Zone III 115° C. to 135° C., Zone IV 105° C. to 115° C., Zone V 20° C. to 35° C., a rotation speed of a screw is 120 rpm to 370 rpm; obtaining the artificial rice after drying and polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SHENYANG NORMAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhigang Xiao, Qingyu Yang, Liwei Tao, Lishuang Wang, Na Wang, Quanfeng Zhang, Songli Zhou, Guoqiang Yang
  • Patent number: 10881119
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a method of hard pan coating an edible core, a sucrose-based, hard panned coating, and a hard panned confection comprising an edible core coated with the same. The sucrose-based, hard panned coating comprises sucrose and a pH-adjusted red radish anthocyanin-containing colorant, is substantially crystalline, and has a red or orange hue described by a CIELCH color space h° coordinate of from about 15° to about 70°. In some embodiments, the coating further comprises a yellow colorant. The colorants are desirably naturally sourced to provide alternatives to synthetic colorants for coloring hard panned confectionery coatings in red or orange hues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventor: Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Patent number: 10681931
    Abstract: A snack food is prepared by a unique process including extruding an extrusion composition under heat and pressure to form an expanded, cooked, egg and added-protein snack food, wherein the extrusion composition includes a) whole liquid egg present in an amount of from about 5 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the extrusion composition, b) an added protein concentrate or isolate selected from the group consisting of rice protein, soy protein, whey protein or mixtures thereof, in an amount so that the total protein present in the expanded, cooked, egg and added-protein snack food is from about 25 to about 40% by weight, and c) starch in an amount sufficient to provide an expanded, cooked, egg and added-protein snack food having a density no greater than about 300 grams per cubic inch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Cargill, Incorporated
    Inventors: Faith Ford, Aaron Reed, Chad Rieschl
  • Patent number: 10524497
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an edible foodstuff from food industry waste stream byproducts. This process involves the steps of: (i) combining, in an extruder, an extrusion formulation comprising a first food byproduct and at least one additional ingredient; (ii) introducing supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) into the extruder to mix with the first food byproduct and the at least one additional ingredient; and (iii) producing an edible foodstuff containing the first food byproduct and the at least one additional ingredient, where the edible foodstuff comprises an extrudate prepared under supercritical fluid extrusion (SCFX) conditions. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing an edible foodstuff from a protein concentrate. The present invention further relates to edible foodstuffs produced by the various processes disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Syed S. H. Rizvi, Ilankovan Paraman
  • Patent number: 10202660
    Abstract: A method of increasing sugar yield in a bioproduct production process is provided comprising pretreating one or more size-adjusted lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) particles with a pretreatment, such as an ammonia pretreatment, wherein the one or more size-adjusted LCB particles form a substrate, with the one or more particles having an average particle size in at least one dimension greater than 5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Venkatesh Balan, Bruce E. Dale, Shuhaida Harun
  • Patent number: 9872513
    Abstract: A process for preparing fresh coconut meat based compositions and films, including its improvements and modifications, includes mainly of coconut meat wherein other fruit and vegetables are added as flavorings and enhancers. These coconut meat based compositions and films can be used as crepes, rolls, and or wraps, which are usually employed in wrapping any food such as fresh fruits, vegetables, salads, or cooked meat/fish, and any combination, after which are rolled, folded and eaten directly during meals or as snacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Priscila F. Kimes
  • Patent number: 9637720
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for multiplying a strain of Trichoderma, which includes the preparation of substantially contaminant-free culture media, containing disinfected wood fibers obtained by means of a twin-screw extruder, the amplification of Trichoderma via a series of steps for manufacturing a primary inoculum and then a secondary inoculum from said primary inoculum, and the multiplication of the microorganisms in each step, wherein the multiplication of the propagules reaches 2×104 to 105. The invention also relates to a plant growing medium containing a secondary inoculum of Trichoderma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: FLORENTAISE, NIXE
    Inventors: Jerome R. Cowper, Renaud H. Canaguier, Helene L. Reynaud
  • Patent number: 9386785
    Abstract: A process for the extrusion of a composition from an extruder, which composition is suitable for use in a food product, is disclosed. The process provides a composition which is comprised of a hydrophilicized carrier and surface-active compound which is extruded. The process describes adding the surface-active compound after the carrier is hydrophilicized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Cognis IP Management GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Horlacher, Hartmut Gölitz, Andreas Funke, Wolfgang Adams, Friedrich Kielmeyer, Ingo Tralles
  • Patent number: 9370236
    Abstract: A cosmetic container with a multifunctional insert neckpiece includes: a) a container having one of (a) a receiving groove and (b) a corresponding vertical one-way ratchet; and b) an integral multifunctional insert neckpiece having a downcomer extending down from a top orifice to establish a cosmetic wiper, and having an upper section with a cap attachment, and on its wall, the other of (a) the vertical one-way ratchet receiving groove and (b) the corresponding vertical one-way ratchet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: UNION TOOL & MOLD COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles P. Neuner, Robert Arrighi
  • Patent number: 9351504
    Abstract: A frozen confectionery product, a method of manufacturing same, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus manufactures a frozen confectionery product by rotary vertical extrusion. The apparatus comprises a nozzle at least one ice cream passage with at least one inlet port and an outlet portion, and at least one chocolate passage with respectively an inlet port and an outlet port. The outlet ports are provided in the nozzle and have elongated cross-sections, and each chocolate outlet port extends in parallel to an ice cream outlet port, so as to form annular or helical chocolate layers upon rotation of the nozzle and the container with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Massimiliano Ricco, Jean-Michel Marchon
  • Patent number: 9028894
    Abstract: Gum manufacturing machinery and method of manufacturing gum is illustrated in which a gum loafing machine generates loaves of finished gum that are then subsequently run through a gum conditioner to more uniformly set the temperature and viscosity of the gum material prior to further processing. Upon achieving the appropriate conditioning level, a further forming extruder may be used to generate a continuous gum ribbon for subsequent rolling and scoring operations. The gum conditioner may include vertically stacked conveyors that have different operational modes including a first mode that provides a serpentine path for a long residence time and a second mode that provides a cascading path that avoids or bypasses much of the length of some of the conveyors to provide a shorter residence time. The gum manufacturing machinery may be used in an adjustable manner so as to accommodate difference gum recipes for different batches of gum product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
    Inventors: Jim Olejarski, Joseph Roarty, Arthur W. Upmann, James A. Duggan
  • Patent number: 9028733
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a single extrudable food stream such as a cooked cereal dough into a plurality of differently colored and/or flavored dough streams is disclosed including an extruder having screw augers for advancing a plastic food mass, a head or manifold for dividing the plastic food mass into a plurality of substreams each in turn in fluid communication with a plurality of sub-divided dough passageways, and a die head having a plurality of die ports. Each subpassage is separately supplied an additive and has disposed therein a multiplicity of in-line static mixer elements to admix the additive into the substreams of the plastic food mass before passage through the die ports. In a preferred form, first and second substreams are intermixed in a non-homogenous manner before reaching the exit ports. The extrudates are severed into individual pieces by a rotary cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: James N Weinstein, Kevin Wright
  • Patent number: 9011963
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to salt compositions and methods used to make them. Embodiments may include methods for preparing salt compositions that include aerosolizing a melted salt composition to form droplets, where the droplets form rounded particles. Embodiments may further include solid compositions, including rounded salt particles, where the particles are formed by aerosolizing a melted salt composition. The particles can have semisolid interiors with void spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: S&P Ingredient Development, LLC
    Inventors: Neil Osterwalder, Sambasiva Rao Chigurupati, Pratik Nandan Bhandari
  • Publication number: 20150098909
    Abstract: A soluble fiber lozenge provided herein includes a body that is partially or wholly receivable in an oral cavity. The body includes a soluble-fiber matrix and one or more additives dispersed in the soluble-fiber matrix. In some cases, a soluble fiber lozenge provided herein includes at least 40 weight percent of soluble fiber. In some cases, soluble fiber in soluble fiber lozenge provided herein can include maltodextrin. The soluble fiber lozenge is adapted to release one or more additives from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity of a consumer and exposed to saliva. A method of making soluble fiber lozenges provided herein includes forming a molten mixture of at least 40 weight percent soluble fiber, one or more additives, and less than 15 weight percent water while maintaining a mixture temperature of less than 200° C. and portioning the molten mixture into a plurality of soluble fiber lozenges. In some cases, the ingredients can be mixed to form the molten mixture in an extruder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Feng Gao, Diane L. Gee, Shuzhong Zhuang, Phillip M. Hulan, William J. Burke, Gerd Kobal
  • Patent number: 8999422
    Abstract: Improved processes for the production of engineered feed or food ingredients by extrusion comprise the steps of directing a dry fraction and a byproduct slurry fraction in serial order through a preconditioner and twin-screw extruder in order to create a wet extrudate, which is thereafter dried. The dry fraction is selected from sources of plant-derived starch and/or protein, sources of animal-derived functional proteins, and mixtures thereof. The slurry fraction comprises aqueous byproduct slurries from meat, dairy, vegetable, and fruit processing. The extrusion processes yield high-quality ingredients without the need for conventional rendering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: LaVon Wenger, Marc L. Wenger
  • Publication number: 20150086691
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing frozen confectionery products is provided, the apparatus comprising: means for supplying a frozen confection to the inlets of a nozzle; the nozzle comprising a chamber and an extrusion plate, wherein the extrusion plate defines one or more apertures; the apertures having a width of from 1 to 5 mm and a length of at least 10 mm; means for moving the nozzle in the opposite direction to the direction of extrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER
    Inventors: Gary Norman Binley, Zhimin Shao
  • Patent number: 8986767
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for printing a chocolate confection, the system comprising a platen, a print head, and a cartridge configured to be removably secured to the print head, wherein the cartridge contains a supply of the chocolate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Stratsys, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Patent number: 8980355
    Abstract: The bulk density of food products with a center fill mat can be reduced by expanding the food strands making up the center fill mat. A method for producing food products with fillings having low bulk density includes preparing the food strands by passing dough through small holes, and enclosing the food strands by a first layer and a second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company
    Inventor: Robert Chatel
  • Publication number: 20150072056
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the production of portions from at least one continuous strand of a food product, in particular for the production of meatballs. The machine comprises: an extrusion device which can deliver a continuous strand in a vertical direction, and a portioning device including at least one cutting system. The cutting system comprises cutting elements (30) which can be moved transversely to the vertical direction between an open position, in which the strand passes between the cutting elements, and a closed position for cutting the strand and forming portions of the food product. In addition, each cutting system comprises ejection means (5) for ejecting the portions downwards from the cutting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jacques Le Paih, Adrianus Van Den Nieuwelaar, Sigebertus Meggelaars, Yohann Pierre
  • Publication number: 20150064336
    Abstract: A granular material including equal to or larger than 45% by weight of a starch, the starch including a starch composed of one, two or more types of partially degraded starch(es) produced by treating a starch containing amylose at a content of equal to or larger than 5% by weight with any one, two or more of an acid treatment, an oxidation treatment and an enzymatic treatment, at equal to or larger than 7% by weight in the granular material, wherein a water absorption rate, in which the granular material absorbs water for 1 hour at 30 degrees C. by adding 40 g of water to 5 g of the granular material, is equal to or larger than 250% by weight and equal to or smaller than 700% by weight, wherein a compressive syneresis rate, in which a water-absorbed dough that absorbs water for 1 hour at 30 degrees C. by adding 40 g of water to 5 g of the granular material is compressed at a pressure of 141.5 g/cm2 at 30 degrees C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Junpei Kubota, Kazuya Yokoishi, Isao Kobayashi, Masaru Goto
  • Patent number: 8968816
    Abstract: Visually distinct, flaked Ready-to-Eat (“R-T-E”) cereal products with varied texture and thickness are produced by forming a cereal dough and forcing the same through an extrusion die assembly including various spaced openings which establish a plurality of dough streams which are merged prior to reaching a die outlet. Directly at the die outlet, a resulting dough extrudate is sliced by a cutter unit to form dough discs which are then dried and cooled, during which the discs curl and form cereal flakes having varying textures defined, at least in part, by distinct sets of surface bumps. The number and configuration of the bumps can be altered by changing the number, shape and/or position of the various spaced openings of the die assembly, while the thicknesses of the resulting cereal flakes can be varied by just altering an operational speed of the cutter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Barmack Rassi, Steven C Robie, James N Weinstein
  • Patent number: 8956141
    Abstract: A die piece for extrusion molded noodles is a die piece in which a contact angle of a water droplet on a die piece surface is 61 to 73 degrees and a water absorption of the die piece is 0.01 to 0.15% by weight after the die piece is immersed in water for 24 hours. The use of the die piece for extrusion molded noodles makes it possible to produce pasta, spaghetti, or any other extrusion molded noodles with no increase or decrease in its surface roughness (degree of surface roughness) over time and also makes it possible to stably produce, over a prolonged period of time, extrusion molded noodles having proper surface roughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nisshin Foods Inc.
    Inventors: Takuya Satou, Masahiro Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20150044334
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for producing an extruded protein product. In particular, a system for making an extruded protein product using a system that includes a die including channel having a transverse cross section that is a continuous loop along at least a portion of the length of the die is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Goeran Walther, Bernhard H. van Lengerich, Steven C. Robie, James N. Weinstein
  • Patent number: 8951594
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cold-water soluble starch and a process for preparing same. Generally, the process comprises providing a hydroxyalkyl starch and applying a shearing force to the starch in an extruder in the presence of moisture, the force and the moisture each being sufficient to gelatinize at least substantially all of the granules of the starch to thereby form a sheared starch. The starch is heated to its gelatinization temperature after the starch has passed partially through the barrel of the extruder, with the moisture being maintained at a level sufficiently high to allow gelatinization but sufficiency low to protect the starch from becoming too sticky to extrude. The extruded starch product thus formed may be used in connection with a number of film-forming, coating, and other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Grain Processing Corporation
    Inventors: Lin Wang, Pete Miller, Jeff Underwood, Tonya Armstrong, Michael Kramer, Susan Freers, Roger McPherson, E. Daniel Hubbard, Terry Andren
  • Patent number: 8945649
    Abstract: This document provides devices and methods for processing elongate generally cylindrical food products. For example, this document provides devices and methods for longitudinally cutting sausages, and the sausage designs as cut thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventor: Edward W. Hortelius
  • Publication number: 20150024098
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for making frozen food products from a fruit puree, i.e. a flowable banana meat or a flowable blend of fruit meat and other edible ingredients. A composition that includes peeled bananas and at least one antioxidant may be mixed in a mixing device at ambient temperature and under less than one atmosphere of pressure, forming the puree. The temperature of the puree is reduced to a semi-frozen state by passing the puree through a heat exchanger. The semi-frozen puree is then formed into food products with a pre-determined volume, shape, and weight by a molding or extrusion process. Sticks, if desired, may be inserted, and the shaped puree is then frozen to solidified cores. The solidified cores may be coated with chocolate and treated with other edible toppings and then packaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: Totally Bananas Inc.
    Inventor: Charles J. Pheterson
  • Patent number: 8926308
    Abstract: A dough extruder is disclosed that is configured to provide a continuous dough rope suitable for cracker products using a straight extended low friction compression chamber and a die plate oriented substantially perpendicular to a laminar flow of the dough. In one embodiment, the extruder can have a compressive force sufficient to extrude a plastic mass in a laminar flow in the range of about less than 120 psi; a compression chamber providing for an interior coefficient of friction in the range of about 0.2 and 0.35; and a die plate horizontally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the compressive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
    Inventors: Mihaelos Nicholas Mihalos, Chris E Robinson, Jack Kitchell
  • Patent number: 8926307
    Abstract: A dough depositing machine adapted for use in the manufacture of non-traditional baked goods and methods related thereto. Non-traditional dough (e.g., gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian, or vegan dough) may have properties that are more difficult to accommodate during manufacturing than the properties of traditional dough. Accordingly, various components of the dough depositing machine may be adapted to operate with non-traditional dough. For example, at least one of a dough delivery mechanism, a forming portion, a cutting assembly and a controller of the dough depositing machine may be adapted for use with non-traditional dough. These components of a dough depositing mechanism may be provided as originally manufactured equipment or may be retrofit to an existing dough depositing machine designed for use with traditional dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventor: Dale Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 8920154
    Abstract: A head assembly (10) is provided for use in a rotary head extruder (12) for extruding a food product. The head assembly (10) includes an annular-shaped stator plate (20) and a rotating blade plate (22). The blade plate (22) preferably includes at least six blades, each with a wedge shaped profile, and the stator plate (20) includes extrusion channels that extend at an angle in the range of 20°-50° from tangent to a circle defined by an inner surface (30) of the plate (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: American Extrusion International
    Inventors: Jeff Dean Carlson, Henry Zollinger Miller, Richard Jarvis Warner
  • Patent number: 8916223
    Abstract: Packaged food articles comprise at least one shaped food product disposed within sealed moisture resistant packaging. The shaped food products include an axially aligned center piece or rod as a core portion and at least one string wrapped around the periphery of the core piece. The shaped food piece is fabricated from a pliable or plastic food composition such as a sweetened intermediate moisture fruit or confection such as licorice. The center piece can be provided with a multiplicity of fins extending longitudinally about the exterior periphery of the core piece. The coiled string is peelably removable from the core piece. The combination of core piece and coiled string provide a child oriented wholesome food of enhanced play value. Methods for preparing the shaped food product are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurie Burgess, Jennifer M. Maack, Thomas Luehrs
  • Publication number: 20140370159
    Abstract: An edible jelly product, being a body formed from a mass of jelly-forming material by a progressive advancement of said mass to a forming station and progressive formation of the body at the forming station, wherein said mass comprises a sugar and a structure-forming agent selected from a hydrocolloid and modified starch, wherein the solids content of the jelly product, when formed into the body, is at least 60 wt %. A method is described of making such an edible jelly product which is transparent and contains air bubbles which are visible by eye; and which may be brought together with other such jelly products to form consolidated bodies such as twists, which can be easily peeled apart by consumers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Padraig Costello, Adele Hitchen, Kaya Anbarci, Celia Melina Schebella, Thomas Philip Imison
  • Patent number: 8899953
    Abstract: An extrusion die head for the extrusion of hollow or center-filled shapes as well as apparatus comprising the extrusion die head and methods employing the die head. The extrusion die head (10) is for the preparation of a plurality of center-filled products (34) of varying composition wherein each product comprises a first (filling) material and a second (outer) material. The die head comprises at least one tube (22) such that a first material may be extruded through the tube or tubes and a second material may be extruded around the tube or tubes. The location and the number of the tubes may be customized to vary the location and amount of the first material relative to the second material and thereby vary the composition of the center-filled product. The extrusion die head apparatus comprises a sleeve (40) enclosing the die head. In one embodiment a first material is conveyed from one or more first apertures (18) via one or more tubes (22) to one or more second apertures (20) where it is extruded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Cadbury UK Limited
    Inventor: Andrew Bufton
  • Patent number: 8877277
    Abstract: A method for making an expanded snack piece using supercritical fluid extrusion is disclosed. A mixture of shear thinning starch and heat-sensitive ingredients are input into an extruder, hydrated, and mixed with supercritical fluid. The extrudate can be subjected to further processing to set or alter its structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Girish Ganjyal
  • Publication number: 20140322391
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a chocolate product with a tropicalized shell comprising chocolate and a humectant liquid and a non-tropicalised chocolate core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Tim Oliver Althaus, Stefan Palzer, Gerhard Niederreiter, Helen Chisholm, Nicolas Bovet
  • Patent number: 8859028
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an edible swirl imparting carrier for flavor or color or flavor and color. The edible carrier comprises a coating effective for imparting a color in a viscous or visco-elastic matrix when moved in the matrix. The present invention also includes a method for imparting a swirl of color in a viscous or visco-elastic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Cereal Ingredients, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Schuppan, James L. Thomasson
  • Publication number: 20140272061
    Abstract: The invention provides for an apparatus and method for producing food products without the use of an extruder. The apparatus generally comprises a conditioning element and a gear pump. The method generally comprises introducing a starch and/or protein material to the apparatus of the present invention. Advantageously, the apparatus uses less energy and avoids the back flow and scrap material often produced by the use of an extruder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Francis Shields
  • Patent number: 8834949
    Abstract: Dosing machine for controlled dosage of pasty products, of the type with an agitator associated with a feed that includes an auger extension forming a compression feed chamber including a distributor with a plurality of distribution holes, a dosing device with on a fixed plate a corresponding first plurality of holes coinciding with the distribution holes and a corresponding second plurality of holes, parallel to the first and moved to one side on the plate, above the fixed plate a mobile dosing structure is installed that has an alternating drawer movement on the fixed plate with a reciprocal movement device for moving the dosing structure from a position above the distribution holes to a position above the second plurality of holes moved to the side of the auger and vice-versa, the dosing structure includes corresponding dosage chambers associated with the control dosing volume and density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Inventors: Alessandro De Bortoli, Paolo Tosolini
  • Publication number: 20140255554
    Abstract: The invention provides food compositions having a chewy texture and methods for making the chewy food compositions. In one aspect, the food composition includes a moisture content and an Aw sufficient to provide the food composition with a chewy texture. In one aspect, an outer shell having a chewy texture encloses a soft meaty inner filling. The shell can have a moisture content ranging from about 15% to about 24% and an Aw ranging from about 0.7 to about 0.84.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Fanny Bigeard, Patrick Pibarot, Pierre Reynes, Robert Tellier
  • Publication number: 20140242243
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for filling a confectionary article, the apparatus including at least one conduit housed by a conduit housing, the at least one conduit extending from a conduit input to a conduit output, an output end of the conduit housing disposed at a termination of the conduit output of the at least one conduit, a nozzle base removably associated with the output end, the nozzle base including a desirable number of fluid openings that are fluidly communicable with the conduit output, and a desirable number of nozzles that are fluidly communicable with the fluid openings, the nozzles being fluidly communicable with the at least one conduit via the fluid openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventor: Gabriel Petre
  • Patent number: 8813638
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cooling a flowable melted food material including: (a) providing a device comprising a first cooling belt and a second cooling belt parallel to the first cooling belt, wherein each cooling belt is continuous and has an outer surface and an inner surface, the first and second cooling belts are aligned at an angle between 45° and 90° relative to horizontal, and the outer surface of the first cooling belt and the outer surface of the second cooling belt are spaced apart to form a gap having a top end and a bottom end; (b) introducing a free-flowing molten food product capable of forming a food product having a pasty consistency is cooling at the top end of the gap; (c) counter-rotating the first and second cooling belts toward each other at the top end of the gap to draw the molten food product between the downward moving outer surfaces of the first and second cooling belts to form a strip of molten food product between the downward-moving outer surfaces of the first and sec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Hochland Natec GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Biggel, Roland Zeuschner, Josef Burger, Wolfgang Huber, Wilhelm Baur
  • Patent number: 8802177
    Abstract: Preparing soluble oat or barley flour in one-step using an extrusion (continuous cooking) process to dextrinize and gelatinize cook the oat or barley flour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company
    Inventors: Robert Chatel, Yongsoo Chung, Justin French
  • Publication number: 20140220187
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming an edible animal chew comprising the steps of (a) extruding an edible composition; followed by (b) contacting the extrudate with a plurality of post-form rollers, at least one of said post-form rollers exhibits an undulated surface and contacts the extrudate with said undulated surface, the undulated surface comprising a plurality of nodules for imparting undulations onto the extrudate surface, wherein at least some of the nodules have an elongate shape and are offset at an angle to the rotation direction of the post-form roller, said elongate shapes being oriented in two or more different directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: MARS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Alicia Essler
  • Publication number: 20140220204
    Abstract: A process for producing a frozen confectionery product is provided, the process comprising: supplying a frozen confection to a nozzle which has an orifice having a non-circular cross-section; dispensing a filling comprising sauce and/or inclusions into the frozen confection inside the nozzle; extruding the frozen confection and filling from the nozzle through the orifice until the extruded frozen confection makes contact with a receiving surface; wherein the longest axis of the product is parallel to the direction of extrusion; and then cutting the extruded frozen confection with an iris cutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventor: Sabina Silvia Hanel Burmester
  • Patent number: 8795754
    Abstract: Preparing soluble oat or barley flour in one-step using an extrusion (continuous cooking) process to dextrinize and gelatinize cook the oat or barley flour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company
    Inventors: Robert Chatel, Yongsoo Chung, Justin French
  • Patent number: 8794959
    Abstract: A completely disposable cooking apparatus used for filling and decorating of foods, that is a one-piece disposable construction, comprising a one-piece, funnel-shaped bag with a soft side wall, having an open first end at the “top” or wider end of the funnel through which food material can be inserted into the bag and a closed second end at the “bottom” or narrow end of the funnel, with an integral, malleable, conical shaped, discharge orifice (also sometimes referred to as a nozzle or a tip). The orifice has serrations or ridges extending inwardly from the internal wall of the orifice, running longitudinally or parallel to the cone axis for all or a part of the length of the orifice. The orifice can either be initially closed or manufactured with a small opening or hole. The orifice is made of a material so that it is capable of being cut at any point along its longitudinal axis to yield an exit opening or hole with a desired size. Regardless of the point of cut, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Inventors: Brenda Marie Grimes, Charles Wilson Grimes
  • Patent number: 8790110
    Abstract: A completely disposable cooking apparatus used for preparing, filling assembling and decorating of foods, that is a one-piece disposable construction, comprising an elongated bag with a soft side wall, an open first end through which food material can be inserted into the bag and a second end that is closed by a tapered discharge orifice (also sometimes referred to as a nozzle or a tip). The orifice has a first end in contact with the second end of the bag and a distal end away from the bag. The cross-sectional area of the orifice at the first end is greater than the cross-sectional area of the orifice at the distal end. The orifice is made of a material so that it is capable of being cut at any point along its longitudinal axis to yield an exit opening or hole with a desired size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Inventors: Brenda M. Grimes, Charles Grimes
  • Patent number: 8771775
    Abstract: A pet chew may be manufactured by co-extruding multiple compositions to form a layered construction. Separate extruders may be provided to tailor processing conditions to heat and/or shear sensitive compositions, such as nutritional additives, and the respective extrudates may be combined such that relatively higher levels of nutritional compositions may be provided as an outer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: T.F.H. Publications, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen S. Axelrod, Ajay Gajria
  • Patent number: 8747935
    Abstract: The invention provides for the use of a texture modifying agent added to nutritionally enhanced pasta dough, such as pasta dough with high levels of protein, so that a pasta product can be produced with a quality similar to that of conventional pasta. The texture modifying agent, which preferably includes an enzyme, permits the nutritionally enhanced pasta dough to be extruded in conventional pasta manufacturing equipment and to form a pasta product with a texture similar to typical semolina-based pasta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC
    Inventors: Ricardo Villota, Guillermo Haro, Laura G. Hill, Trevor A. Sweeney