Abstract: A baked, shelf-stable, hand-held snack bar comprised of a crust and a smooth, creamy cheesecake-like filling. The crust surrounds the bottom and longitudinal sides of the bar. The filing is exposed on its top surface. The filing and crust are each formulated to water activity of 0.60-0.90 and the filling has a milk fat content of less than 10%.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for producing pizza by a mechanical, automated system without using baking tins for the dough bases and without using pre-prepared or pre-shaped bases. Dough bases are individually prepared from fresh pre-proportioned dough ingredients by a kneading and extrusion device. The dough base is then passed through a series of processing stations, such as a shaping press, a metering and distribution device for tomato purees or sauces, at least one metering and distribution station for garnishing (topping) ingredients and a baking station. The dough bases pass through the series of stations on a preheated or continuously heated transportation sheet. No pre-produced or pre-cooked, semi-finished products are used in the method. Each dough base is prepared and provided with toppings according to individual orders selected from a list.

Abstract: A collagen processing method for thickening or hardening the collagen sufficiently, by application of a liquid smoke fraction obtained from a liquid smoke derivative (a derivative being commercially available as Code V), so that the resultant treated collagen is useful as a casing for a food product. The liquid smoke fraction may be obtained by treating Code V with both carbon and a pH adjustment whereby the method is without an effect on the taste of the food product. In another embodiment, the Code V is only pH adjusted.

Abstract: An apparatus for food extrusion is provided. The apparatus includes a substantially circular plate having a plurality of holes in an offsetting arrangement thereon. The arrangement of the holes provide food extruded through the apparatus with a shape which approximates the arrangement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing a dry, sweetened, extruded, ready to eat flaked or puffed cereal. Cereal flours, sweeteners such as sugars and/or syrups, and other cereal ingredients are formulated with added water and about 4-28%, preferably 5-15% of selected pregelatinized spray-dried starches having an amylose content of at least about 70% or up to 25% of a preextruded fully dispersed high amylose flour having an amylose content of at least about 70%. The pregelatinized high amylose starch may be unmodified or converted and in granular or non-granular form. The cereal is extruded at a temperature of about 120-160° C. and a pressure of about 100 to 500 psi.

Abstract: Method for producing a food product (5) including a solid casing coating at least one stuffing in a coextrusion device (1) including a coextrusion die (6) fed with the proteic base and the stuffing material(s) including the following stages:

Abstract: A patterned composite food product has an ice confectionery composition component and an edible material component which is different from the ice confectionery composition, the edible material having a pattern form which is an inclusion pattern zone in the ice confectionery composition, and the pattern may have a layer form wherein a plurality of edible material layers are separated one from another and surrounded by the ice confectionery composition. The composite product is prepared by pumping an ice confectionery composition into a former structure provided with an extrusion die for product extrusion from the former structure and by pumping a the edible material component through an assembly of a hollow spindle with nozzle(s) attached wherein the nozzle(s) is (are) provided with ports, particularly slots, for delivering the edible material to within the ice confectionery composition pumped through the former structure.

Abstract: A tubular casing that is capable of receiving a product therein in an outstretched state, said casing comprising:

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing an extruded cooked food product including use of an extruder having a barrel, at least one screw contained therein, a feed element at the discharge end of the screw, and a die head containing an expansion chamber. The discharge feed element is formed with a large pitch for pushing a large volume of cooked food mix into the expansion chamber. The large volume of cooked food mix is extruded as extrudate strands through relatively large orifices extending through the die plate of the die head to dimensionally expand upon exiting the orifices. The extrudate strands are conveyed over a sole support bar located a significant distance from the die head and then to a cutter. An air flow is applied to the extrudate strands for further cooling and drying before being cut. The cutter is located approximately 90 inches from the die head. The extruded food product is uniform in cross-section.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fried snack, a fried snack dough, and a process for preparing the same. The snack is prepared from a dough comprising starch-based flour, pregelled modified starch, and added water. The dough is extruded to form a snack piece, then fried to form a snack with a light, crispy, crunchy texture.

Abstract: A reduced-flatulence, legume-based snack food including legumes, additional grain-based ingredients, an aqueous solvent, and processing aids. The legumes have greater than 45 percent by weight of the oligosaccharides and saccharides removed therefrom. The legumes, additional grain-based ingredients, aqueous solvent, and processing aids are processed together to provide the snack food with a developed matrix so that the snack food exhibits a high crunch texture and a low fat absorption when cooked.

Abstract: A process for producing shaped large-piece dried potato products, in which raw potatoes are peeled, cut to a particle size of 0.6 to 2 mm in one dimension and then blanched. Surface water is removed and the particles are then covered with a coating. The coated particles are shaped to form the desired product shape. The shaped product is then dried to a water content below 12% by convection drying at temperatures below 110° C. In a further aspect of the present invention, raw potatoes may first be cut to a particle size larger than finally desired, blanched, cooled, and subsequently cut into the finally desired smaller particle size.

Abstract: A process for making reconstitutable rice grains by cooking a mixture of rice flour, water and hydrogenated oil in a cooker-extruder to produce a partly gelatinized mixture, forming the partly gelatinized mixture into rice-grain shaped pieces and then drying and cooling the pieces to room temperature to provide the reconstitutable rice grains. Also, the resulting reconstitutable rice grain product.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a composite consumable product by double extrusion, wherein a liquid or pasty consumable substance is prepared in a first section of a twin-screw extruder, a plasticizable consumable substance is cooked-extruded in a second section of the twin-screw extruder, wherein the first and second sections are separated dynamically, to provide at least one strand of a cooked-extruded mass that is cut into pieces. The liquid or pasty consumable substance is added to the cooked-extruded mass to provide pieces of a composite consumable product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food product comprising one or more plastic food substrates formed into a helical configuration and coated with a fluid barrier agent to prevent reannealing of adjacent turns of the product. The fluid barrier agent may be an edible vegetable oil such, for example, as hydrogenated vegetable oil, Soya oil, rape oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, peanut oil or a mixture of such oils. The product may define a single helix or a multiple helix, e.g. a double or triple helix. The invention also provides a method and apparatus for making such a helical food product.

Abstract: A process for continuously producing a chewing gum base comprising the steps of compounding the ingredients in a single extruder. In an embodiment, the method includes the steps of continuously adding an elastomer, a filler, and a plasticizer into a continuous mixer, subjecting the elastomer, filler, and plasticizer to a highly distributive mixing operation and continuously discharging the resulting chewing gum base from the mixer while the adding and mixing steps are in progress.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing an expanded cereal with the overall shape of an array of touching balls and an extrusion die and an extruder for use with the process. The die includes a feed ring for receiving material from an extruder, a cylindrical distribution chamber having a front wall and rear wall which includes the feed ring, and an array of parallel extrusion tubes provided in the front wall of the distribution chamber. The feed ring is in communication with the array of parallel extrusion tubes through the distribution chamber. The distribution chamber also includes a cylindrical distribution insert that extends axially from the center of the feed ring towards the front wall but spaced from the array of extrusion tubes. The process involves cooking and extruding a mixture of starchy material, sugar, oil, and water in a cooker-extruder and forcing the cooked material through the extrusion die.

Abstract: A novel pretzel chip is produced by extruding pretzel dough to form a dough extrudate comprising concentric dough rings that are interconnected and partially fused. The extrudate is sliced, and the slices are cooked following conventional pretzel cooking procedures. The dough is extruded through a die that includes a dough inlet having a plurality of metering passages arranged in concentric circles, a die interior comprised of a dough passageway containing a plurality of arcuate divider walls arranged in concentric circles, with each of said arcuate divider walls comprised of a base portion affixed to said dough inlet and a tip portion that is recessed from a dough exit port.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) and methods are disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by an extruder or pump and is combined with another food product without intermixing to form a complexly patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die (20). The cross-sectional area of the patterned food product is reduced from an inlet end (34) to an outlet end (36) by a factor of 4:1 to as much as 50:1 at an average convergence angle of 5 to 65° while maintaining the cross-sectional pattern to form a reduced cross-sectional patterned food product, and then is extruded through a die port having an opening equal to the reduced cross-sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing vitreous molten mass from sweeteners by means of an extruder, in particular a double screw extruder. The sweetener is introduced into an inlet zone of the extruder, is extruded in a melting zone at an increased temperature, in a vacuum zone at a reduced pressure and increased temperature, and finally in a cooling zone at a reduced temperature, forming a vitreous molten mass.

Abstract: Fat-coated encapsulation compositions may be prepared by: (i) mixing an active agent with a molten fat, to obtain a slurry, and (ii) cooling the slurry, to obtain a solid mass in which the active agent is dispersed in solid fat.

Abstract: A method for mechanically and automatically producing flat, round, dough and/or pizza bases without the use of baking tins for the dough bases and without using pre-prepared bases. Toppings and/or sauce are applied to the dough bases through at least one topping station. The dough bases are prepared from dough ingredients in a kneading and extrusion device, and then passed through a series of processing stations such as a shaping press, a metering and distribution station for tomato puree or sauce, or several metering stations for the topping, and the baking station, on a preheated transport plate. Each dough base is prepared and provided with a topping according to individual orders from a list.

Abstract: In the process of producing corn-based pellets, preconditioner steam and water addition, as well as extruder water or screw configuration and RPM, can be manipulated to precisely control the cook level, gelatinization, and moisture level of the meal during processing, and level of defects despite minor variation in the characteristics of the corn flour. Specifically, the preconditioner added steam-to-water ratio can be manipulated to effect cook, hydration, and partial gelatinization of the meal. In the extruder, lower extruder rotational speeds increase the residence time and increases cook. With the increase in residence time the volume of bed pack in the extruder increases. This can be reversed by adding water directly into the extruder, thereby decreasing the viscosity of the meal in the extruder. Product bulk density is changed by increasing and decreasing cook of the meal.

Abstract: A decorative food formed of a plurality of kinds of fluid food materials and manufactured by using a mold is provided. The decorative food has an outside shape thereof conforming to an interior surface of the mold inclusive of an opening of said mold. The decorative food has a colored pattern divided into multiple divisions extending up to a central portion of the decorative food, in a direction to extrude the food materials into the mold, the colored pattern being formed such that the multiple divisions are arranged with substantially the same ratio at any of a cross sectional area intersecting the direction to extrude the food materials, and wherein the decorative food contains therein a foodstuff. Also disclosed are an apparatus and method for manufacturing the decorative food.

Abstract: Sausages are produced by co-extruding a uniform layer of acid collagen gel around an extruded edible meat product, and chemically coagulating the co-extruded gel in a bath containing a chemical coagulating agent, such as to provide a collagen casing of sufficient mechanical strength to allow mechanical formation of sausage links by twist-linking or crimping. Preferably a coagulating agent such as liquid smoke is included in the collagen gel prior to extrusion. The coagulating bath may comprise a dehydrating agent such as alkali or a salt solution. No expensive air drying step is required in order to produce continuous casings of good strength.

Abstract: A dough pre-sheeting system within a food processing system having a receptacle for receiving dough and an extrusion die with an elongated-slot die opening. Dough is pressure fed from the receptacle through the elongated-slot die opening preferably by multiple augers, and emerges from the extrusion die as a continuous sheet having a generally uniform thickness. The continuous sheet of dough is then received by sheeter rollers for further sheeting and thickness reduction. Additionally, a method of pre-sheeting dough utilizes the dough pre-sheeting system described above for extruding a first continuous sheet of dough which is subsequently received by the sheeter rollers for further sheeting.

Abstract: Frozen aerated compositions are prepared by introducing an unfrozen composition suitable for being frozen for preparing a frozen aerated composition into the barrel of an extrusion apparatus containing a single screw and rotating the screw for transporting the composition through the apparatus to and then through an extrusion exit die and for during transport of the composition through the extrusion apparatus, mixing, shearing and compressing the composition. Additionally during the transport of the composition through the apparatus, the composition is cooled and air is injected into composition to obtain from the die a compressed, aerated, cooled composition which has a temperature of equal to or lower than −8° C.

Abstract: Pieces of cooked pasta are converted into unified masses by the use of edible, water-soluble cellulose derivatives as binding agents. For example, 2-inch pieces of cooked linguini are mixed with a viscous aqueous solution of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose to coat the linguini pieces. The admixed mass is baked to expel moisture and set the binder. Preferably, the admixed mass is compressed and baked under pressure to form a compact composite. By using a heated compression mold designed to form conventional pizza shells, cooked pieces of pasta and binder, any of several cellulose derivatives, are baked into a unified, pleasing alternative to dough-formed pizza shells.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to feeding steam, which is let out of a stream outlet, into the conditioning stage of an installation for boiling extrusion of products. In the installation according to the invention, a connecting line is provided from the aforementioned steam outlet to a predetermined point on the conditioning stage.

Abstract: A process for the production of a free flowing and instantly dispersible and/or soluble granular food product, which comprises preparing a mix of an oil or fats and powdery carbohydrates and/or protein rich materials in an extruder, plasticizing the mix in the extruder and forming the mix into granules by extruding the plasticized mix in strands and cutting the strands.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous production, processing and packaging of a final chewing gum product. The product is extruded as a continuous tape or ribbon of material, the material is flattened into a approximate final cross-sectional size and shape, and then inserted into a final sizing apparatus. The sizing apparatus maintains the gum product in its final cross-sectional size and shape. Thereafter, the continuous strip of final chewing gum product is scored, cut into individual pieces, and individually wrapped by a standard packaging machine. The individually wrapped pieces of gum can then be assembled into sets and packaged into packs of gum.

Abstract: A bulk density sampling method and device whereby formed product is flowed through a vertically disposed passage of pre-determined size. The passage is temporarily obstructed to collect and weigh a known volume of product upon which to base a calculation of bulk density and the generation of a control signal for regulating a multi-tasking processor to constantly monitor, control, and display speed, head gap position, temperature, feed rate and target moisture.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved methods for preparing a grain based extrudate involving high screw speeds, short barrel length extruders and short residence times. Preferred methods of preparation reside in methods for preparing the present improved RTE cereal or snack products. The preferred methods contain the steps in sequence of feeding an at least partially ungelatinized grain based material to a cooker extruder having at least one rotating screw, said cooker extruder including a barrel preferably having a relatively short length to diameter (“L/D”) ratio of substantially less than 12; working the grain based material by rotating the screw at a rotational speed of at least 700 rpm to mix and heat the cereal material and to compress the grain based material; and extruding the plasticized mass through at least one die orifice to form an extrudate. Its preferred product aspect provides RTE cereal or snack products in the form of a puffed grain based product piece having a density of about 10 to 100 g/l.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an extruder having mixing screws, a speed reduces, a plurality of barrels, an extrusion die, feed hoppers, a water supply hose, and a CO2 gas supply member, and a conveyer unit having a conveyer belt, a flour distributor, a plurality of heaters and a cutter for manufacturing Korean traditional oil pastries in mass production by means of the apparatus.

Abstract: Frozen concentrated milk is prepared by introducing a concentrated milk, such as a concentrated whole or skim milk, into the barrel of an apparatus for extrusion of a product which contains at least one screw which is rotated for transport of the concentrated milk through the apparatus barrel for extrusion of product through an extrusion apparatus product exit die, and during the transport of the concentrated milk through the extrusion apparatus, the concentrated milk is cooled to a temperature of equal to or lower than −8° C. to obtain, from the exit die, frozen concentrated milk.

Abstract: A decorative food formed of a plurality of kinds of fluid food materials and manufactured by using a mold is provided. The decorative food has an outside shape thereof conforming to an interior surface of the mold inclusive of an opening of said mold. The decorative food has a colored pattern divided into multiple divisions extending up to a central portion of the decorative food, in a direction to extrude the food materials into the mold, the colored pattern being formed such that the multiple divisions are arranged with substantially the same ratio at any of a cross sectional area intersecting the direction to extrude the food materials, and wherein the decorative food contains therein a foodstuff. Also disclosed are an apparatus and method for manufacturing the decorative food.

Abstract: A method for processing at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam. The method includes extruding at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam from an extruder. The rope is conveyed from the extruder to a rotary cutter. An anti-sticking agent, such as powdered starch, is applied to the rope as the rope is conveyed from the extruder to the rotary cutter. Finally, the rope is cut into pieces with the rotary cutter. In one preferred embodiment, the rotary cutter is operated to perform at least 5,000 cuts per minute.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing extruded elongate pasta of substantially even lengths. The apparatus includes: an extruder; a first cutter for cutting uneven tip portions of the bunches of elongate pasta; a second cutter for cutting the bunches of the elongate pasta, whose uneven tip portions have been cut, into an even length; and a sorting part for selectively sorting the bunches of elongate pasta having been cut into the even length with the second cutter from the uneven tip portions having been cut with the first cutter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a casingless sausage in a spiral or helical form and to a process and a device for producing a casingless sausage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a laminated edible product such as a candy product. This method includes the steps of extruding from the exit port of a coaxial die a thin strip of a first fluid material encased in a layer of a second fluid material, depositing the thin strip on a support, and superimposing additional thin strip on top of the first thin strip. The invention also relates to an edible product prepared by this method.

Abstract: A continuous method for preparing an aerated confection, especially marshmallows, includes the steps of A. continuously forming a clear concentrated sugar syrup in a single vessel by continuously admixing to form a sugar syrup slurry; cooking the sugar syrup slurry with agitation and indirect heat to dissolve the solids, concentrating the sugar syrup by evaporating water as vapor and venting the vapor to form a concentrated clear syrup, wherein the residence time of the syrup within the vessel ranges from about 1 to 5 minutes; B. cooling the clear concentrated syrup without crystallization to form a cooled clear sugar syrup; C. admixing the clear cooled sugar syrup with about 1 to 30% of a foam structuring agent to form a liquid confection blend; D. seeding the liquid confection blend with dry sugar crystals to form a seeded liquid confection blend; E. aerating the seeded liquid confection blend to form an aerated confection plastic foam; F.

Abstract: To prepare a food product, dehydrated pregelatinized starch and a mixture of hydrated gelatinized starch, fat and water are introduced into an apparatus for mixing and cooling the same to a temperature between −8° C. and −3° C. so that a frozen mixture is obtained from the apparatus, and then the frozen mixture is cut into portions and the portions are frozen. The hydrated gelatinized starch may be prepared by treating a dehydrated pregelatinized starch in admixture with water and fat so that it hydrates and swells, or it may be obtained by heating native/raw starch in admixture with water and fat by heating to hydrate and gelatinize the starch.

Abstract: An improved white food casing comprising regenerated cellulose containing titanium dioxide pigment in a weight ratio of less than 0.5 to regenerated cellulose in the casing and containing from about 0.3 to about 1.2 milligrams per square meter of casing of a water insoluble violet pigment. The titanium dioxide pigment and violet pigment are uniformly dispersed in the regenerated cellulose without agglomeration. The food casing usually has an optical density at least as high as a similar food casing containing fifteen percent more titanium dioxide pigment and no violet pigment. The food casing desirably contains titanium dioxide in an amount of less than 15 and preferably less than 13 grams per square meter of food casing. The invention also includes an improved method for making a white food casing comprising cellulose regenerated from viscose having titanium dioxide incorporated therein; wherein the improvement comprises uniformly dispersing titanium dioxide pigment into viscose at a ratio of less than 0.

Abstract: A process for forming starch into a molded article using melt processing techniques which process comprises combining starch and water to form a mixture wherein the water content is in the range of about 20.0 to 40.0% by weight with respect to that of the starch and introducing and heating the mixture in an extruder wherein the water content of the product upon discharge from the extruder is less than the water content of the mixture entering the extruder. The extrudate is then, optionally dried, and introduced to a heated injection molding machine and injection molded and cooled to form a molded article wherein the water content of the molded article is at or below about 20% by weight.

Abstract: A packaged cheese product comprises a hermetically sealed container, preferably a pouch, made out of flexible material; a decorator tip or adaptor therefor inside the container, a cheese product inside the container and a cap for closing the decorator tip when the pouch is partially emptied. The cheese product can be extruded after cuffing the corner off of the pouch and seating the decorator tip in the resulting opening. Cheese in decorative shapes can then be easily applied as a garnish on food items and the pouch can then be reclosed by capping the decorator tip. The cap preferably has a bulb member that fits inside the decorator tip and a skirt member that fits around the outside petals of the preferred decorator tip.

Abstract: An semi-solid mixture, such as a particulate meat mixture, is brought into contact with a vibrating surface, whereby energy is transported across the surface into the mixture. The vibration is generally contemplated to be in the ultrasonic frequency range, and the energy injection is contemplated to be sufficient to cause local physical and chemical changes in mixtures susceptible to such changes, and generally to cause changes in the direction of increased tensile strength and resistance to flow. In general a skin is formed on the mixture, and with greater processing efficiency then if such skin were formed by purely thermal means.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a food product wherein a cereal-based pre-mix including a first sensory component, which includes flavoring and/or coloring compounds, is fed into a hopper and fed from the hopper into an extruder, at a controlled rate. A liquid component including a second sensory component, which may also include flavoring and/or coloring compounds, is injected into the mix at a location intermediate the length of the extruder, the mix is then extruded to from the food product.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus (10) for making a complexly patterned extrudate. The apparatus (10) includes a food cooker extruder (12) for providing at least one extrudable food product, at least one food color supply (18), a pattern forming die (20) for mixing the food color and extrudate food product to form a complexly patterned food product, a reducing passageway for reducing the cross sectional area of the patterned dough from an inlet end (34) to outlet end (36) of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. and an extruder exit port at the discharge end of the reducing passageway. The methods comprise the steps of: providing a plastic extrudable food mass; providing at least one color; mixing the food mass and color to form an organized complexly patterned food dough having an initial cross sectional area; reducing the initial cross sectional area by a factor of at least 50:1 with an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by a food cooker extruder and is mixed with a food color to form a complexly patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die.

Abstract: An improved short-length, high-speed extrusion device (10) is provided with having increased capacities and the capability of producing high quality extrudates with improved density and pellet integrity properties. The device (10) includes an extruder (14) equipped with a peripheral die (20,118), the latter having die outlet openings (100,120) oriented generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the extruder barrel (16). The die (20) has a plurality of axially spaced series (92-98) of openings (100), wherein each series (92-98) has a different number of openings (100). Alternately, the die (118) is of radially enlarged design relative to the extruder barrel (16) and has only a single series of openings (120). In both instances, an internal flow-directing bullet (108,140) is positioned within the corresponding die (20,118) in order to smoothly direct flow of product from the outlet (21) of the barrel (16) to the transversely oriented die outlet openings (100,120).