Abstract: The invention comprises a method of thawing meat frozen in meat blocks (1) and comprising an apparatus for initial separation of the meat block (1) before the meat block (1) is placed in a rotating container (7), said meat block (1) being subjected to pressure before treated in the rotating container (7), said pressure initiating a separation process of the meat block (1) into individual pieces (2). This pressure may be applied over the diagonals of the meat block (1). The invention also comprises an apparatus for performing the method, said apparatus comprising a number of pistons (3, 4, 5, 6) which either cooperate in pairs or cooperate with a firm opposite face for applying pressure to the meat block (1). The faces of the pistons (3, 4, 5, 6) may be plane, or they may comprise elevations or depressions as well as adapted to act over at least one of the diagonals of the meat block (1).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for the rapid preparation of a drink from a frozen liquid which contains high concentrations of nutrients. The method involves increasing the surface area of the frozen liquid and adding the increased area of frozen juice to a suitable amount of additional liquid and allowing it to mix. The apparatus for preparing a drink from the frozen liquid includes a means for increasing the surface area of the frozen liquid by breaking the frozen liquid into a plurality of pieces, and a means for dispensing the plurality of pieces of the frozen liquid into a serving container. Preferably, the apparatus also includes a means for passing an additional liquid through the means for increasing the surface area of the frozen liquid and the means for dispensing the frozen liquid to wash out any residual frozen liquid in the apparatus into the serving container.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the production of portions of a food product, in particular of the meat type, in the shape of a string, and particularly sausage-type portions from a main sausage, comprised of minced meat or fish and/or vegetables, covered with a skin obtained by calcium gelling of a hydrocolloid. The method comprises the production of at least a string (8) of the food product, the substantially vertical hanging of the end portion (81) of the said string, and obtaining portions of said string by cutting said hanging end portion so as to obtain portions (6) which are separated from the string by gravity.

Abstract: A method comprising selection of unbroken whole grain rice that are first washed, or whole grain corn that is first reduced in size, and then making an aqueous slurry that is subsequently wet milled to release all the protein, fat, fiber, and starch components normally held in the structure of the grain. The resulting slurry can be reacted with heat to gelatinize the starch and the subsequent product dried. Also, the heated slurry containing the liberated components can be treated to enzymatic hydrolysis via the process of liquefaction and optionally saccharification, producing whole grain rice milk products having diverse carbohydrate compositions.

Abstract: A novel dog chew is disclosed made of raw hide which has a large plurality of closely spaced perforations cut there through during manufacture of the dog chew. Typically the perforations are created in first rows that are generally parallel to each other and in second rows that are also generally parallel to each other, and the first rows intersect the second rows to create a cross hatching pattern. The intersecting sets of perforations created by the cross hatch pattern define a large number of small sections on the rawhide. The small sections of the dog chew individually break off when chewed by a dog instead of large pieces that may choke the dog.

Abstract: Hairline-cracked brown rice and a processing method thereof are provided, in which the brown rice is processed at room temperature with a simple method, and the brown rice has good mouth-feel like the polished rice and is easy to be cooked while maintaining its nutrients.

Abstract: Sautéed vegetables are used as a building block in the preparation of sauces, soups and meal solutions and are easily prepared on a kitchen scale. On scaling up the same method used at kitchen scale to industrial scale, the problem of heat transfer results in vegetables either not browning and developing the savoury and caramelised flavour of sautéed vegetables or becoming soggy and limp from over cooking.

Abstract: Acid-neutralizing agent contains substantial amount of calcium of an acid-neutralizing ability against various acid chemicals substance for humans, animals, agricultural produces, meat and poultry. And the method of producing the same are provided. An environmental friendly high speed and high press scraping treatment is applied to a calcium-containing substance represented by calcium carbonate-containing substances originating from shellfishes, to eliminate heavy metals and other contamination accumulated on the surface. A heating and baking treatment is applied separately to the different said shellfishes and calcium carbonate-containing minerals and charcoal of bamboo to the temperature and maintaining the temperature not less then the decompose point of each calcium component-containing substance, a sufficient time of heating and baking treatment from 3 hours up to 18 hours depend on materials treated.

Abstract: A method for making biscuits wherein a dough mixture is dispensed into an agitator. The dough mixture is agitated as it is being dispensed into cavities of a die. The dough mixture is compressed into the cavities of the die by a compression device. The dough mixture is ejected from the cavities of the die by pushing the dough mixture from a top surface of the die out of a bottom surface of the die and onto an apron with an ejection mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing an animal food product with a core and a shell at least partially covering the core, in which the core starting material includes meat and/or meat-like components, water, oil and/or fat, vitamins, minerals, salts, antioxidising agents, dyes and/or preservatives, vegetable fibres, and other ingredients. The shell starting material includes vegetable and/or animal protein, cereal, starch and/or dextrin, blood plasma, water, cereal derivative and/or sugar or sugar derivative, and vitamins, minerals, salts, antioxidising agents, dyes and/or preservatives.

Abstract: Modified slicing shoes and method for making food product shavings. A conventional slicing shoe for insertion into a slicing head assembly used in conjunction with a centrifugal type slicing machine is modified. The modified slicing shoes comprise a cutting edge having top and bottom ends that protrude towards the interior of a slicing head assembly as a vertex protrudes away from the interior such that the blade is not confined to one plane. In one embodiment, the slicing shoe blade cutting edge and its components comprise a V-shape having an angle that ranges from between about 90° to about 140°. In a second embodiment, the slicing shoe and its components are curvilinear having a curvature ranging from about 1.5 cm to about 2.0 cm. The shape of the blade and its corresponding components allow for the production of snack chips having folded or curled shapes.

Abstract: An extruded, directly expanded, high fiber reduced calorie food product, such as a ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal or sweet or savory snack, is produced at high production rates without substantial loss of extrusion functionality and extrudability by replacing a substantial portion of at least one flour with a gelatinized, enzyme-resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent as a reduced-calorie, high fiber flour replacer. The resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent contains an enzyme-resistant starch type III having a melting point with an endothermic peak temperature of at least about 140° C., and may have a water-holding capacity of less than 3 grams water per gram of the starch-based bulking agent. The total dietary fiber retention of the gelatinized, starch-based bulking agent may be at least about 90% by weight after the extrusion using a die temperature of least about 100° C., and a die pressure of at least about 150 psig.

Abstract: A return liquid containing particles resulting from treating food is treated to reduce the size of the particles and recycled for further food treatment. Embodiments include injecting a solution into a body of meat, recovering a return solution containing particulate material resulting from injecting the body of meat, optionally reducing the temperature of the return solution, mechanically reducing the particle size of the particulate material in the return solution to form a reduced return solution, conveying the reduced return solution to a holding tank and recycling the reduced return solution for injection into a body of meat. Embodiments also include a system for recycling a food treating liquid including a mechanical milling device, an optional chilling device, and a holding tank including first, second and third sections, a first weir separating the first and second sections, and a second weir separating the second and third sections, wherein the second weir extends higher than the first weir.

Abstract: A method of production of a soymilk or a soy-based beverage. The method includes the following processing steps: providing soybeans for processing; soaking the soybeans; grinding the soybeans to form a slurry; separating the soy slurry into soymilk and okara in a centrifugal field. The soaking and grinding are carried out at temperatures from 0° C. to 40° C., which temperatures yield native proteins. Further included is a step of deodorizing the soymilk to reduce the beany taste.

Abstract: The present invention relates to plant cells and plants having an increased content of N-acetylated glucosamine derivatives. Furthermore, the present invention relates to plant cells and plants which synthesize glucosaminoglycans. The present invention also provides processes for producing said plants and compositions comprising said plant cells.

Abstract: The present application describes coffee and tea-baking compounds and method for producing the same.

Abstract: A process for drying tomatoes which produces higher yielding dried tomatoes having improved color and flavor without the use of preservatives and sulfur dioxide is provided. Generally, the process includes chilling or freezing tomatoes, infusing the tomatoes with an infusion solution, and then drying the tomatoes. The tomatoes may be cut into two or more pieces, bruised or abraised before infusion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing solubility-reduced, beta-glucan containing products and uses thereof as raw materials in aqueous fractionation to produce starch and beta-glucan concentrates. The present invention extends to foods containing the solubility-reduced, beta-glucan products, and the starch and beta-glucan concentrates obtained by the described method.

Abstract: A rice modifier, containing a granular material sieved over 0.5 mm-opening (32-mesh) sieve at a content of 5% by weight or more and 100% by weight of less, having thermal solubility of equal to or higher than 20%, and containing starch at a content of equal to or larger than 40% by weight.

Abstract: A pet food product is produced having a colored exterior that simulates the appearance of real meat that has been imparted a marinated or grilled appearance. The product may be manufactured using a vegetarian (meat free) formulation or a formulation combining meat with dry proteinaceous materials. The ingredients are processed to form an emulsion-like mixture, which is rapidly heated in a confined zone to allow the protein to coagulate. An injector/shredder assembly is positioned in the zone to disrupt and shred the coagulated product mass and inject a colorant. The colorant adheres to some of the exterior surfaces of the final product to create a simulated grilled or roasted appearance.

Abstract: Food safety and longevity of still respiring fruit or vegetable pieces are enhanced reliant on a treatment process where the cut surfaces (preferably cleaned of cell debrit) are subjected to both UV light irradiation and heating so as, in concert, render the surfaces more sterile. The heating also has the effect of reducing ethylene production and at least depressing respiration. Such a process is preferably in addition to an anti-oxidant impregnation. The overall process in its preferred forms significantly extends the life and apparent freshness of, for example, apple slices when kept post treatment (eg; 25 days) over the temperature range of from 0° C. to 8° C.

Abstract: Fruit items are positioned between vertical pins located in the calyx and stem hole of said fruit item, thereby securing the fruit item by a compressive force through its core. A core tube surrounding the upper pin descends to meet the lower pin, thereby completely piercing the fruit item and isolating its core inside the tube. A cushioned ram pushes the edible portion of the fruit item down over the core tube, through a cassette of radial knives, creating a plurality of wedges that fall immediately into an enzyme bath. The bath seals freshness into the fruit item's cell structure by preventing contact with oxygen. The solid core is ejected and the edible outside portion of the fruit item is not touched or bruised by mechanical handling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the amount of hull portions recovered from flaxseeds. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes providing a plurality of harvested flaxseeds, tempering the harvested flaxseeds by sufficiently increasing the moisture content for at least about one-half hour to increase the amount of hulls recovered from the flaxseeds, and recovering a portion of the hulls from the moisture-increased flaxseeds. The claimed invention also relates to a flaxseed hull isolate that includes at least 7 up to 17 weight percent of flaxseed hull based on the total weight of flaxseeds. Additionally, the claimed invention relates to a harvested flaxseed, whose moisture content is increased by at least about 1 weight percent, and a flax product having a lignan concentration of at least 10 percent by weight.

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 food product or composition has from about 23% to about 42% by weight of at least one of the group consisting of almonds and cashews, wherein the almonds and/or cashews have been finely ground, from about 27% to about 65% by weight of a liquefying agent capable of forming a cream when combined with the almonds and/or cashews, from about 10% to about 19% by weight of a sweetening agent, and from about 0.0003% to about 0.0005% by weight of salt. The composition is made by grinding from about 23% to about 42% by weight of at least one of the group consisting of almonds and cashews, and adding from about 27% to about 65% by weight of a liquefying agent to form a cream. To this cream is added from about 10% to about 19% by weight of a sweetening agent, and from about 0.0003% to about 0.0006% by weight of salt, to form a mixture, which may then be frozen.

Abstract: A cheese slice product and a method of making such a cheese slice product are disclosed wherein the cheese slice product contains an array of relatively smaller pieces which are linked together by one or more unslit connecting segments, with the method being directed to incising a standard cheese loaf and subsequently slicing the incised cheese slice loaf into such an array of smaller pieces. Incision patterns are applied to a typical cheese loaf prior to the loaf entering the slicer and line conveying systems. After slicing the incised cheese loaf, an unslit portion in each slice holds the multiple segments in the slice in the dimensional shape of the cross section of the loaf.

Abstract: Barley having a reduced level of SBEIIa activity produces grain having a high relative amylose content. The barley might additionally have reduced levels of SBEIIb activity. The barley grain of this invention can be of a non-shrunken phenotype despite a lesion in the amylopectin synthesis pathway.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to provide an apparatus which is capable of continuously and effectively shattering wastes including organic substances and even such wastes as including fat or other doggy substances suspended in a water, without obstructing an operation of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a cylindrical vertical housing having annular passages partitioned by adjacent two or more substantially concentric cylindrical walls, a water injection device which produces a pressurized water flow so as to supply high-speed water flows tangentially into the annular passages, and a nozzle which is disposed in any one of the cylindrical walls so as to supply a slurry including organic substance particulates into the high-speed water flows and thus ultrafinely shatters the organic granular substances into particulates having the size of a few micrometers by cavitation effect and/or shearing effect produced in the high-speed water flows.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an improved extruder die assembly and method for using same to improve the quality of dimensional design aspects of extruded, complexly shaped, direct expanded food products. The improved system includes an improved die assembly comprising a first die and a second die having at least one orifice. A majority of the total pressure drop occurs in the first die to pre-expand the dough prior to the dough entering the second die. The orifices in the first die can be individually configured to obtain differing dough flow speeds resulting in a desired flow pattern. A plurality of extruded dough ropes formed at each orifice exit of the first die can meld together in the bore and exit the second die. Color or flavor can be added at the first die to enhance the food product.

Abstract: An improved processing method and system for producing tomato paste and other food products affected by viscosity. Tomatoes are processed into tomato juice. The juice is provided to a decanter that separates or fractionates the juice into two portions—a thicker, more viscous cake portion and a thinner, less viscous serum portion. The serum portion is concentrated by removing a portion of water using an evaporator such as a thin film or juice evaporator. The cake portion can be concentrated if necessary with a drier. The serum and cake portions are recombined to produce a tomato paste having improved color, texture, flavor and nutrition.

Abstract: Crystallization of glucose in compositions such as high fructose corn syrup or honey is reduced by adding as little as 0.25% by weight of inulin. The addition of inulin to honey reduces stickiness and increases the viscosity to allow the sweetener composition to retain its shape when molded. A honey and inulin composition can be added to chocolate without separation. A honey and inulin composition can be mixed with powdered milk without separation.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for the production of center-filled confectionery pieces. The apparatus includes an extruder, a feedback system, and a forming device. The feedback system ensures that a strand of center-filled confectionery produced by the extruder has a substantially uniform size when the strand enters the forming device. The forming device forms the strand into center-filled confectionery pieces having 15%-25% by weight of a center-fill material without producing leakers.

Abstract: An expanded extruded high protein product comprising an extrudate of a composition comprising about 10-50% by dry weight of egg white and about 50-90% by dry weight of an edible starch, wherein the product has a moisture content of less than 8%, a protein content of at least 10%, and a density of less than 100 grams per liter.

Abstract: Granulated bean paste or “miso” is made by partially drying uncooked bean paste by vacuum freeze drying, thoroughly mixing and then storing the semi-dried bean paste in an isothermal chamber at a substantially consistent temperature within the range of 15° C. to 20° C. for a few days to homogenize the water content in the semi-dried bean paste, then extruding the semi-dried bean paste into an elongated form, and finally cutting and breaking the bean past material to obtain fine particles of granulated bean paste.

Abstract: A process for preparing a feline pet food composition comprising a meat based material having an essentially solid mass that assumes the shape of its container and the feline pet food composition prepared using the process. The pet food composition is characterized as having meat particles with a moisturized appearance and visually recognizable discrete food particles upon slicing the pet food mass after removal from a container.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scraped surface heat exchanger (100) comprising a heat exchanging wall (20) having an cylindrical inner surface (21) with a radius (R+?), a shaft (10) being rotatable mounted inside of and concentrically to the inner surface (21) of the heat exchanging wall (20) and having at least one gap portion (10A) with an outer surface (11) and a radius (R), and at least one scraping member (40) supported by the shaft (10) and extending to the inner surface (21) of the heat exchanger wall (20), characterised in that the at least one or che gap portions (10A) with an outer surface (11) and a radius (R) extend over at least 60% of the circumference of the shaft (10).

Abstract: Enriched with antioxidant nutrients, mostly liposoluble, fibre and certain micro-elements and hydrosoluble vitamins, comprises almond milk. The procedure for obtaining said drink involves a first stage of blanching the almonds; a second crushing stage; a third stage in which fruit juices or teas are added; a fourth stage in which the mixture is sterilised or pasteurised; a fifth stage in which the loss of nutrients is corrected and a final stage in which the pH and osmolality are adjusted.

Abstract: Broccoli heads are placed individually, stem down, in transporting cups that are affixed to a conveyor that at one end rotates around a carousel axis. A clamping and cutting assembly includes linkages rotating around the carousel axis synchronously with the transporting cups on the conveyor. Retractable clamps affixed to an upper linkage retain the broccoli heads while curved blades that are affixed to a lower linkage dissect the broccoli. The blades cut off the florets with a scooping motion along the bottom side of the transporting cups which results in similar sized florets, standardized by the diameter of the truncated cone-shaped chamfer of the cups. Upon dissection the florets are released from the cups and collected on a collecting conveyor.

Abstract: A food cutting device can include a food drawer, a base, and a force application mechanism. The food drawer can have an upper plate and a lower plate that are hinged clamshell-style. The food drawer can be slid relative to the base to open and close the food drawer. The base can be adapted to mount under an existing kitchen component such that the food cutting device does not take additional counter space. The base can include a force application mechanism such as a roller mechanism disposed thereon and configured to compress the upper plate of the food drawer onto the lower plate as the drawer is closed. A cutting mechanism such as a cutting blade can be positioned on one of the plates of the food drawer such that when the food drawer is closed, the plates are compressed and the cutting mechanism is advanced into a food item in the drawer.

Abstract: A method is provided for tracking ground meat to the animal or animals from which the meat was harvested. The method includes obtaining animal portions that have information that is associated with the animal portions. The animal portions are loaded into a conduit or a vessel that includes a meat grinder. The amount of portions entering the conduit or the vessel are measured. The portions are ground into ground meat, and the amount of ground meat leaving the conduit is again measured. With the aid of a computer, when the amount of ground meat leaving the conduit corresponds to an amount of the portions that enter the conduit, the information that had been associated with the unground animal portions can also be associated with the ground meat.

Abstract: The invention involves a method for the recover of commercial slaughter waste streams for use in the manufacture of commercial pet food products, wherein waste materials are collected following the commercial slaughter of animals, the greater part of those materials being size reduced as necessary and heated, whereupon a proteinaceous fraction, lipidaceous fraction, and aqueous fraction are formed and substantially separated from one another and wherein each of said fractions are subsequently used in the production of commercial pet foods or components thereof.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus for slicing potatoes includes an impeller hub block, impeller tubes radially extending from the impeller hub block, and a cutting assembly circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the impeller hub block. The impeller hub block includes a potato holding area and an opening for receiving potatoes into the holding area. The impeller tubes have an entry aperture and an exit aperture, and a longitudinal length greater than about 5 inches. The impeller hub block is rotatable about a central vertical axis and each impeller tube is rotatable about its own longitudinal axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides ready-to-eat (RTE), shelf-stable processed foods composed of up to 100% fruit and the system and process for their manufacture. The product, system, and process uses dried fruit in some form as an in-feed material, having a higher moisture content than heretofore has been suitable for extruder in-feed ingredients, thus retaining at least a portion of the natural volatile materials that contribute to taste and aromas. Further, the dried fruit is extruded and can be dried into crispy, crunchy, chewy, or hard particles or pieces high in fruit content that heretofore have been unavailable, and the products and process can be independent of starch and grain based prior technology. The products of the present disclosure can be eaten as healthy snacks or used as high-fruit-content additives in RTE cereals, baking mixes, toppings, and other food products. The process provides a high degree of efficiency and reduced costs.

Abstract: Deboned meat is subjected to processing in a surimi-type procedure in order to substantially reduce the heme content and thus the color intensity of the deboned meat, with bone marrow components and fat also being removed. When desired, the washed meat is subjected to dewatering, such as by pressing, in order to provide a color and fat reduced deboned meat. Multiple-stage separation is practiced, and the protein yield of the washed meat is advantageously elevated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new source of high quality plant protein, termed, “quinoa protein concentrate (QPC)”, which contains at least about 50 wt % protein which is food-grade and/or pharmaceutical-grade and methods of preparing such protein concentrates as well as starch, oil, and fiber from quinoa grain. The quinoa protein concentrate of the invention is useful as food ingredients, infant formula ingredients, cosmetic ingredients, pet food ingredients, and animal feed supplements.

Abstract: A dual-filled gum piece is provided having a first cavity filled with a liquid filling and a second cavity filled with a powder filling. The gum pieces are produced by extruding a gum rope having two separate channels respectively filled with liquid and powder, sizing and shaping the gum rope, cooling the gum rope, cutting the rope into discrete gum pieces, and finally cooling the gum pieces. The gum pieces optionally can be coated with a hard coating. In other aspects for single- and dual-filled gums, a process for making the gum pieces employs a rope sizer that reduces the diameter of the gum rope and shapes it to have a non-round cross-section, and a multi-story cooling tunnel having individually motor-driven conveyors.

Abstract: An Apium graveolens L. var dulce celery plant with a hollow petiole suitable for use as a straw for consuming beverages or as a food product where other food products are capable of being stuffed inside the hollow celery tube. The edible, hollow celery is mild in taste and more resistant to rupturing than celeriac and leaf celery with hollow petioles.

Abstract: A process of producing whole wheat flour including the steps of (1) coarsely grinding wheat kernels, (2) separating the resulting ground product into a fine fraction with an average particle size less than a size ranging from 150 to 200 ?m and a coarse fraction with an average particle size more than that of the fine fraction and at or above a size ranging from 150 to 200 ?m, (3) pulverizing the coarse fraction by impact grinding, (4) fractionating the resulting ground product obtained in step (3) to collect a fine fraction with an average particle size less than a size ranging from 150 to 200 ?m, and (5) combining the fine fraction from step (2) and the fine fraction obtained in step (4). Preferably, the coarse fraction obtained in step (2) is subjected to a heat-moisture treatment, and the heat-moisturized fraction is pulverized by impact grinding in step (3).

Abstract: The invention provides fruit-like products based on alginate or low-methoxy pectate gel which are spherical with two dimples spaced at opposite extremes of the sphere. These are prepared by extruding a sol through a cylindrical nozzle and at the same time extruding a gelling agent through a tube centrally located in the nozzle and co-terminous with it. The extrudate is cut off at the end of the nozzle below the surface of a bath of the gelling agent. The extrudate is allowed to gel by diffusion of calcium ions. The gelling agent is an aqueous solution containing calcium ions. The sol, which is an aqueous alginate or low-methoxy pectate sol, preferably contains dispersed fruit puree. Preferably the solution in the bath has a lower density than the density of the sol. In a preferred form of the invention equipment is used comprising a nozzle, a centrally spaced tube, a gelling bath and a perforated support surface in the bath for the gelling product.

Abstract: Our invention is concerned with a process and equipment and the resulting product. The process and equipment produce simulated cylindrical olive products with a central core. An aqueous alginate or low-methoxy pectate sol containing dispersed olive flesh is co-extruded through a nozzle with a stream of an aqueous solution containing dissolved calcium ions flowing through an inner core of the nozzle at not more than +/?30° to the horizontal into a bath of an aqueous solution containing dissolved calcium ions. The sol of alginate or low-methoxy pectate gels by diffusion of the calcium ions from the co-extruded stream containing dissolved calcium ions and from the aqueous solution containing dissolved calcium ions in the bath. A cylindrical tube of gelled alginate or low-methoxy pectate containing pulped olive is formed with a hollow core.