Nutritious granular materials of fine particle sizes agglomerated within versatile micropellets are useful for inserting significant amounts of nutritious properties into snack foods. Expandable micropellet-containing formulations provide for introduction of fine particle ingredients such as proteins, minerals and other components or desirable nutrients into food processing lines not typically amenable to the fine particle sizes. Micropellet-containing formulations may consist entirely of micropellets, or may contain an expandable starch such as, for example, corn meal, sheeted doughs, and expanded collet products onto which the micropellets may be basted.

A cake surfacing device that includes: a base; a pedestal extending vertically from the base; a turn table at the top of the pedestal adapted to receive a cake; an arm support extending from the pedestal; a swivel arm attached to the arm support, where the swivel arm includes a connecting end; a plastic container, where the plastic container surrounds the cake; and a surfacing blade within the plastic container where the surfacing blade extends from a top center of the plastic container to one side of the plastic container. The turn table is preferably adapted to rotate. The swivel arm includes a connecting end with a connecting pin, where the connecting pin engages the plastic container. The plastic container includes a connecting crown which receives the connecting pin.

The invention generally relates to a cartridge comprising a gel. The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of an item of confectionery, an item of confectionery, a kit, the use of a cartridge for preparing an item of confectionery, a gel, and a process for preparing an item of confectionery via a data connection. The invention relates to a cartridge comprising the following cartridge components: a. a container having an internal volume; b. a gel comprising: i. a hydrocolloid, and ii. a sweetener different to the hydrocolloid; wherein the gel is not a fluid.

The present invention relates to a method for transferring the print of a logo (i.e. an image or text) onto a food item, notably a bakery or pastry item, butcher's products and cooked pork meats or a solid dairy product, and to an edible ink composition and a carrier medium for this purpose.

A method for producing instant noodles dried by a high-temperature hot air stream, wherein the noodles have a moreish taste and texture similar to fried noodles and yet have a low caloric value. The method for producing instant noodles dried by a high-temperature hot air stream comprises: step (a) producing a noodle band from a noodle dough prepared by adding an edible oil to a noodle dough material containing a raw material flour, and then producing raw noodle strands from the noodle band, step (b) adhering an edible oil to the raw noodle strands, and then steaming the raw noodle strands to produce steamed noodles, step (c) forming a noodle block by packing a predetermined amount of the steamed noodles into a retainer, and step (d) swelling and drying the noodle block by blowing a hot air stream at a temperature of 120 C. to 160 C. onto the noodle block from above and below the retainer at a stream speed of 30 m/s to 70 m/s for a period of 3 to 15 minutes.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing food products by means of extrusion, comprising the processing steps of: i) providing a food dough; ii) providing a viscous coating agent; iii) extruding a strand of food dough and extruding a coating layer at least partially enclosing the strand; iv) treating the at least partially coated strand with a liquid strengthening agent during at least two strengthening steps such that the coating layer of the strand is strengthened; to a device for performing this method and to the obtained food strand.

Tapioca tortillas are formed from creating tortilla bases from a first supply of tapioca and then topping the tortilla bases with a second supply of tapioca in the form of granules. With this arrangement, a lower or bottom surface of the tapioca tortilla is generally smooth, while an upper or top surface is undulated or textured. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the tortilla base is made from about: 55.72% tapioca; 35.94% water; 3.34% glycerin; 1.45% fine salt; 0.89% monoglycerides; 2.23% xanthan gum; 0.28% -amylase; 0.10% potassium sorbate; and 0.05% citric acid, while the tapioca granules range in size, such as from 1 mm to less than 250 m.

Some embodiments pertain to an ice cream cone having a body and an integrated drip collector. In some embodiments, the body extends radially outwardly from a center axis of the ice cream cone. In some embodiments, the body includes an upper section defining an aperture, a lower section having a bottom, and a wall portion. In some embodiments, the wall portion extends from the lower section to the upper section and defines a reservoir configured to store ice cream within the body. In some embodiments, the ice cream cone further includes a drip collector that is a protrusion of the ice cream cone. In some embodiments, the protrusion includes a trough and an outer edge. In some embodiments, the outer edge extends radially outward from the body and is disposed below a top of the upper section of the body. In some embodiments, the drip collector is configured to receive melted ice cream and to prevent melted ice cream from contacting a hand of a user holding the ice cream cone.

A production system for moisture and texture detection and control in tortilla and tortilla chip production includes a production line, including a cooker/grinder, a sheeter/cutter, an oven, an equalizer, a fryer, and a cooler/packaging machine; and a production control unit, including a processor, non-transitory memory, an input/output component, a moisture controller, a temperature controller, a belt speed controller, a masa moisture sensor, a chip moisture sensor, laser sensors for measuring surface texture of baked and fried chips, a laser controller, a texture classifier, a feedback controller. Also disclosed is a method for production control, including controlling moisture content, measuring masa moisture, controlling oven, measuring baked surfaces, measuring fried surfaces, classifying baked surfaces, classifying fried surfaces, optimizing oven temperature, optimizing oven belt speed, storing and characterizing historical records.

An apparatus applies a food coating to a food product. The apparatus includes a hopper for storing the food coating and a food coating applicator for applying the food coating from the hopper onto the food product. The apparatus also includes a basin for catching unused food coating and a return conveyor for moving unused food coating from the basin to the breading hopper.