An appliance disinfecting device with monitoring and safety interlock system that utilizes user detection and sensors to detect touch and can provide user feedback and decorative features. The device can include a UV transmissive material that provides disinfection of hard to reach surfaces or areas safely. The appliance disinfection device can include an automatic interlock to protect a user from UV exposure. The optics used for the UV disinfection allow the device to become a human interface. The device can be connected to the appliance control system which can be connected to a network and cloud interface.

Methods for producing insect product are provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and drying the insect slurry to form a dried insect product comprising solid insect matter particles. Methods for producing a chitin product are also provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and removing chitin from at least a portion of the insect slurry. Insect products are also provided that include a composition derived from at least one whole insect and has solid insect matter particles, in which the composition has a peroxide value of about 30 meq/kg of fat or less and about 90% of the solid insect matter particles, by volume, has a particle size of about 1000 μm or less.

Methods for producing insect product are provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and drying the insect slurry to form a dried insect product comprising solid insect matter particles. Methods for producing a chitin product are also provided that include wet-grinding at least one whole insect into an insect slurry and removing chitin from at least a portion of the insect slurry. Insect products are also provided that include a composition derived from at least one whole insect and has solid insect matter particles, in which the composition has a peroxide value of about 30 meq/kg of fat or less and about 90% of the solid insect matter particles, by volume, has a particle size of about 1000 μm or less.

Described herein are various embodiments of methods for binding together textured substrates using mycelium-producing fungi. The method can generally include providing a textured substrate, such as a textured protein substrate, that may or may not be subjected to various pre-processing steps used to help promote mycelium growth inside, outside or inside and outside of the textured substrate, inoculating the textured substrate with mycelium-producing fungi, and growing mycelium inside, outside, or inside and outside of the textured substrate to bind the textured substrate. The bound textured substrate can be used as a high protein food, such as meat substitutes, meat analogues, or seafood analogues. In some embodiments, the mycelium-producing fungi is used to bind together multiple textured substrates to form larger composite food products.

Described herein are various embodiments of methods for binding together textured substrates using mycelium-producing fungi. The method can generally include providing a textured substrate, such as a textured protein substrate, that may or may not be subjected to various pre-processing steps used to help promote mycelium growth inside, outside or inside and outside of the textured substrate, inoculating the textured substrate with mycelium-producing fungi, and growing mycelium inside, outside, or inside and outside of the textured substrate to bind the textured substrate. The bound textured substrate can be used as a high protein food, such as meat substitutes, meat analogues, or seafood analogues. In some embodiments, the mycelium-producing fungi is used to bind together multiple textured substrates to form larger composite food products.

A device for indicating exposure to a pressure. The device may include a base layer, a plurality of microcapsules, and a coating, with the microcapsules being disposed between the base layer and the coating. The microcapsules contain a indicator material that can be released once the microcapsules burst. The microcapsules then have a compressive bursting strength that is chosen or designed to be less than a selected pressure (e.g., the pressure being that to which a particular article may be exposed during high pressure processing). Thus, when the device is subjected to a pressure greater than the compressive bursting strength, at least some microcapsules burst, the indicator material is released from the microcapsules, and the release of the indicator material can be detected by observation of the device. The device may be a label that is associated (such as by being affixed) to the article being subjected to pressure (or multiple labels being associated (such as by being affixed) to multiple articles. Alternatively, the device may be associated with an article or articles without being affixed thereto.

An equipment body of an ultrasonic rapid freezing equipment is provided with a placement cavity, and the placement cavity is provided with a first electric telescopic rod. The bottom end of the first electric telescopic rod is provided with a receiving plate connected to a movable plate, and the movable plate is driven by a motor to rotate. The equipment body is provided with a first conveyor belt, and the inner end of the first conveyor belt is equipped with a second conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt is located on a mounting frame, and the bottom of the mounting frame is connected to a second electric telescopic rod. The bottom end of the second electric telescopic rod is connected to a moving block, the roller at the bottom of the moving block is located in the track on the top surface of the supporting block.

Systems and methods for providing food intervention, pumping up, and tenderization are discussed. While such systems can include any suitable component, in some cases, they include a needleless spray nozzle head that injects injectade into food without requiring the head to contact the food. In some cases, the head comprises an elongated needleless spray bar that defines multiple internal fluid channels that extend from a first end to a second end of the spray bar. In some cases, the head comprises a manifold system with a first manifold portion at the first end and a second manifold portion at the second end of the spray bar. In some cases, the first manifold portion directs the injectade towards the second end, and the second manifold portion directs the injectade towards the first end of the elongated needleless spray bar. Other implementations are described.

A re-useable partitioning seal used storage containers creates a virtually airtight chambers, to preserve products therein. A disc or differently shaped layer, with flat top and bottom surfaces, is configured to fit against the interior surface of a storage container. A thin, flexible perimeter forming a gasket around the layer, and a handle attached to the layer without fissure or cavity, thereby providing and a single piece, inexpensive re-useable partitioning seal.

A method for processing articles using a microwave heating system includes obtaining an operating profile for heating a type of article using the microwave heating system. The operating profile includes a temperature-time profile for a target F.sub.0 value and a group of set point values for achieving the temperature-time profile, the group of set point values including a target for a control parameter of the microwave heating system. Using a control system operatively coupled to the microwave heating system, the microwave heating system is operated in accordance with the group of set point values such that each of the articles achieves an F.sub.0 value that is greater than or equal to the target F.sub.0 value.