The present invention discloses a 3D food printer, which comprises a large hopper in a print head with a cooling system, so as to store and supply a large amount of a food material and print reliably at a high ambient temperature, and an automatic conveying system for printed products, so as to automatically output the food product after printing it, and then proceed with the next one. These features make the printer more effective, easier to operate, and in line with the requirements of food hygiene. The technical solution includes: the 3D food printer comprising a print head for extruding a food material; a cooling system for keeping the food material at a low temperature at which the food material does not melt or agglomerate; a conveying system for automatically outputting a printed food product; a frame for supporting the entire 3D food printer; a drive system for driving the 3D food printer to move in the X-, Y- and Z-directions; and a control system for controlling the operation of the entire 3D food printer.

A scraped surface heat exchanger comprising a heat exchange surface, a rotatable shaft, said shaft having at least one mounting means, and a sweeping element wherein said sweeping element comprises, a blade having at least one aperture for engaging with the mounting means such that the sweeping element is connected to the mounting means and characterised in that when the rotatable shaft is rotating relative to the heat exchange surface the sweeping element has substantially no movement relative to the rotating shaft and said sweeping element has substantially no contact with the inner surface of the heat exchanger.

A method for separating a comestible structure into a plurality of comestible structures includes providing at least one comestible structure including at least one score line to a clamping device, clamping a portion of said at least one comestible structure in said clamping device, and separating said portion from a remainder of said at least one comestible structure at said at least one score line via said clamping device.

A method and system for producing confectionery, wherein a tray with one or more mould cavities formed in moulding powder, such as starch, is provided. The moulding powder has an initial moisture content. Depositing liquid confectionery in the one or more mould cavities causes the moisture content of the moulding powder to increase. The tray is provided in a conditioning room configured for drying the deposited confectionery. The conditioning parameters of the conditioning room are adapted such that the moulding powder is dried to a desired moisture content, wherein the desired moisture content is such that the moulding powder is suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production.

An apparatus and a method for packaging substantially plate-shaped or cuboid-shaped products in the food industry in a packaging material film, the apparatus having feeding devices for feeding products to a packaging station; guiding devices for feeding a blank of the packaging material film to the packaging station, wherein the product is inserted into the blank such that the packaging material film substantially wraps around the product; discharge devices for discharging the product from the packaging station in a wrapped state; and holding devices being movably configured and arranged to move with the product through the packaging station.

The present invention provides an apparatus for coating an edible receptacle the apparatus comprising a nozzle for applying a fat-based coating material to the internal surface of the edible receptacle and a gas-dosing element with an external surface shape corresponding to the internal shape of the edible receptacle wherein the gas dosing element has at least one aperture suitable for the introduction of cooled gas into the edible receptacle. The invention also provides a process for manufacturing a coated edible receptacle for a frozen confection comprising the steps of: providing an edible receptacle; at least partially coating the internal surface of the edible receptacle by spraying a fat-based coating onto the internal surface of the edible receptacle; and introducing a gas-dosing element into the edible receptacle, wherein the gas-dosing element has an external surface shape corresponding to the internal shape of the edible receptacle and wherein cooled gas is introduced into the edible receptacle through the gas-dosing element and wherein the gas dosing element does not come into contact with the fat-based coating.

A method of manufacturing a comestible includes providing a comestible mass, forming said comestible mass into a comestible structure having a desired shape using a forming station, and applying a packaging material to a surface of said comestible structure while said comestible structure remains in contact with a portion of said forming station.

A method for separating a trim section from a body of comestible structure includes forming a trim score line in the body of the comestible structure to define the trim section in the body of comestible structure and actively applying a force to the trim section via a force generating device to separate the trim section from the body of comestible structure along said trim score line.

The invention relates to products for the production of chocolate products and chocolate-like products, whereby sweetening and/or mass-providing filling substances obtained from the cocoa fruit pulp or also from the placenta and/or the cocoa fruit shell replace, either wholly or in part, the conventional sweetening and mass-providing filling components, in particular sugar, in such products. The invention relates not only to a suitable process for the production of such products, but also to the use of such products.

In a production facility for coating ice cream products a plurality of carriers are used for transport of the ice cream products from the supply station to a coating station where coating, for example chocolate, is applied to the product. The production facility includes weight equipment configured for automatically weighing the ice cream products before and after application of the coating, which is used in a feedback loop for adjusting the coating parameters, for example chocolate temperature.