A food product contact member that makes contact with a food product. The food product contact member is configured from a metal or a substance containing a metal. The food product contact member includes a contact surface making contact with the food product and having a micronized structure. Plural smooth circular arc shaped depressions without pointed protrusions are formed over an entirety of the contact surface. Titanium oxide is diffused and penetrated at a proximity to a surface of the contact surface contacting the food product.

There is disclosed herein a toaster (10) including: a housing (12); a pair of opposing food guards (24a, 24b) located within the housing (12) and defining a toasting cavity (25a, 25b) for receiving foodstuff to be toasted; a pair of heating elements (28) located within the housing (12), each heating element (28) being located on a respective side of the pair of food guards (24a, 24b), wherein each food guard (24a, 24b) is spaced from the corresponding heating element (28) by a clearance (81); and wherein each food guard (24a, 24b) has an upwardly-extending portion (75c, 75d) that extends upwardly to a portion (75a, 75b) that extends transversely from the upwardly-extending portion so as to extend above the corresponding heating element (28), the transversely-extending portion (75a, 75b) of each food guard (24a, 24b) projecting away from the opposing food guard (24a, 24b).

Heat resistant and/or nonstick polymer materials and composites, and cookware including a food support surface comprising an integrated or attached cooking surface formed of the materials and composites. The cookware can includes a melt-processible fluoropolymer surface or insert. The cookware can further include a laminate material with structural rigidity, wherein the laminate material includes a flexible substrate impregnated with the heat resistant polymer material, coated with a nonstick coating, and pressed or molded in a shaped cookware or other nonstick items or component. Various cooking devices can be pressed from the material, as well as oven or vehicle components.

Cookware surfaces of metal, such as aluminum, may include a nonstick coating and embedded hard metal mesh. The mesh protects the nonstick coating between interior regions within the mesh from being cut or abraded by knives and other tools.

An illumination and visualization device is provided along with a method of illuminating and visualizing and a formulation for an enhanced visualization (EV) coating for a baking pan or similar implement. The EV coating having a fluorescent component that shows the condition of the coating and any interfering materials that can adhere to the pan during use. The method and device for illumination and visualization can have a conveyance device which moves baked goods pans. The pans are illuminated with a known energy source or light. As noted, the EV coating having been applied as, for instance but not limited to, a release or non-adhesion coating layer reacts with and re-emits or reflects energy when subjected to certain incident energy forms or frequencies in the form of, for instance, light. The device can then provide an image of the pan and highlight any variations in the light re-emitted by the coating which can indicate wear on the coating or, in another non-limiting example, the presence of baked on debris.

The invention is directed to a foodstuff extrusion portioning device and more specifically a cutter head assembly on such an extruder having a servo motor, a cutter shuttle coupled to a cutting element, a controller and being programmed via a product variable to provide a velocity profile. The cutter in the velocity profile has a first velocity and it reduces speed to a second velocity and goes more slowly through the last portion of the foodstuff. The at least two velocities being fully programmable and the controller can provide for instantaneous and additional programmed velocities throughout the cutting profile. The cutter further providing tilt control so it can drop the portion at the moment the portion detaches from the extruded foodstuff stream. It cuts and/or breaks off portions in a far more uniform and controllable manner to more accurately portion and better place the cut portions. This also provides the portion with minimal residual energy pushing it forward as it drops through the effect of gravity and the cutter can be used so as to further direct and push the portion downward so as to optimally place it.

An enamel composition, a method for preparing an enamel composition, and a cooking appliance are provided. The enamel composition may include 15 to 50 wt % of phosphorus pentoxide (P.sub.2O.sub.5); 5 to 20 wt % of one or more of lithium oxide (Li.sub.2O), sodium oxide (Na.sub.2O), or potassium oxide (K.sub.2O); 1 to 5 wt % of one or more of sodium fluoride (NaF), calcium fluoride (CaF.sub.2), or aluminum fluoride (AlF.sub.3); 1 to 35 wt % of one or more of magnesium oxide (MgO), barium oxide (BaO), or calcium oxide (CaO); and 5 to 30 wt % of one or more of manganese dioxide (MnO.sub.2), molybdenum trioxide (MoO.sub.3), bismuth oxide (Bi.sub.2O.sub.3), or nickel oxide (NiO). The enamel composition may be cleaned without being putting it into water.

Disclosed herein are induction heating articles and vessels and methods for applying insulating coatings thereto. In one aspect, an induction heating vessel of the present invention includes a ferromagnetic substrate and an insulating coating layer attached to the substrate, the insulating coating layer being characterized by a thermal conductivity of less than about 1.0 W/mK and a Shore A hardness of less than about 70.

The method for quench seasoning multiple units of iron/steel cookware includes the steps of: preheating each cookware unit to a temperature above the smoke point of oil in an oil bath; rapidly plunging the preheated cookware units into the oil bath to completely submerge the cookware units and quickly enough to ensure the temperature of the cookware units remain above oil smoke point; controlling the temperature of the oil bath to a ensure that the temperature of the oil bath does not reach a temperature close to oil smoke point, for example, a temperature within 20 degrees below smoke point, and retrieving the cookware units from the oil bath.

A cooking appliance includes a chamber surface that defines a cavity including a cooking chamber, a door that is configured to open and close the cavity and has a door surface configured to face the cavity, a heat source configured to supply heat to the cavity, and a coating layer disposed on the chamber surface or the door surface. The coating layer includes an enamel composition of materials including 30 to 45 wt % of phosphorus pentoxide (P.sub.2O.sub.5), 5 to 20 wt % of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2), 15 to 30 wt % of aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), 10 to 20 wt % of zirconium dioxide (ZrO.sub.2), 5 to 20 wt % of at least one of lithium oxide (Li.sub.2O), sodium oxide (N.sub.2O), or potassium oxide (K.sub.2O), 5 to 15 wt % of boron trioxide (B.sub.2O.sub.3), and10 to 25 wt % of vanadium pentoxide (V.sub.2O.sub.5).