A multipurpose sensing module used in association with a removable filter pan includes a capacitive sensor that is disposed within or proximate to the removable filter pan such that the sensor is adapted to measure and determine status parameters and data of a fluid contained within the removable filter pan. A sealed control box is adapted to house sensor electronics that are in communication with the sensor. The sensor electronics are adapted to receive the status parameters and data from the capacitive sensor. A connector is adapted to allow the sensor electronics to communicate with a controller of the controlled system. The controller is adapted to determine a presence and status of the removable filter pan based on the communication between the sensor electronics and the controller.

A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

A fryer includes

a frying tank adapted to contain a cooking liquid;

a pump adapted to suck from the frying tank, by suction duct, a portion of the cooking liquid and adapted to discharge into the frying tank, by a discharge duct, the portion of the cooking liquid;

The fryer also includes a heater associated with the suction duct and/or the discharge duct and adapted to heat the cooking liquid flowing through the suction duct and/or through the discharge duct, the cooking liquid being heated only by the heater; and

at least one mixer associated with the suction duct and/or discharge duct and adapted to mix cooking liquid flowing through the suction duct and/or discharge duct. The mixer is placed immediately upstream or downstream, or in correspondence with the heater to improve the heat exchange of the cooking liquid with the heater.

A fluid sensor system detects one or more performance characteristics of a heating system that heats a fluid. The sensor system includes a probe having a finite length a portion of which is to be immersed in the fluid. The probe includes a resistive heating element and a fluid temperature sensor for measuring one or more performance characteristics, wherein the fluid temperature sensor is configured to measure a fluid temperature, and the resistive heating element is operable as a heater to create a temperature differential between the fluid and air to detect the fluid, and as a sensor to measure a fluid level.

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus, in which a flying oil is heated, disinfected and/or pasteurized, sterilized. The present invention further relates to a method to treat a flying oil with radio-frequency wave.

A stir fryer (1) which includes a pot (2) having a cavity to place ingredients to stir fry the ingredients, and which can be rotated, a heating medium (3) functionally coupled to the pot (2) to heat the pot (2), a rotational means (4) functionally coupled to the pot (2) to rotate the pot (2) symmetrically or eccentrically about an axis, and a rotation regulator (5) which regulates the rotational unit/component/etc. (4) to further regulate speed of rotation of the pot (2).

A combination pressure and open frying apparatus includes at least one selectively closeable frypot and a cover configured to selectively close the frypot. The selectively closeable frypot is configured to operate as a pressure frying platform when the cover is closed and configured to operate as an open frying platform when the cover is open. The apparatus includes a clamping mechanism with a spindle that includes a shaft and a handle that is configured to be selectively mounted to the shaft in a plurality of positions relative to the shaft. The apparatus may also include at least one second frypot that can operate at least as an open frying platform, with a common filtration system for the frypots having a selector valve and a failsafe valve, which prevents flow of cooking medium into at least one selectively closeable frypot when the selectively closeable frypot is pressurized.

Frying is performed in two stages so as to dip a retainer in frying oil at a prescribed dipping ratio and then to dip the whole of the retainer in the frying oil, and in addition, flow rates of the frying oil supplied from an upstream side and a downstream side of a frying oil tank and a surface level of the frying oil are controlled. Therefore, a noodle lump can be prevented from peeling off and floating from the bottom of the retainer before fixing the shape of the noodle lump due to a pressure applied by the frying oil so as not to impair the shape of the noodle lump, and as a result, frying efficiency or production efficiency can be improved. Besides, a noodle lump that has a very small number of coarse or dense portions in a distribution of noodle strings can be stably produced.

A method for frying a foodstuff (2) is shown, the cell membrane of which has been permeabilized, wherein the temperature of a frying medium (4) surrounding the foodstuff (2) is lowered from a starting temperature (8) at the beginning of the frying process to a final temperature (9) in a manner controlled in accordance with a predetermined temperature profile (7). Furthermore, a device (1) for producing a fried foodstuff (2) is shown, in particular for performing the above method, which comprises at least one frying container (3) for receiving a frying medium (4) and the foodstuff (2) to be fried, at least one temperature control device (5) for setting the temperature of the frying medium (4) in the frying container (3), and a control unit (6). in which a temperature profile (7) with a starting temperature (8) and a final temperature (9) below the starting temperature (8) is stored, wherein the control unit (6) is adapted to send temperature signals (10) to the at least one temperature control device (5) and thereby set the temperature of the frying medium (4) in the frying container (3) in accordance with the temperature profile (7).

An automated cooking system is provided for adding time and labor efficiencies in food production environments such as restaurants. The automated cooking system includes at least a fryer, a dispensing freezer, a hot holding station, a plurality of baskets, and a gantry system. The gantry system includes a gantry control for a gantry, configured to engage and move each of the baskets. A method for managing basket workflow during food preparation at an automated cooking system is described. Further, a method for managing basket workflow at a dispensing freezer during food preparation at an automated cooking system is described. The automated cooking system and methods provide repetition of basket loading and discharge cycles such that the gantry can fully manage and automate cooking using up to 6 or more baskets at the fryer, thereby maximizing food product throughput in the standard footprint space for the fryer.