A smoke evacuating fryer, comprising a fryer body, an exhaust vent, a lid engaged on the fryer body, and a frying basket and a smoke evacuating and filtering apparatus provided within the fryer body An air intake gap is provided at a location where the lid and the fryer body are joined. The smoke evacuating and filtering apparatus is provided on the fryer body (1) and abuts against the frying basket. Air introduced into the air intake gap is passed over the frying basket, filtered by the smoke evacuating and filtering apparatus and then discharged via the exhaust vent.

A gas fryer and associated methods of cooking food products are disclosed. The gas fryer includes an infrared burner and a fry pot including an interior casing defining a cooking chamber, with the interior casing including a bottom wall and opposing sidewalls that extend upwardly from the bottom wall. The opposing sidewalls include lower, central, and upper sidewall panels that are angled from one another to define a tapered profile that narrows towards the bottom wall. The tapering of a well defined at a lower chamber portions of the cooking chamber allows for a shallow depth at this portion of the fry pot and easy visibility and access for cleaning. Furthermore, the opposing sidewalls and a rear end wall of the interior casing include heat exchange fins on an external surface.

An identification apparatus for identifying a degree of degradation of oil, including a sensor configured to detect a substance arising from oil contained in an oil tank, and a controller configured to determine a degree of degradation of the oil based on information related to the substance detected by the sensor and a type of food that is cooked with the oil.

An automatic fryer apparatus and method of frying food products includes a cooking chamber, a heating mechanism disposed in the cooking chamber, and a pump disposed at an end of the cooking chamber to circulate cooking medium within the cooking chamber. Food product is added to the cooking chamber and flows along with the cooking medium in a flow direction. A controller controls a plurality of gates by individually actuating each gate. The controller stores data regarding predetermined time periods, which regulate when to raise and lower each gate. Food product moves downstream of each gate along a flow direction when each respective gate is raised. Food product is automatically transferred to a holding station when it reaches an outlet end of the cooking chamber.

A deep fryer system includes a deep fryer that includes a fuel tank, a burner and a hose that is fluidly coupled between the fuel tank and the burner. The burner produces a flame thereby facilitating the burner to heat a container filled with a fluid. A cart is provided and each of the fuel tank, the hose and the burner is removably positioned on the cart. A box is provided and the box is positioned on the cart. The burner is positioned within the box and the container is positioned within the box. The box inhibits the fluid in the container from escaping the box thereby reducing a fire hazard with respect to the fluid when the fluid is heated.

Fire protection mist nozzles for industrial oil cookers, oil cookers with fire protection systems, and method of oil cooker fire protection are provided. The mist nozzles operate at pressures between 170 and 250 psi, and provide a unique distribution pattern that allows for variable installations for protection in certain operative environments including oil cookers with various hood configurations. The fire protection nozzles includes a base defining an inlet and an outlet along an axis. The base includes an orifice having an inlet diameter and an outlet diameter. The outlet diameter is preferably greater than the inlet diameter; and the orifice defines a K-factor of less than 1.0 gpm/psi. The nozzle includes a diffuser aligned with the orifice. The diffuser has a preferably substantially domed portion with a maximum diameter that is less than the summation of the inlet diameter and the outlet diameter of the orifice.

The present invention provides a deep fat fryer separating the flue from the splash back panel and with a flue opening directed not upwardly, but rearwardly from the flue. By arranging the flue opening on the rear wall, the opening is protected from grease fallback (e.g., dripping from an overhead exhaust hood) or other foreign objects falling into the opening. The splash back panel further provides a seamless curved design that is easy to clean and also insulated from the heat of the flue. A baffle installed within the flue allows the combustion products to mix, cool, and slow upon exiting the baffle opening and entering the atmosphere reducing the exit temperature and also reducing the heating of the splash back panel.

A method for producing instant fried noodles which includes the steps of: reversing a noodle lump upside down within 15 seconds after detaching the noodle lump from oil in a fry tank in a frying treatment of the instant fried noodles; putting gelatinized noodle strings in a plurality of retainers pivotally supported by two endless parallel chains; immersing the plurality of retainers, in which the noodle strings have been put by movements of the two chains, in a fry tank to fry the noodle strings; detaching the retainers from oil in the fry tank by movements of the two chains; reversing the retainers upside down by rotating the pivotally supported retainers within 15 seconds after the detachment; conveying the retainers in a state in which the retainers are reversed upside down by movements of the chains; and separating a plurality of fried noodle lumps from the retainers.

Work-saving improvements for food-process lines include (1) mounting alternate machines of a food process line on pivot hardware to speed up washing and maintenance operations, (2) mounting the machines on rolling riding gear in order to speed up the activities of building and re-building food process lines of a different series of machines, or (3) isolate the food process line in its own tunnel and hence its own climate-controlled atmosphere to reduce conflicts with running two food process lines side by side where one food process line is a source of air borne allergens.

A transfer conveyor for food process lines is equipped with hardware to enable pivoting in place and other hardware to enable and reversible expansion and contraction of the transfer conveyor, or at least the upper, food-product carrying run of the endless conveyor belt therefor.