The present disclosure relates to an ice cream machine having a filling zone and an emptying zone. The ice cream machine may include a rotatable unit, a mould for receiving ice cream, a stick providing arrangement, and a guiding structure arranged to prevent more than one stick from entering the groove of the mould from the stick providing arrangement. The stick providing arrangement is arranged such that a rotation of the rotatable unit causes the groove to match the position of the stick providing arrangement and thereby allow a single stick to enter the groove, wherein further rotation of the rotatable unit causes one of the sidewalls of the groove to bring the stick along the rotational movement of the rotatable unit.

A beverage bottle dressing assembly for dressing a beverage bottle with granular flavoring includes a beverage bottle that has a neck and an opening extending into the neck for drinking. A cylinder is included that has a pair of chambers therein and the chambers are fluidly discrete from each other. Each of the chambers contains a respective one of a fluid and a granular flavoring. The cylinder has a pair of openings each extending into a respective one of the chambers and each of the openings insertably receiving the neck of the beverage bottle for depositing the fluid and granular flavoring on the neck. In this way the fluid and granular flavorings enhance consuming a beverage contained in the beverage bottle.

A beverage bottle dressing assembly for dressing a beverage bottle with granular flavoring includes a beverage bottle that has a neck and an opening extending into the neck for drinking. A cylinder is included that has a pair of chambers therein and the chambers are fluidly discrete from each other. Each of the chambers contains a respective one of a fluid and a granular flavoring. The cylinder has a pair of openings each extending into a respective one of the chambers and each of the openings insertably receiving the neck of the beverage bottle for depositing the fluid and granular flavoring on the neck. In this way the fluid and granular flavorings enhance consuming a beverage contained in the beverage bottle.

A drinking straw having an internal coating for delivery of an active agent when the straw is used to consume a beverage is provided. The active agent includes sweetener, flavour, a nutrient and/or a pharmaceutical and optionally colour. The coating is prepared by mixing a modified cellulose with water to form a paste or gel. The coating is then used to coat the inside surface of a drinking straw to a thickness of up to 1 mm. The coating is dried to reduce the water content to less than 5% by weight. Liquid drawn through the straw breaks down the modified cellulose releasing the active agent into the liquid, for consumption.

A drinking straw having an internal coating for delivery of an active agent when the straw is used to consume a beverage is provided. The active agent includes sweetener, flavour, a nutrient and/or a pharmaceutical and optionally colour. The coating is prepared by mixing a modified cellulose with water to form a paste or gel. The coating is then used to coat the inside surface of a drinking straw to a thickness of up to 1 mm. The coating is dried to reduce the water content to less than 5% by weight. Liquid drawn through the straw breaks down the modified cellulose releasing the active agent into the liquid, for consumption.

An apparatus is disclosed for preparing a food article (300) such as a corn dog. The apparatus includes a frame (10) mounting a loading station (50), a dipping station (162), a frying station (190) and an unloading station (220). The loading station (50) inserts one end (306) of a stick (302) into the food article (300) and the other end (304) into an aperture (40) in a stick bar (38). The stick (302) and food article (300) are held in the aperture (40) by a spring loaded plunger (310) extending into the aperture (40). The spring loaded plunger (310) holds the stick (302) and food article (300) on the stick bar (38) while the food article (300) is dipped in batter at the dipping station (162) and fried at the frying station (190). The cooked food article (300) and stick (302) are removed from the stick bar (38) at the unloading station (220) for shipment to the customer.

An apparatus is disclosed for preparing a food article (300) such as a corn dog. The apparatus includes a frame (10) mounting a loading station (50), a dipping station (162), a frying station (190) and an unloading station (220). The loading station (50) inserts one end (306) of a stick (302) into the food article (300) and the other end (304) into an aperture (40) in a stick bar (38). The stick (302) and food article (300) are held in the aperture (40) by a spring loaded plunger (310) extending into the aperture (40). The spring loaded plunger (310) holds the stick (302) and food article (300) on the stick bar (38) while the food article (300) is dipped in batter at the dipping station (162) and fried at the frying station (190). The cooked food article (300) and stick (302) are removed from the stick bar (38) at the unloading station (220) for shipment to the customer.

An edible decoration is laser kiss cut from an edible decorating sheet by optically sensing at least one printed edible design on the edible decorating sheet relative to a laser cutting tool coordinate system and driving a laser along a circuit of cutting locations defined in the laser cutting tool coordinate system. The laser beam forms a separation channel by laser ablation of at least a portion of the edible decorating sheet at the cutting locations while leaving intact the non-adhesive releasable backing upon which the edible decorating sheet rests.

An edible decoration is laser kiss cut from an edible decorating sheet by optically sensing at least one printed edible design on the edible decorating sheet relative to a laser cutting tool coordinate system and driving a laser along a circuit of cutting locations defined in the laser cutting tool coordinate system. The laser beam forms a separation channel by laser ablation of at least a portion of the edible decorating sheet at the cutting locations while leaving intact the non-adhesive releasable backing upon which the edible decorating sheet rests.

An edible decoration is laser kiss cut from an edible decorating sheet by optically sensing at least one printed edible design on the edible decorating sheet relative to a laser cutting tool coordinate system and driving a laser along a circuit of cutting locations defined in the laser cutting tool coordinate system. The laser beam forms a separation channel by laser ablation of at least a portion of the edible decorating sheet at the cutting locations while leaving intact the non-adhesive releasable backing upon which the edible decorating sheet rests.