Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

The disclosure relates to an Ice maker. Specifically, the disclosure relates to an ice maker having a circulating coolant fluid that is separate and distinct from the circulating refrigerant used to control the coolant's temperature in a hot coolant reservoir and a cold coolant reservoir.

A packaging method and packaging material are disclosed. In accordance with one aspect, a method for forming, filling, sealing and flash freezing a liquid extract or concentrate in a continuous ribbon format is described. The packaging material uses a continuous ribbon of a cold-formed foil base with multiple pockets arrayed in a pattern and a heat-sealed foil cover. Following sealing, the continuously formed strip of product is passed through a freezing medium, optionally perforated alongside the pockets to facilitate separation of individual pockets from a sheet, and then cut to size for convenient and space efficient final packaging, storage and transportation.

Provided are a method and a system for producing puree or paste that is less likely to separate or drip or for producing an ice confection, without compromising the flavors and colors of the ingredients. The producing method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps: (1) cutting fruit or a vegetable to have a certain size, (2) performing heat sterilization for a certain period of time in a low oxygen state in a superheated steam atmosphere at a certain temperature, and (3) processing the fruit or the vegetable into a puree or paste form using any one of a planetary centrifugal mixer, a millstone grinder, and a rotary cutter mixer, depending on the type of the fruit or the vegetable or the finished state of the puree or paste. Adding a stabilizer such as kudzu starch to the puree or paste thus produced to make an ice confection can provide an ice confection having unique texture, almost without dripping even when being melted.

Various embodiments relate to a device for simultaneous consumption of a fluid and a frozen substance. In some embodiments, the device can include a squeezable chamber configured to store at least a portion of the fluid substance. A flange can be connected at a first end to the squeezable chamber. The flange can define a cavity in fluid communication with an interior of the squeezable chamber such that, when the squeezable chamber is squeezed by a user, the fluid substance is driven from the squeezable chamber and through at least a portion of the cavity defined by the flange. In some embodiments, one or more optical emitters can be coupled with the device.

Food-grade shapers and serving containers for frozen confections are disclosed. A system of the disclosure includes a serving container and a shaping lid. The serving container includes a cup portion and a shaping portion, wherein the cup portion comprises a lower sidewall defining a cup cavity for receiving a shaved ice confection, and the shaping portion comprises an upper sidewall defining one or more shaping regions. The shaping portion includes a top rim defining a top-most portion of the serving container. The shaping lid is configured to removably connect to the serving container.

An apparatus for consuming a freezable substance is disclosed. The apparatus can comprise a squeezable chamber configured to store a liquid. The apparatus can comprise a flange coupled to or formed with the squeezable chamber, the flange sized and shaped to support the freezable substance. The apparatus can comprise a liquid pathway from the squeezable chamber through the flange to deliver the liquid to the freezable substance.

System and methods concerning easy preparation of frozen food treats and in particular, frozen food treats that are molded into desirable and fun shapes. The system and methods are directed to dispensing a treat formulation into molds. Generally, such methods and systems utilize a pressurized canister, a treat formulation and an actuator. The pressurized canister has a pressure-actuated nozzle. The treat formulation can be blended and compressed into the pressurized canister with a gaseous propellant. The treat formulation can contain a dairy cream or a non-dairy cream, and two or more of sugar, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and egg. The actuator is configured to apply pressure to the nozzle so as to trigger the release of the treat formulation through the nozzle.

A process for mass production of round portions of frozen confection. The portions are characterized by an artisanal hand-scooped appearance and distinctiveness, and surface melting characteristics comparable to the manually scooped product. These units are manufactured by hardening in molds that introduce particular features of shape and texture. Furthermore the mold composition allows preservation of subtle differences that result from variations in each portion's internal pressure when the confection expands during freezing.