A machine for making and dispensing liquid, semi-liquid and/or semi-solid food products and which includes at least a cylinder for containing and processing basic products, means for heating and cooling the cylinder wrapped around at least part of the cylinder and a mixer unit positioned inside the cylinder which is able to mix the basic products during their processing; the machine also includes a supply duct for supplying the products into the cylinder, a dispensing duct for withdrawing the food products from the cylinder and means for recirculating the products contained in the containment and processing cylinder which are able to withdraw the products from the cylinder through the dispensing duct and to return them into the cylinder through the supply duct.

An apparatus for reducing a temperature of products includes a housing having a chamber within, wherein the chamber has upper and lower regions; a conveyor for transporting the products through the chamber, the conveyor constructed for substantial gas flow to pass through the conveyor without substantially reducing the ability of the conveyor to transport the products; an agitator associated with the conveyor for selective, intermittent contact with the conveyor to displace the conveyor from a plane of travel, thereby displacing the products on the conveyor to substantially prevent the products from adhering to the conveyor and other of the products; a gas circulation device disposed within the chamber to generate circulating gas flow within the chamber; and a shroud disposed within the chamber for coacting with the conveyor to provide an interface between the upper and lower regions, the shroud constructed and arranged to guide the circulating gas flow from the lower region through the conveyor to the upper region, and thereby facilitating displacement of the products on the conveyor to increase exposed surface area of said products. A related method is also provided.

A machine for making and dispensing liquid, semi-liquid and/or semi-solid food products and which includes at least a cylinder for containing and processing basic products, means for heating and cooling the cylinder wrapped around at least part of the cylinder and a mixer unit positioned inside the cylinder which is able to mix the basic products during their processing; the machine also includes a supply duct for supplying the products into the cylinder, a dispensing duct for withdrawing the food products from the cylinder and means for recirculating the products contained in the containment and processing cylinder which are able to withdraw the products from the cylinder through the dispensing duct and to return them into the cylinder through the supply duct.

A machine for making and dispensing liquid, semi-liquid and/or semi-solid food products and which includes at least a cylinder for containing and processing basic products, means for heating and cooling the cylinder wrapped around at least part of the cylinder and a mixer unit positioned inside the cylinder which is able to mix the basic products during their processing; the machine also includes a supply duct for supplying the products into the cylinder, a dispensing duct for withdrawing the food products from the cylinder and means for recirculating the products contained in the containment and processing cylinder which are able to withdraw the products from the cylinder through the dispensing duct and to return them into the cylinder through the supply duct.

A mouthfeel maintaining method of an ice cream machine is provided. The ice cream machine is equipped with a freezing cylinder, a stirring device, a main refrigeration system, and a control system. When the ice cream material in the freezing cylinder is in a forming solid stage, the control system controls the ice cream machine to enter a mouthfeel maintaining state. The forming solid stage is: a stage from when all the ice cream material in the freezing cylinder is converted into all-solid ice cream until the preset hardness or the preset viscosity value is reached. The mouthfeel maintaining state is as follows that: the main refrigeration system refrigerates the ice cream material in the freezing cylinder according to the refrigeration capacity close to the lower limit refrigeration capacity. Moreover, the ice cream machine can discharge the all-solid ice cream in the freezing cylinder in the mouthfeel maintaining state.

A machine (20) for the preparation of a cooled or heated product comprising: a receiving seat (1) for accommodating a container (8) comprising at least part of the ingredients for the preparation of a product; a heat exchange element (1a) arranged to be in contact with an outer wall of the container (8), when the container (8) is placed in the receiving seat (1), and temperature sensing means (100) arranged to measure the temperature at an outer wall of the container (8) when the container (8) is placed in the receiving seat (1), the temperature sensing means (100) comprising at least two temperature sensors, a primary temperature sensor (101) arranged to measure the temperature (T.sub.S1) in proximity to an outer wall of the container (8) and a secondary primary sensor (102) arranged to measure the temperature (T.sub.S2) in a position located in the heat path through which heat travels between the inside the container (8) and the external environment.

A machine (20) for the preparation of a cooled or heated product comprising: a receiving seat (1) for accommodating a container (8) comprising at least part of the ingredients for the preparation of a product; a heat exchange element (1a) arranged to be in contact with an outer wall of the container (8), when the container (8) is placed in the receiving seat (1), and temperature sensing means (100) arranged to measure the temperature at an outer wall of the container (8) when the container (8) is placed in the receiving seat (1), the temperature sensing means (100) comprising at least two temperature sensors, a primary temperature sensor (101) arranged to measure the temperature (T.sub.S1) in proximity to an outer wall of the container (8) and a secondary primary sensor (102) arranged to measure the temperature (T.sub.S2) in a position located in the heat path through which heat travels between the inside the container (8) and the external environment.

An apparatus for producing soft ice cream has a storage container (1) for receiving soft ice cream raw material in liquid form and a refrigeration chamber (4) with a mechanical mixing device (5) installed therein in which the soft ice cream raw material is mixed with air and thus prepared to form soft ice cream. The storage container (1) is a bag (8) which can be inserted into the apparatus, with an integrated single use pump (9) with an opening device (19) for the bag.

A method of preparing and storing a free-flowing frozen supplementary product, including preparing a supplementary composition for freezing, dripping the supplementary composition into a freezing chamber, freezing the dripped supplementary composition into beads, and transporting the frozen beads by conveyor belt out of the freezing chamber.

A method of preparing and storing a free-flowing frozen supplementary product, including preparing a supplementary composition for freezing, dripping the supplementary composition into a freezing chamber, freezing the dripped supplementary composition into beads, and transporting the frozen beads by conveyor belt out of the freezing chamber.