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 for making liquid or semi-liquid food products, includes: a first processing container for processing a liquid or semi-liquid base product and defining a processing chamber; a stirrer for mixing the product in the first processing container; a thermal system including a heat exchanger, associated with the first processing container; a drive and control unit, connected to the stirrer and to the thermal system to control them; a user interface including a display and a selection control configured to rotate and/or to be moved in at least one direction, the user interface being configured to allow selections to be made and, being connected to the control unit, to send commands for controlling the thermal system and the stirrer.

A machine for making food products including: at least a first container containing a liquid or semi-liquid base product to be processed therein; a stirrer mounted inside the first container; thermal treatment means operatively associated with the first container; a dispenser connected to the first container to allow the product to be extracted from the first container; at least one device for generating gas micro bubbles or nano bubbles, operatively configured to release gas micro bubbles or nano bubbles into the mixture being processed in the machine; a control and drive unit connected to the device for generating gas micro bubbles or nano bubbles in order to control and drive it.

A device for preparing frozen food product from a liquid mixture includes: a cup holder for a cup for preparing the frozen food product, a cooling unit for cooling the cavity, a stirring unit for stirring liquid mixture in the cup with a stirring element driven with a motor, a torque sensor for measuring torque applied by the motor, and a control unit configured for: starting an operational phase of the device, monitoring in a first period before a first time the torque of the motor, determining a linear increase of the torque in the first period, monitoring, after the first time, the torque of the motor, and if with respect to the linear increase of the torque in the first period an increase above a threshold occurs in the monitored torque, then initiating an ice cream termination phase, otherwise a sorbet termination phase.

A device is provided for preparing a frozen food product from a liquid mixture wherein the messy removal of the stirring unit is alleviated. The device includes a cup holder, a cooling unit, and a stirring unit having a stirring element, a motor, and a coupling element configured for releasably coupling the stirring element to the motor. The stirring element is releasably coupled to the coupling element by a bayonet coupling, and the motor is arranged for rotating in a first direction during an operational phase, thereby imparting a forward stirring motion to the stirring element, and for rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction during a termination phase following the operational phase, thereby imparting a reverse stirring motion to the stirring element such that the stirring element decouples from the coupling element.

A cup is provided for a device for preparing a frozen food product from a liquid mixture with a stirring element of the device stirring the liquid mixture in the cup while the cup is being cooled by a cooling unit of the device. The device includes a cup holder with a cavity for receiving the cup. The cup holder includes a first upper surface surrounding an entrance opening of the cavity, and is provided on the first upper surface with at least one upwards first protrusion. The cup has a predetermined height such that the cup extends a predetermined distance above the first upper surface. The cup includes at its top a circumferential flange provided with at least one first extension, which is arranged such that it contacts the at least one first protrusion for preventing rotation of the cup in the cavity.

A device is provided for preparing a frozen food product from a liquid mixture. The device includes a first sub-unit, a second sub-unit, and a cooling unit. The first cup holder has a cavity configured for releasably receiving a cup in which the frozen food product is to be prepared from the liquid mixture, and a first stirring unit associated with the first cup holder. The second sub-unit has a second cup holder with a cavity configured for releasably receiving a cup in which the frozen food product is to be prepared from the liquid mixture, and a second stirring unit associated with the second cup holder. The cooling unit is configured for cooling the cavity of the first and/or second cup holder during an operational phase of respectively the first and/or second sub-unit.

A system and method for rapidly preparing ice cream or other frozen food/beverage products at a point-of-sale/consumption is provided. For example, the apparatus and method are suited to freeze liquid ice cream mix and distribute it at a predetermined temperature and with a smooth consistency and texture.

A support system for management of a machine for treating food products includes an augmented reality visor including: a camera for capturing a first image; a display for displaying a second image; and a first module for transmitting the first image and receiving the second image. Included is a machine for treating food products, including a treatment chamber for receiving a food product, an actuator for applying a treatment process on the food product inside the treatment chamber, and a second module connectable to the first module. A processing and control unit is connected to the second module for receiving the first image from the visor through the second module, identifying a plurality of real elements within the first image, generating the second image, incorporating a graphic element into the second image, and transmitting the second image to the visor through the second module.

A device is provided for preparing a frozen food product from a liquid mixture wherein the failure to correctly mix the liquid mixture is alleviated. The device includes a cup holder, a cooling unit, and a stirring unit having a stirring element, a motor, and a coupling element configured for releasably coupling the stirring element to the motor. The coupling element includes a fixed part and a translating part, wherein the fixed part includes a proximity sensor arranged to detect the distance of the translating part relative to the fixed part to generate an activation signal when the distance is below a predetermined proximity threshold.