A hand-operated lettuce-cutting appliance with a chassis has a cutter grid and positioning device for positioning the chassis on at least one support. The appliance further includes a guide well having a bottom end extending adjacent to and facing said cutter grid and a vegetable-pusher device mounted to slide along at least one column fastened to the chassis so as to extend parallel to the well. The vegetable-pusher device has a body shaped so as to engage in the well in order to push the vegetable through the cutter grid.

A material cleaning device and a cooking appliance. The material cleaning device comprises: a cleaning chamber, an air inlet, a material inlet, and a water inlet being provided on the cleaning chamber, the air inlet, the material inlet, and the water inlet being respectively used for transporting air flows, a material to be cleaned, and water for cleaning the material to the cleaning chamber; and a stirring assembly provided in the cleaning chamber and being capable of rotating in the cleaning chamber under the action of the air streams, so as to stir the material and the water in the cleaning chamber. The material cleaning device drives the stirring assembly to rotate by means of air streams, so as to make the stirring assembly stir the material and the water in the cleaning chamber, thereby implementing automatic cleaning. The material cleaning device features a simple structure, and is easy to use.

A basket for a vegetable spinner comprises a generally circular base (40), integral with the outer edge of which is an upstanding side wall (42). The base affords a rotary mount (46) in its centre defining an axis about which the basket rotates in the direction of rotation. The side wall (42) comprises a plurality of first webs (48) integral with and upstanding from the outer edge of the base (40) and spaced apart in a circumferential direction and a plurality of second webs (50) integral with the first webs (48) and spaced apart in the axial direction, whereby the first and second webs define a plurality of apertures. The side wall (42) includes a plurality of inwardly projecting portions (56) which extend over at least a major proportion of the height of the side wall and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction by spacer portions (54) of substantially part-circular shape in cross-section perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

A basket for a vegetable spinner comprises a generally circular base (40), integral with the outer edge of which is an upstanding side wall (42). The base affords a rotary mount (46) in its centre defining an axis about which the basket rotates in the direction of rotation. The side wall (42) comprises a plurality of first webs (48) integral with and upstanding from the outer edge of the base (40) and spaced apart in a circumferential direction and a plurality of second webs (50) integral with the first webs (48) and spaced apart in the axial direction, whereby the first and second webs define a plurality of apertures. The side wall (42) includes a plurality of inwardly projecting portions (56) which extend over at least a major proportion of the height of the side wall and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction by spacer portions (54) of substantially part-circular shape in cross-section perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Methods and apparatus for validating wash processes and related operations for food processing, including preventing undesirable deviations in such food processing. One example method for validating a process for a food processing system generally includes: operating the food processing system on a food product according to the process, wherein the operating is performed for at least a validation period; measuring a process metric at multiple times during the validation period while the food processing system is operating according to the process, wherein the measuring generates a set of process metric measurements; and determining whether the process for the food processing system is valid, based on the set of process metric measurements.

Methods and apparatus for validating wash processes and related operations for food processing, including preventing undesirable deviations in such food processing. One example method for validating a process for a food processing system generally includes: operating the food processing system on a food product according to the process, wherein the operating is performed for at least a validation period; measuring a process metric at multiple times during the validation period while the food processing system is operating according to the process, wherein the measuring generates a set of process metric measurements; and determining whether the process for the food processing system is valid, based on the set of process metric measurements.

A salad spinner has a hub connected in a rotary driving relationship to a colander mounted within the salad spinner for rotation about an axis of rotation. A brake provides braking force to the hub coaxially with the colander axis of rotation. The brake includes a spring-loaded button located coaxially with the colander axis of rotation and an actuation element between the button and the hub for applying coaxial, linear force from the button to the hub for braking. A drive plate is connected in a rotary driving relationship to the hub, and the button is constrained for co-rotation with the drive plate and linear motion relative the drive plate.

A salad spinner has a hub connected in a rotary driving relationship to a colander mounted within the salad spinner for rotation about an axis of rotation. A brake provides braking force to the hub coaxially with the colander axis of rotation. The brake includes a spring-loaded button located coaxially with the colander axis of rotation and an actuation element between the button and the hub for applying coaxial, linear force from the button to the hub for braking. A drive plate is connected in a rotary driving relationship to the hub, and the button is constrained for co-rotation with the drive plate and linear motion relative the drive plate.

A smart cooking device and method are disclosed in the present disclosure. The smart cooking device includes a controller, a food material vessel, a storage vessel, a water storage vessel, a motor and a lifting and translating apparatus. The food material vessel is configured to store a food material and is provided with a first valve. The storage vessel is provided with a second valve. The water storage vessel is configured to accommodate a liquid to clean the food material. The motor is configured to be capable of driving the storage vessel to rotate according to the control of the controller. The lifting and translating apparatus is connected with the storage vessel and configured to be capable of moving according to the control of the controller thus to drive the storage vessel to move to the food material vessel, the water storage vessel or a cooking apparatus.

A smart cooking device and method are disclosed in the present disclosure. The smart cooking device includes a controller, a food material vessel, a storage vessel, a water storage vessel, a motor and a lifting and translating apparatus. The food material vessel is configured to store a food material and is provided with a first valve. The storage vessel is provided with a second valve. The water storage vessel is configured to accommodate a liquid to clean the food material. The motor is configured to be capable of driving the storage vessel to rotate according to the control of the controller. The lifting and translating apparatus is connected with the storage vessel and configured to be capable of moving according to the control of the controller thus to drive the storage vessel to move to the food material vessel, the water storage vessel or a cooking apparatus.