The present application relates to an apparatus for processing a food stuff. The apparatus has a housing (2), and a cutting tool (5) rotatably mounted in the housing (2) having a cutting edge (35) and a trailing edge (31). The cutting tool (5) is arranged to pass once per revolution through a processing region (43) in the housing in which a food stuff is receivable, and to pass through a recovery region (45). The recovery region is defined in the housing between the trailing edge passing from the processing region and the cutting edge passing into the processing region as the cutting tool rotates, and the cutting tool is free to rotate in the processing region without contacting the food stuff. Therefore, the cutting tool (5) acts on a food stuff as the cutting tool rotates through the processing region, and recovers the rotational speed lost due to acting on a food stuff in the processing region as the cutting tool (5) rotates through the recovery region. The present application also relates to a food processor and to a method of processing a food stuff.

The present application relates to an apparatus for processing a food stuff. The apparatus has a housing (2), and a cutting tool (5) rotatably mounted in the housing (2) having a cutting edge (35) and a trailing edge (31). The cutting tool (5) is arranged to pass once per revolution through a processing region (43) in the housing in which a food stuff is receivable, and to pass through a recovery region (45). The recovery region is defined in the housing between the trailing edge passing from the processing region and the cutting edge passing into the processing region as the cutting tool rotates, and the cutting tool is free to rotate in the processing region without contacting the food stuff. Therefore, the cutting tool (5) acts on a food stuff as the cutting tool rotates through the processing region, and recovers the rotational speed lost due to acting on a food stuff in the processing region as the cutting tool (5) rotates through the recovery region. The present application also relates to a food processor and to a method of processing a food stuff.

The invention described herein is directed to an inline spiral cutting food processor that includes a motor that rotates an upper positioned disc with a blade assembly by means of a belt or gear assembly or mechanism. The entrance and exit chute are fixed and positioned in-line with the axis of rotation of the blade supporting disc member. The entrance chute is positioned above the cutting disc, and the exit opening (or chute) is below. During operation a food item is pushed down the entrance chute as the blade rotates and cuts it. Cut food falls down through the opening or exit chute into a storage container or jar. The food cutting assembly is configured to generate spiral or helical food from vegetables.

A slicing disc assembly includes a disc body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a central hub, a circumferential edge, a first opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, and a second opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, an adjustable horizontal slicing blade associated with the first opening, the horizontal slicing blade being moveable in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the disc body, and an adjustable vertical blade assembly associated with the second opening. The vertical blade assembly is moveable between a first position where a slicing element of the vertical blade assembly is located below a plane defined by the top surface of the disc body, and a second position where the slicing element of the vertical blade assembly extends above the plane.

A slicing disc assembly for use with an electrically powered food processor appliance includes a disc body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a central hub, a circumferential edge, a first opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, and a second opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, a horizontal slicing blade associated with the first opening, and a vertical blade assembly associated with the second opening, the vertical blade assembly being moveable between a slicing position and a retracted position.

A food processor is provided that includes necessary blades and plates to carry out multiple functions of the food processor including slicing, shredding, and grating without having to remove and replace blades and plates to carry out those same functions. The motor of the food processor may operate in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. In the clockwise direction, the blades and plates within the cutting chamber may be configured to slice food at variable thicknesses, cut food at variable sizes in a julienne style, or grate food at various thicknesses. In the counterclockwise direction, food may be diced.

The invention relates to a motorized food-processor apparatus (100) which comprises: a housing (101) containing a drive motor (102) for rotating a shaft (103) about an axis of rotation (115), at least one cutter (104) rotated by the motor about the axis, a cover (106) provided with a supply conduit (107) for the foodstuff, an outlet opening (110) for the cut foodstuff; a guide plate (109) for guiding the cut foodstuff to the outlet opening (110), comprising at least one guide ridge (111), an outlet tool (112) located in the path of the foodstuff towards the outlet opening, and at least one drive unit (114) for driving through the outlet tool.

The outlet tool comprises a series of blades (113) in which, for any pair of adjacent blades, the portions of these two adjacent blades do not have any intersection of their orthogonal projections on a plane that is parallel to the axis of rotation (115) and parallel to the segment formed by the intersection of one of these two blades with a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

The invention relates to a motorized food-processor apparatus (100) which comprises: a housing (101) containing a drive motor (102) for rotating a shaft (103) about an axis of rotation (115), at least one cutter (104) rotated by the motor about the axis, a cover (106) provided with a supply conduit (107) for the foodstuff, an outlet opening (110) for the cut foodstuff; a guide plate (109) for guiding the cut foodstuff to the outlet opening (110), comprising at least one guide ridge (111), an outlet tool (112) located in the path of the foodstuff towards the outlet opening, and at least one drive unit (114) for driving through the outlet tool.

The outlet tool comprises a series of blades (113) in which, for any pair of adjacent blades, the portions of these two adjacent blades do not have any intersection of their orthogonal projections on a plane that is parallel to the axis of rotation (115) and parallel to the segment formed by the intersection of one of these two blades with a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Processes for the production of a meat analogue include: a) preparing a meat batter comprising protein by mixing water, raw material of meat and/or meat by-product, and optionally further ingredients, in a mixer, b) conveying the meat batter obtained in step a) by means of a first positive displacement pump to a single heating unit comprising a single scraped surface heat exchanger, c) heating the meat batter in the single heating unit to a temperature above the melting temperature of the protein to produce a heat-treated product, d) transferring the heat-treated product of step c) to a cooling unit by means of a second positive displacement pump, e) cooling the heat-treated product by moving through the cooling unit, so that the heat-treated product reaches a temperature below water boiling temperature at ambient pressure when exiting the cooling unit, and f) dividing the cooled heat-treated product into pieces.

Processes for the production of a meat analogue include: a) preparing a meat batter comprising protein by mixing water, raw material of meat and/or meat by-product, and optionally further ingredients, in a mixer, b) conveying the meat batter obtained in step a) by means of a first positive displacement pump to a single heating unit comprising a single scraped surface heat exchanger, c) heating the meat batter in the single heating unit to a temperature above the melting temperature of the protein to produce a heat-treated product, d) transferring the heat-treated product of step c) to a cooling unit by means of a second positive displacement pump, e) cooling the heat-treated product by moving through the cooling unit, so that the heat-treated product reaches a temperature below water boiling temperature at ambient pressure when exiting the cooling unit, and f) dividing the cooled heat-treated product into pieces.