A heated scoop assembly for enhancing scooping ice cream includes a scooper that is selectively manipulated thereby facilitating the scooper to scoop ice cream. A heating unit is coupled to the scooper such that the heating unit is in thermal communication with the scooper. The heating unit is selectively turned on to heat the scooper. In this way the scooper melts the ice cream when the ice cream is scooped thereby enhancing scooping the ice cream.

The invention relates to small edible portions (i.e., bite-sized snacks) comprising a soft nut butter inner core coated with a crunchy grain-based outer coating. The bite-sized snacks have an equivalent spherical diameter of about 1 to 3 cm. Texture analysis of the bite-sized snacks determines that the bite-sized snacks have a soft texture with an average peak force in the range of about 800-5,000 g and an average positive area in the range of about 2,000-15,000 g*sec. The bite-sized snacks unexpected have both a soft and crunchy texture and are surprisingly shelf stable.

A method for producing a seed suspension (SSP) is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of: providing an edible fat (EDF) being melted, feeding said edible fat (EDF) through a processing zone (PZ), and performing a crystallization step in said processing zone (PZ) to obtain said seed suspension (SSP) by subjecting said edible fat (EDF) to a cooling temperature (CT) below 30 degrees Celsius in said processing zone (PZ), and subjecting said edible fat (EDF) to shear stress in said processing zone (PZ), wherein the edible fat (EDF) comprises SatOSat-triglycerides in an amount of 20 99% by weight. Also, a method of producing a heat stable chocolate, a seed suspension, a confectionary product, and a seed suspension apparatus is disclosed.

Systems and methods for preparing and dispensing food contents, typically molten chocolate. In one aspect, a method for treating chocolate includes placing a quantity of chocolate defining a chocolate surface in a vacuum chamber, heating the quantity of chocolate to a temperature sufficient to substantially liquefy the quantity of chocolate, decreasing the pressure of the vacuum chamber to a predetermined pressure, wherein the chocolate surface is subjected to a partial vacuum and wherein substantially all trapped gases are outgassed from the quantity of chocolate, holding the pressure of the vacuum chamber at the predetermined pressure for a predetermined period of time, and increasing the pressure of the vacuum chamber to room pressure. The chocolate comprises cacao, cacao butter, and sugar. During treatment, the temperature of the chocolate is maintained sufficiently high to maintain the chocolate as a liquid.

A coating apparatus having a rotatable drum with at least one moveable separating element arranged on an end side, and granular bodies can be transferred into the drum and/or out of the drum by a movement that leads to release. A separating element can be moved from a closed position into an open position by rotation about an axis of rotation. In the closed position, a subregion lies with its underside against an inner wall of the drum or has a small gap there. In the open position, the subregion on the underside is spaced apart from the inner wall of the drum and there is an opening there through which granular bodies can pass. On the end sides of the drum there are stop elements with which a drum of at least one further module is connectable in order to form a coating apparatus and/or a closure element.

Content containers and vessels, one aspect including a deformable fluid-tight container shell defining an internal volume and separating the internal volume from an external environment; a room-temperature semi-solid content contained within the internal volume; and a valve operationally connected to and disposed at least partially without the deformable container shell; where the semi-solid content is a hydrophobic matrix with at least partially emulsified hydrophilic components; where the container shell is substantially fluid-tight; where the valve has open state(s) and a closed state; where the valve may be actuated between the open state(s) and the closed state; where the valve is self-cleaning; where during the open state(s), the internal volume is in fluidic communication with the external environment; where during the closed state, the internal volume content cannot fluidically communicate with the external environment; and where the content remains moisture-stable while the valve is in the closed state.

Systems for dispensing chocolate, in one aspect including a generally fluid-tight exterior housing with first volume; a vertical support member; a base support member; a dispenser guiding member within the first volume; an extruder connection member extending through the housing and having a first end within the housing and a second end outside of the housing, defining a pivot axis; an extruder member connected to the first end; a lever connected to the second end; at least one extruder guide member within the first volume and connected to the extruder member; and at least one extruder guide rail connected to the housing within the first volume and capable of receiving the at least one extruder guide member; and where manual actuation of the lever pivots the extruder member in cooperation with the at least one extruder guide member.

Methods for treating and preparing chocolate. In one aspect, a method includes heating a quantity of chocolate to a temperature of about 46 degrees Celsius; decreasing the pressure of in a pressure-controllable environment to about 25 Torr; holding the pressure of the pressure-controllable environment at about 25 Torr for a first predetermined period of time; decreasing the pressure of the pressure-controllable environment to about 5 Torr; and holding the pressure of the pressure-controllable environment at about 5 Torr for a second predetermined period of time. Other aspects include ceasing heating the quantity of chocolate; decreasing pressure occurs at an average rate of about 150 Torr per minute; decreasing pressure occurs at an average rate of about 4 Torr per minute; and others.

Apparatus and systems for melting and liquefying chocolate. In one aspect, a system includes a generally fluid-tight exterior housing defining a first volume; a bulkhead positioned within the housing and dividing the first volume into separate second and third volumes; at least one vertical support member operationally connected to the exterior housing; a base support member operationally connected to the vertical support member; a dispenser guiding member disposed within the first volume and operationally connected to the exterior housing; and a heating element in thermal communication with the first volume, wherein energization heats the first volume to 37 to 46 degrees Celsius. Other aspects include where the liquid chocolate contains less than 3% water; where the liquid chocolate is solid at room temperature; a multiple pivot hinge; and a noninterfering interdigitating hinge.

A seed particle product is disclosed, the seed particle product comprises a fat phase, said fat phase comprising 60.0-99.9% by weight of triglycerides, and 40.0-99.0% by weight of triglycerides having C16-C24 saturated fatty acids in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions of the triglyceride and oleic acid in the sn-2 position of the triglyceride, wherein said seed particle product exhibits a first endotherm melt peak position below a temperature T intermediate, wherein said seed particle product exhibits a second endotherm melt peak position above said temperature T intermediate, wherein said temperature T intermediate is at least 39.5 degrees Celsius, wherein said endotherm melt peak positions are measured by differential scanning calorimetry by heating samples of 10+/1 mg of said seed particle product from 20 degrees Celsius to 65 degrees Celsius at a rate of 3 degrees Celsius/min to produce a melting thermogram defining said first and second endotherm melt peak positions. Furthermore, a process for producing a seed particle product and a use of a seed particle product is disclosed.