A chewing gum sheet is formed without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent by extruding a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition onto a moving conveyor; cooling the slab on the conveyor sufficiently to cool the surface of the slab; and passing the slab from the conveyor through at least one cooled roller to form a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions.

The present invention provides an apparatus for coating an edible receptacle the apparatus comprising a nozzle for applying a fat-based coating material to the internal surface of the edible receptacle and a gas-dosing element with an external surface shape corresponding to the internal shape of the edible receptacle wherein the gas dosing element has at least one aperture suitable for the introduction of cooled gas into the edible receptacle. The invention also provides a process for manufacturing a coated edible receptacle for a frozen confection comprising the steps of: providing an edible receptacle; at least partially coating the internal surface of the edible receptacle by spraying a fat-based coating onto the internal surface of the edible receptacle; and introducing a gas-dosing element into the edible receptacle, wherein the gas-dosing element has an external surface shape corresponding to the internal shape of the edible receptacle and wherein cooled gas is introduced into the edible receptacle through the gas-dosing element and wherein the gas dosing element does not come into contact with the fat-based coating.

A chewing gum sheet is formed without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent by extruding a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition onto a moving conveyor; cooling the slab on the conveyor sufficiently to cool the surface of the slab; and passing the slab from the conveyor through at least one cooled roller to form a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions.

The present invention relates to the field of confectionery production, particularly to the use of a modular, flexible process and the use thereof in combination with the confectionery cooling step of the present invention.

Described herein is a process for producing a chewing-gum pellet, which includes a step of granulation of the gum that is carried out in a flow of cryogenic gas.

A system for producing chocolate-based articles in solidifying form includes a transportation system having at least a first conveyor belt looped around at least a first and second axes. A dispensing unit is arranged to dispense chocolate mass in liquid form along an outer surface of a top load carrying side of the at least first conveyor belt. The at least one conveyor belt is arranged for transporting the chocolate mass through at least one cooling chamber at a predetermined speed along a first and a second cooling path, which may be positioned opposite one another. The system may further include a release mechanism positioned along the second cooling path for releasing the chocolate mass from an outer surface of the bottom load carrying side of the at least first conveyor belt.

The present invention relates to a method of preventing, inhibiting or mitigating bloom in a filled chocolate product, said method comprising: a) An inline heating step comprising at least one of heating the chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25 C., heating the center-filled chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25 C. and heating the filled chocolate product at a heating temperature of at least 25 C. and said method comprising at least one of b) A shell cooling step comprising cooling said chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20 C., c) A filling cooling step comprising cooling said center-filled chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20 C., d) A final cooling step comprising cooling said filled chocolate product at a cooling temperature below 20 C., said in line heating step being comprised in at least one of step b)-d) or being arranged between step b) and c) or between steps c) and d). The invention further relates to products obtained by said method, and a system for obtaining such product.

A method for making campfire marshmallow candy, defined as crispy snacks derived from marshmallows and having a toasted marshmallow flavor. The method includes receiving a substantially single layer of marshmallows onto a reception tray. A dehydration unit removes moisture from the marshmallows at approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit for between 8- and 24 hours, resulting in the marshmallows taking on approximately 80% of their original weight. The dehydrated marshmallows are cooled before a toasting unit toasts the marshmallows on one side. After a second cooling, the marshmallows are flipped and toasted again at a high heat of approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit. After a third cooling, the marshmallows are dehydrated again before being cooled to create a candy that may be crushed to powder form. Each cooling brings the marshmallow product to a temperature between 55 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The resultant candy may be vacuum packaged.

Disclosed is a system for cooling chewing gum, the system including a cooling housing including a relatively upper cooling environment and a relatively lower cooling environment, a conveying device configured to convey the chewing gum from an entry point to an exit point of the cooling housing, the conveying device at least partially delimiting the relatively upper cooling environment from the relatively lower cooling environment, a first cooling system configured to provide cooling output to the relatively upper cooling environment, and second cooling system configured to provide cooling output to the relatively lower cooling environment, wherein the relatively upper cooling environment and the relatively lower cooling environment are disposed in fluid separation from each other.

Various embodiments of freeze dryers and drying processes are disclosed that can be used to dry materials with low water content (no more than 20 wt % water) and/or high sugar content (at least 20 wt % sugar). Such materials include candy, confections, and the like. In one embodiment, a drying process includes drying the materials without freezing them. In another embodiment, a drying process includes warming the materials before drying them. In another embodiment, a drying process includes drying two batches of materials with low water content sequentially without defrosting the interior of freeze dryer.