Disclosed is a refrigerating and freezing device (200), including a cabinet defining at least one storage compartment, a refrigerating system configured to provide cooling capacity to the at least one storage compartment, and a heating unit (100). The heating unit (100) includes a metal cylinder body (110) disposed in one storage compartment, a door body (120) configured to open and close a pick-and-place opening of the metal cylinder body (110), and an electromagnetic generating system generating electromagnetic waves in the cylinder body (110) to heat an object to be processed. At least a part of the electromagnetic generating system is disposed in the cylinder body (110) or accessed into the cylinder body (110). The cylinder body (110) is configured to be grounded to discharge the high-voltage electrostatic charges on the cylinder body (110), thereby avoiding potential safety hazards

A method of using a storage and cooking device having multiple thermal containers includes disposing a first food item in a first thermal container, a second food item in a second thermal container, and a third food item in a third thermal container. A volume of fluid is cooled and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy from at least one of the first, second, or third food item is transferred to the cooled fluid. The device is transitioned from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to a criterion being satisfied. When in the second configuration, the volume of fluid is heated and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy is transferred from the volume of fluid to at least one of the first, second, or third food item.

A system, apparatus, and method of storing food including a storage container having a base; a resilient liner nesting in the base, and a lid that interlockingly engages with the liner and/or base to close off access to foodstuffs retained in a compartment defined by the liner. A valve assembly in the lid is actuated by a pump to evacuate air from the liner's compartment and create a vacuum or near-vacuum condition therein. Apertures defined in the wall of the base allow air to flow into a compartment of the base as the resilient liner shrinks around the food. The closed storage container may be placed in a freezer to freeze the food therein. For defrosting, the base of the closed storage container is placed in a volume of water, some of which flows through the apertures in the base's wall and comes into direct contact with the liner.

A system and methodology for rehydrating perishable items (e.g., flowers, fresh food items, such as fruits, vegetables, other produce, and nuts) during storage and transportation thereof. The osmotic rehydration apparatus includes a pressurized chamber, a humidifier, an ozone generator, an electrostatic sprayer, a reservoir containing saline, and an air compressor. The perishable items are placed in the osmotic chamber under positive pressure. A film of saline solution is applied to the surface of the perishable items via an electrostatic sprayer. The saline/chlorine film on the perishable items is dried, and the osmotic chamber is saturated with ozone gas via an ozone generator. The osmotic chamber is then saturated with tiny pure water droplets via a humidifier or an electrostatic sprayer. The pressure within the chamber is raised to a pressure above atmospheric pressure. The osmotic chamber is then placed inside a cooler at a temperature slightly above freezing.

A refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body, an air-conditioning membrane assembly and an air pump assembly. The refrigerator body defines a storage space and a compressor chamber therein, a storage container is arranged in the storage space, and a freshness-keeping space is defined inside the storage container. The air-conditioning membrane assembly is configured to allow more oxygen than nitrogen in airflow in a surrounding space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly to pass through the air-conditioning membrane and enter an oxygen-rich gas collection chamber. An inlet end of the air pump is communicated with the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber in a controlled manner via a pipeline and a pipeline switching mechanism, for pumping gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber to the outside of the freshness-keeping space, such that the actual content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is in a range of 2% to 19%.

The invention relates to a process of manufacturing a microwaveable frozen breaded food product, said method comprising a) providing a filling composition; b) providing a plastically deformable farinaceous dough comprising 40-70 wt. % flour, 10-40 wt. % fat and 12-40 wt. % water; c) enveloping a portion of the filling composition with a layer of the farinaceous dough to produce an enveloped filling, the portion having a weight of 5 to 90 grams and the layer of dough having an average thickness of 0.5-2 mm; d) pre-coating the surface of the enveloped filling with an adhesion composition to produce a pre-coated product; e) applying a crumb onto the surface of the pre-coated product to produce a breaded product; f) frying the breaded product to produce a fried product; and g) freezing the fried product to a core temperature of less than −12° C.

Devices and methods for RF heating of food, using techniques which allow uniformity and/or controlled non-uniformity.

Devices and methods for RF heating of food, using techniques which allow uniformity and/or controlled non-uniformity.

A food cooling apparatus, including a generally pair shaped housing having a bottom portion connected to a middle portion tapering to a top portion, an electric fan connected to an interior wall of the housing and operative to draw air into an air inlet and out an air outlet, and a rechargeable battery supported within the bottom portion. A connector portion configured to attach to an external surface extends downward from the bottom portion. The housing has a generally hollow interior with the air inlet located on the middle portion or bottom portion and the air outlet located on the top portion. The air outlet is generally perpendicular to the housing in an upright position. The electric fan is not visible from the outside of the generally pair shaped housing. The rechargeable battery operationally provides power to the electric fan. The lower portion has a greater mass than the middle and top portions such that the center of gravity of the housing is lowered.

A method of using a storage and cooking device having multiple thermal containers includes disposing a first food item in a first thermal container, a second food item in a second thermal container, and a third food item in a third thermal container. A volume of fluid is cooled and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy from at least one of the first, second, or third food item is transferred to the cooled fluid. The device is transitioned from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to a criterion being satisfied. When in the second configuration, the volume of fluid is heated and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy is transferred from the volume of fluid to at least one of the first, second, or third food item.