The invention provides an automatic and compact food preparation apparatus that prepares a food automatically. The food preparation apparatus of present invention is comprising of an electronic control unit that stores the recipes and accordingly controls the working of all the other units of the food preparation apparatus according to the recipe steps. The food preparation apparatus further includes a wok pan unit, a stirring unit, a raw ingredient dispensing—slot assembly unit and a spice or liquid dispensing unit that by working according to the recipe steps, cooks or prepares the food recipe. The food preparation apparatus further includes a user interface to allow user to select the recipe to prepare, to modify the recipe according to the user requirement and to communicate with the food preparation apparatus.

A method to create a tempeh food product and a novel tempeh food product are described herein. The tempeh food product is natural, wholesome, plant-based, non-GMO, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, low in sodium, unpasteurized, low in saturated fat, and vegan. In examples, the tempeh food product is a tempeh bak kwa, a soy tempeh minced product, or a soy tempeh chip, among others not explicitly listed herein.

The invention relates to a corn dog mold device comprised of an upper half and a lower half that attach to one another in a snap-like fashion via a plurality of protrusions. The upper half has a convex area and the lower half has a concave area that receive the upper and lower portions of a corn dog, and wherein each half has a semi-circular opening that allows the stem of a corndog to extend outwards from the halves. To use the device, a corn dog can be battered and both halves can be secured to each other with the battered corn dog within the device. The device can be placed within a freezer for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the shape of the battered corn dog to settle before cooking, wherein after 3 to 5 minutes the corn dog can be removed from the device and then fried.

Frying is performed in two stages so as to dip a retainer in frying oil at a prescribed dipping ratio and then to dip the whole of the retainer in the frying oil, and in addition, flow rates of the frying oil supplied from an upstream side and a downstream side of a frying oil tank and a surface level of the frying oil are controlled. Therefore, a noodle lump can be prevented from peeling off and floating from the bottom of the retainer before fixing the shape of the noodle lump due to a pressure applied by the frying oil so as not to impair the shape of the noodle lump, and as a result, frying efficiency or production efficiency can be improved. Besides, a noodle lump that has a very small number of coarse or dense portions in a distribution of noodle strings can be stably produced.

A micro-vibration wave generating device includes: a power indicator circuit, a first transformer micro-vibration wave generating circuit, and a receptor. An input end of the power indicator circuit is connected to the power source; an input end of the first transformer micro-vibration wave generating circuit is connected with an output end of the power indicator circuit; the receptor is connected with an output end of the first transformer micro-vibration wave generating circuit. Micro-vibration waves generated by the transformer micro-vibration wave generating circuit can resonate with the waterolecules in the food, and thereby the water molecules form soft and non-spiky crystals of water molecules when they are frozen, which greatly reduces the damage to the food cells. Accordingly, the quality of the food is intact without mixing odors. The present invention can also be used in cooking deep fried food with almost no oil smoke produced.

A method for frying a foodstuff (2) is shown, the cell membrane of which has been permeabilized, wherein the temperature of a frying medium (4) surrounding the foodstuff (2) is lowered from a starting temperature (8) at the beginning of the frying process to a final temperature (9) in a manner controlled in accordance with a predetermined temperature profile (7). Furthermore, a device (1) for producing a fried foodstuff (2) is shown, in particular for performing the above method, which comprises at least one frying container (3) for receiving a frying medium (4) and the foodstuff (2) to be fried, at least one temperature control device (5) for setting the temperature of the frying medium (4) in the frying container (3), and a control unit (6). in which a temperature profile (7) with a starting temperature (8) and a final temperature (9) below the starting temperature (8) is stored, wherein the control unit (6) is adapted to send temperature signals (10) to the at least one temperature control device (5) and thereby set the temperature of the frying medium (4) in the frying container (3) in accordance with the temperature profile (7).

A robotic kitchen system for preparing food items in combination with at least one kitchen appliance such as a fryer comprises an automated bin assembly, a robotic arm, and a basket held by the robotic arm. The automated bin assembly comprises at least one automated bin for holding the food items. A camera or sensor array collects image data of the food items in the bin(s). A central processor is operable to compute and provide directions to the first robotic arm and automated bin assembly based on the image data and stored data to (a) move the robotic arm to the bin; (b) actuate the bin to drop the food items from the bin into the basket; (c) and to move the basket into the fryer all without human interaction. Related methods are also described.

An automated cooking system for adding time and labor efficiencies in food production environments such as restaurants. The automated cooking system includes at least a fryer, a dispensing freezer, a hot holding station, a plurality of baskets, and a gantry system. The gantry system includes a gantry control for a gantry, configured to engage and move each of the baskets. The basket and gantry include interface elements for enabling precise movements and rapid opening and closing of baskets at the system. Aspects of an automated cooking system and a corresponding method for discharging cooked food product help to avoid the problems associated with manually operating a cooking system. Specifically, the system described herein provides for apparatuses and methods to cook and dispense food product in a more efficient manner with regard to both time and labor considerations within food production environments.

A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

The present invention relates to a “fat blocking” composition that contains pea protein, and optionally an antioxidant, for application to food, where the composition is capable of reducing the overall fat absorption by at least 20% when the composition is applied to the food prior to frying or cooking the food. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a process for preparing the pea protein composition to have a pH between about 4 to 6. Another aspect of the present invention relates to methods for reducing the overall fat absorption by coating an uncooked food with a composition that contains pea protein, and optionally an antioxidant, prior to frying, where the amount of oil and/or fat absorbed by the food during cooking is substantially reduced.