A method of preparing a composite foodstuff is provided and comprises providing a core, providing a barrier composition and applying the barrier composition to at least a portion of the core and providing a fat based coating having a lower fat content than the core. The fat based coating is applied to the barrier coated cores. The hardness of the fat based coating does not decrease over a period of storage.

An apparatus for coating a food product with a batter, comprises a frame having a conveyor belt mounted on a rotatably driveable belt support member. The coating apparatus comprises a batter pump for pumping batter from a batter container towards an upper applicator positioned over the conveyor belt to form a stream of batter flow from the applicator means to the conveyor belt to provide batter to an upper surface of the food product. The front roller is positioned at the food product entry section to provide a layer of batter on the conveyor belt at the entry section by a thrust on the batter towards the entry section by the front roller and/or the conveyor belt. The coating apparatus comprises a batter overflow device positioned at the entry section and is mounted between the transport run and the return run of the conveyor belt.

An apparatus for coating a food product with a batter, comprises a frame having a conveyor belt mounted on a rotatably driveable belt support member. The coating apparatus comprises a batter pump for pumping batter from a batter container towards an upper applicator positioned over the conveyor belt to form a stream of batter flow from the applicator means to the conveyor belt to provide batter to an upper surface of the food product. The front roller is positioned at the food product entry section to provide a layer of batter on the conveyor belt at the entry section by a thrust on the batter towards the entry section by the front roller and/or the conveyor belt. The coating apparatus comprises a batter overflow device positioned at the entry section and is mounted between the transport run and the return run of the conveyor belt.

An in-line coating machine adapted to coat food products with a particulate coating material has a food products conveyor; a coating device; an excess coating material separation station; an excess coating material recovery conveyor; and a particulate coating material elevator device. An elevator device fill assembly along the recovery conveyor is configured to fill the elevator device with recovered excess coating material. An adjustable discharge opening device controls a discharge opening in the recovered excess coating material bed support. An adjustable upper layer diverter device engages an upper layer of the recovered excess coating material bed passing over the recovered excess coating material bed support and diverts at least a portion of the upper layer at an adjustable rate into the particulate coating material elevator device.

An in-line coating machine adapted to coat food products with a particulate coating material has a food products conveyor; a coating device; an excess coating material separation station; an excess coating material recovery conveyor; and a particulate coating material elevator device. An elevator device fill assembly along the recovery conveyor is configured to fill the elevator device with recovered excess coating material. An adjustable discharge opening device controls a discharge opening in the recovered excess coating material bed support. An adjustable upper layer diverter device engages an upper layer of the recovered excess coating material bed passing over the recovered excess coating material bed support and diverts at least a portion of the upper layer at an adjustable rate into the particulate coating material elevator device.

A granular coating conveyor system for coating granular particles carried in compartments along a tubular conveyor member. Coating fluid is fed over the granular particles through radial nozzles located inside a co-axial rotating blender with tubular member upstream discharge port and tubular member downstream return ingress port for the granular particles. The blender is a drum having a helicoidal spiral screw integrally mounted to an interior peripheral wall face of the drum and extending therealong radially outwardly of the tubular member mixing in the drum in tumbling fashion the granular particles with coating fluid and guiding same therealong, so as to dynamically form a kidney shape mass of granular particles.

Food product having a meat-based layer, an impermeable covering layer disposed on the whole surface of a meat-based layer with a first side, a second side and one or more connection edges defined between the first and second sides, a layer of batter that covers only the first side and at least part of connection edges of the meat-based layer, a breaded layer distributed on at least part of the layer of batter, and, in case, a garnish distributed on at least part of the surface of the meat-based layer covered with the impermeable covering layer and left uncovered by the layer of batter and the breaded layer. The invention concerns also the apparatus to make said food product and the corresponding method.

Food product having a meat-based layer, an impermeable covering layer disposed on the whole surface of a meat-based layer with a first side, a second side and one or more connection edges defined between the first and second sides, a layer of batter that covers only the first side and at least part of connection edges of the meat-based layer, a breaded layer distributed on at least part of the layer of batter, and, in case, a garnish distributed on at least part of the surface of the meat-based layer covered with the impermeable covering layer and left uncovered by the layer of batter and the breaded layer. The invention concerns also the apparatus to make said food product and the corresponding method.

A method is provided for producing at least one popcorn grain substantially entire and coated, completely or partially, with at least a first layer of a first melted cheese directly in contact with the popcorn grain. The first melted cheese has an initial moisture content of less than 35%, or alternatively, the first melted cheese is cooked too and its moisture after cooking is lower than 8%. A second layer of a second cheese may be applied to the food product.

A method is provided for producing at least one popcorn grain substantially entire and coated, completely or partially, with at least a first layer of a first melted cheese directly in contact with the popcorn grain. The first melted cheese has an initial moisture content of less than 35%, or alternatively, the first melted cheese is cooked too and its moisture after cooking is lower than 8%. A second layer of a second cheese may be applied to the food product.