The invention relates to an in-line multi-mode coating machine adapted to coat food products with a particulate coating material, the machine comprising in-line with each other and in succession: an infeed conveyor assembly, a rotary tumbling drum, an elevator device and a discharge conveyor assembly. In a drum-mode, the rotary tumbling drum is adapted to be supplied with particulate coating material and to tumble the food products and particulate coating material together. In a conveyor-mode of the coating machine the infeed conveyor assembly and the discharge conveyor assembly are arranged to adjoin each other whilst extending through the rotary tumbling drum, so that food products bypass the rotary tumbling drum and the elevator device.

Methods of making reduced-fat or fat-free fried food products, and products made according to the methods, in which food pieces are coated with an aqueous adhesion mixture including a protein, and an oil absorption minimizing agent including an edible lipophilic material, where the coating is adhered to the food pieces, in order to provide for food products having the texture, flavor, and other characteristics of conventional full-fat fried food products. According to a preferred embodiment, the aqueous adhesion mixture includes from about 65 to about 95% by weight water, from about 4 to about 25% by weight protein, from 0 to about 2% by weight hydrocolloid, and from 0 to about 10% by weight protein stabilizing agent.

Methods of making reduced-fat or fat-free fried food products, and products made according to the methods, in which food pieces are coated with an aqueous adhesion mixture including a protein, and an oil absorption minimizing agent including an edible lipophilic material, where the coating is adhered to the food pieces, in order to provide for food products having the texture, flavor, and other characteristics of conventional full-fat fried food products. According to a preferred embodiment, the aqueous adhesion mixture includes from about 65 to about 95% by weight water, from about 4 to about 25% by weight protein, from 0 to about 2% by weight hydrocolloid, and from 0 to about 10% by weight protein stabilizing agent.

A breadcrumb coating machine includes a breadcrumb coating unit for spreading and fixing breadcrumbs on the front and rear surfaces of pork. The breadcrumb coating unit has an octagonal frame formed in a regular octagon shape and disposed on an upper surface of a base; a turntable having breadcrumbs dispersed over the surface thereof and configured to rotate on the upper surface of the octagonal frame; first and second scattering units configured to draw the breadcrumbs dispersed on the surface of the turntable and to scatter the same over the upper surface of the pork; and a pressing plate disposed at an interval from the first and second scattering units in a clockwise direction to press the upper surface of the pork, while adjusting a pressure by using a cylinder.

A breadcrumb coating machine includes a breadcrumb coating unit for spreading and fixing breadcrumbs on the front and rear surfaces of pork. The breadcrumb coating unit has an octagonal frame formed in a regular octagon shape and disposed on an upper surface of a base; a turntable having breadcrumbs dispersed over the surface thereof and configured to rotate on the upper surface of the octagonal frame; first and second scattering units configured to draw the breadcrumbs dispersed on the surface of the turntable and to scatter the same over the upper surface of the pork; and a pressing plate disposed at an interval from the first and second scattering units in a clockwise direction to press the upper surface of the pork, while adjusting a pressure by using a cylinder.

A particulate matter supply device having a simple configuration, which includes: a fixing plate through which a flow path that allows passage of particulate matter penetrates; a bottom portion through which a discharge port that allows passage of particulate matter penetrates; and a movable portion between the fixing plate and the bottom portion, has an accommodation region capable of accommodating particulate matter in the accommodation region and penetrating the movable portion along a facing direction in which the fixing plate and the bottom portion face each other, and is movable to a position where the accommodation region communicates with the flow path and to a position where the accommodation region communicates with the discharge port. The fixing plate is provided with a level-off portion that, when the movable portion moves, levels off particulate matter so as to remove an amount of particulate matter exceeding a capacity of the accommodation region.

A method of infusing salt can include heating salt to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The method can also apply a liquid additive solution to the heated salt to create an infused salt. The temperature of the heated salt can be sufficiently high that the salt remains above the boiling point of water for a first period of time after the liquid additive solution is applied thereto.

A method of infusing salt can include heating salt to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The method can also apply a liquid additive solution to the heated salt to create an infused salt. The temperature of the heated salt can be sufficiently high that the salt remains above the boiling point of water for a first period of time after the liquid additive solution is applied thereto.

A processed ingestible plant having a coating, and a method for coating an ingestible item. The coating imparts a long lasting texture to the ingestible item. The coating mimics the exterior tissue of an edible plant, and includes parts that are derived from multiple fragments of edible plant exterior tissues.

A processed ingestible plant having a coating, and a method for coating an ingestible item. The coating imparts a long lasting texture to the ingestible item. The coating mimics the exterior tissue of an edible plant, and includes parts that are derived from multiple fragments of edible plant exterior tissues.