Food process-line coating apparatus for coating a stream of food product in a food process line are provided with the improvement of a permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and a plurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices. The cleaning-fluid distribution devices are any of a rotary spray head, a spherical spray nozzle, a rotary frame or a tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold. The rotary spray head optionally has a multitude of flat spray nozzles mounted along the arms. The spherical spray nozzle might be mounted on a columnar base, and a plurality of those might stand like pickets and aimed a laterally-extending target, like a conveyor belt's nose roller. The rotary frame might have a spaced pair of parallel manifold tubes that rotate about a common axis. The tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold preferably has a multitude of ports or nozzles distributed at spaced locations on its outer sidewall.

Food process-line coating apparatus for coating a stream of food product in a food process line are provided with the improvement of a permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and a plurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices. The cleaning-fluid distribution devices are any of a rotary spray head, a spherical spray nozzle, a rotary frame or a tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold. The rotary spray head optionally has a multitude of flat spray nozzles mounted along the arms. The spherical spray nozzle might be mounted on a columnar base, and a plurality of those might stand like pickets and aimed a laterally-extending target, like a conveyor belt's nose roller. The rotary frame might have a spaced pair of parallel manifold tubes that rotate about a common axis. The tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold preferably has a multitude of ports or nozzles distributed at spaced locations on its outer sidewall.

Systems and methods are provided for placing toppings on a product. In one embodiment, a system comprises a mandrel configured to dispense toppings from a supply hopper, and a topping distributor disposed least partly downstream to the mandrel. The topping distributor comprising at least one opening, wherein at least some of the toppings that fail to exit through the at least one opening of the topping distributor are directed into a reclaim hopper. In one example, the topping distributor comprises at least one rotating drum that encircles the mandrel.

A flavouring dispenser for dispensing compacted doses of flavouring comprises a flavouring dosage unit configured to dispense a dose of flavouring and a plurality of compacting hoppers, each configured to receive and hold a dose of flavouring dispensed from the flavouring dosage unit and to subsequently dispense the dose of flavouring to a dispense position. The flavouring dosage unit and the plurality of compacting hoppers are configured such that the flavouring dosage unit sequentially supplies a dose of flavouring to each of the plurality of compacting hoppers.

A flavouring dispenser for dispensing compacted doses of flavouring comprises a flavouring dosage unit configured to dispense a dose of flavouring and a plurality of compacting hoppers, each configured to receive and hold a dose of flavouring dispensed from the flavouring dosage unit and to subsequently dispense the dose of flavouring to a dispense position. The flavouring dosage unit and the plurality of compacting hoppers are configured such that the flavouring dosage unit sequentially supplies a dose of flavouring to each of the plurality of compacting hoppers.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for automated food preparation systems. An example apparatus includes a body defining a first end configured to receive a food item, a second end opposite the first end, and a flow channel defined by an inner surface of the body extending between the first end and the second end. In an instance in which the food item is directed into the body via the first end, the flow channel is configured to distribute a coating material about the food item before the food item exits the body via the second end.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for automated food preparation systems. An example apparatus includes a body defining a first end configured to receive a food item, a second end opposite the first end, and a flow channel defined by an inner surface of the body extending between the first end and the second end. In an instance in which the food item is directed into the body via the first end, the flow channel is configured to distribute a coating material about the food item before the food item exits the body via the second end.

A breading station for breading food has a housing including a well defining an ice bath compartment sized and shaped to receive an ice bath and one or more pans and a hydraulic lift system arranged to raise and lower the well relative to a surface on which the breading station rests on. The hydraulic lift system includes a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic linear actuator, and a hydraulic line fluidly connecting the hydraulic linear actuator to the hydraulic pump system. The hydraulic pump system and the hydraulic linear actuator are disconnectable and removable from the housing without having to break the fluid connection between the hydraulic pump system and the hydraulic linear actuator. An exterior panel blocks access to the hydraulic linear actuator and is removable to permit access to the hydraulic linear actuator. An adjustable pan frame can be used to organize the well to receive different pan sizes.

A breading station for breading food has a housing including a well defining an ice bath compartment sized and shaped to receive an ice bath and one or more pans and a hydraulic lift system arranged to raise and lower the well relative to a surface on which the breading station rests on. The hydraulic lift system includes a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic linear actuator, and a hydraulic line fluidly connecting the hydraulic linear actuator to the hydraulic pump system. The hydraulic pump system and the hydraulic linear actuator are disconnectable and removable from the housing without having to break the fluid connection between the hydraulic pump system and the hydraulic linear actuator. An exterior panel blocks access to the hydraulic linear actuator and is removable to permit access to the hydraulic linear actuator. An adjustable pan frame can be used to organize the well to receive different pan sizes.

Breadcrumbs have a grain size distribution in which the proportion of a fraction of breadcrumbs that have a grain size 2.36 mm is 8-21 mass % and the proportion of a fraction of breadcrumbs that have a grain size 1.18 mm is 45 mass %, and have a bulk density of 270-600 ml/100 g. A breadcrumb powder shaker container includes: the breadcrumbs or breadcrumb mix; and a shaker container containing a breadcrumb powder to be shaken out including the breadcrumbs or the breadcrumb mix, the shaker container having a shake-out hole. The shake-out hole has a maximum diametric length of 10-55 mm. This enables simply applying the breadcrumbs or the breadcrumb mix directly to a food material, enabling a high-quality cooked breadcrumb-coated food item, while retaining the flavor of the food material to a high level irrespective of the amount of oil used in deep frying.