Frozen un-proofed dough pieces are produced by pinching an upper skin of an un-proofed dough body to a lower skin and producing a score through the upper skin prior to freezing. The un-proofed dough pieces are formed by mass production, with an un-proofed dough sheet being cut to form dough strips which are then cut into the un-proofed dough pieces, with the score for each un-proofed dough piece being formed either before, during or after the individual un-proofed dough pieces are actually created, but before freezing.

A system for forming and baking dough has a pallet with a female mold and a ram separate from the pallet. A ribbon of unbaked dough is located between the pallet and the ram. The ram has a male mold that is actuated to contact and stretch the dough into the female mold when the male mold engages with the female mold. A portion of the dough is separated from the ribbon and remains with the pallet as it is baked. An optional weight is mated to the pallet to maintain the position of the stretched dough with the female mold during the baking process.

A system for forming and baking dough has a pallet with a female mold and a ram separate from the pallet. A ribbon of unbaked dough is located between the pallet and the ram. The ram has a male mold that is actuated to contact and stretch the dough into the female mold when the male mold engages with the female mold. A portion of the dough is separated from the ribbon and remains with the pallet as it is baked. An optional weight is mated to the pallet to maintain the position of the stretched dough with the female mold during the baking process.

Frozen un-proofed dough pieces are produced by cutting a dough sheet into strips and producing a score through an upper skin of each strip with at least one blunt deformation tool prior to freezing. The un-proofed dough pieces are formed by mass production, with an un-proofed dough sheet being cut to form dough strips which are then cut into the un-proofed dough pieces, with the score for each un-proofed dough piece being formed by pressing the upper skin of the dough down into the body of the dough, thereby deforming and pre-stressing the dough to create weak zones, either before, during or after the individual un-proofed dough pieces are actually created, but before freezing. Upon heating, openings are established in the upper skin along score lines.

Frozen un-proofed dough pieces are produced by cutting a dough sheet into strips and producing a score through an upper skin of each strip with at least one blunt deformation tool prior to freezing. The un-proofed dough pieces are formed by mass production, with an un-proofed dough sheet being cut to form dough strips which are then cut into the un-proofed dough pieces, with the score for each un-proofed dough piece being formed by pressing the upper skin of the dough down into the body of the dough, thereby deforming and pre-stressing the dough to create weak zones, either before, during or after the individual un-proofed dough pieces are actually created, but before freezing. Upon heating, openings are established in the upper skin along score lines.

In a food dough forming device according to the present invention, a dough forming flow path is formed to be enclosed between at least two rotatable rollers and between two wall plates. At least one of the at least two rotatable rollers is at least one long rotatable roller (31A, 32A). At least one remaining rotatable roller is at least one short rotatable roller (33A, 31B, 32B, 33B). A far-side wall plate (53) of the two wall plates has a fitting recess (53A, 53B) into which an arc portion of a periphery of the long rotatable roller is fitted, and a recessed cutout (53C, 53D, 53E, 53F) at the rotational shaft for the short rotatable roller. The short rotatable roller is fitted onto the rotational shaft for the short rotatable roller to abut the far-side wall plate. The nearside wall plate is disposed to abut the short rotatable roller. An axial movement of the short rotatable roller is limited by the two wall plates.

In a food dough forming device according to the present invention, a dough forming flow path is formed to be enclosed between at least two rotatable rollers and between two wall plates. At least one of the at least two rotatable rollers is at least one long rotatable roller (31A, 32A). At least one remaining rotatable roller is at least one short rotatable roller (33A, 31B, 32B, 33B). A far-side wall plate (53) of the two wall plates has a fitting recess (53A, 53B) into which an arc portion of a periphery of the long rotatable roller is fitted, and a recessed cutout (53C, 53D, 53E, 53F) at the rotational shaft for the short rotatable roller. The short rotatable roller is fitted onto the rotational shaft for the short rotatable roller to abut the far-side wall plate. The nearside wall plate is disposed to abut the short rotatable roller. An axial movement of the short rotatable roller is limited by the two wall plates.

The invention relates to a method and a device for the production of portions from at least one continuous strand of a food product, in particular for the production of meatballs. The machine comprises: an extrusion device which can deliver a continuous strand in a vertical direction, and a portioning device that includes at least one cutting system. The cutting system comprises cutting elements (30) which can be moved transversely to the vertical direction between an open position, in which the strand passes between the cutting elements, and a closed position for cutting the strand and forming portions of the food product. In addition, each cutting system comprises ejection means (5) for ejecting the forming portions downwards from the cutting elements. The ejection means include at least one lower channel (5, 105) that is fluidly connected to a compressed fluid such that compressed fluid can be injected into the lower channel when the lower channel is in a closed position. The lower channel is formed in a body of the corresponding cutting element.

A system for forming and baking dough has a pallet with a female mold and a ram separate from the pallet. A ribbon of unbaked dough is located between the pallet and the ram. The ram has a male mold that is actuated to contact and stretch the dough into the female mold when the male mold engages with the female mold. A portion of the dough is separated from the ribbon and remains with the pallet as it is baked. An optional weight is mated to the pallet to maintain the position of the stretched dough with the female mold during the baking process.

A system for forming and baking dough has a pallet with a female mold and a ram separate from the pallet. A ribbon of unbaked dough is located between the pallet and the ram. The ram has a male mold that is actuated to contact and stretch the dough into the female mold when the male mold engages with the female mold. A portion of the dough is separated from the ribbon and remains with the pallet as it is baked. An optional weight is mated to the pallet to maintain the position of the stretched dough with the female mold during the baking process.