Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

The equipment of the invention comprises a toroidal channel-shaped freezing tank containing coolant superimposed on a circular crown-shaped rotary mold holder, formed by a plurality of sectors affixed to the periphery of one traction disc driven by a stepper motor, said sectors having rectangular openings into which molds engage, whose lower portions are immersed in the coolant. At the bottom of the channel there is a rigid pipe provided with a plurality of holes through which jets of coolant are released under pressure. The popsicle release means comprise a radially oriented niche within said tank and a vertically displaceable housing which, in the upper position, accommodates a mold and a perforated horizontal pipe which releases jets of heated fluid against the mold cups.

A packaging method and packaging material are disclosed. In accordance with one aspect, a method for forming, filling, sealing and flash freezing a liquid extract or concentrate in a continuous ribbon format is described. The packaging material uses a continuous ribbon of a cold-formed foil base with multiple pockets arrayed in a pattern and a heat-sealed foil cover. Following sealing, the continuously formed strip of product is passed through a freezing medium, optionally perforated alongside the pockets to facilitate separation of individual pockets from a sheet, and then cut to size for convenient and space efficient final packaging, storage and transportation.

The present disclosure extends to apparatuses, methods, and systems for freezing a liquid suitable for use by a frozen confection machine. The apparatuses, methods, and systems include a two-piece form suitable for producing a dense ice structure.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

The present disclosure extends to apparatuses, methods, and systems for freezing a liquid suitable for use by a frozen confection machine. The apparatuses, methods, and systems include a two-piece form suitable for producing a dense ice structure.

A mould arrangement for moulding ice cream products includes an upper metal plate, and a plurality of mould pockets that each protrude from a bottom side of the upper metal plate. An insulation plate is arranged adjacent the bottom side of the upper metal plate and the plurality of mould pockets extend through the lower insulation plate.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

A method or apparatus for forming frozen beverage blocks from a liquid beverage. The method may include introducing a beverage into a beverage receiving reservoir. Next, the beverage may flow from the beverage receiving reservoir into a holding tank. The flow from the beverage receiving reservoir into the holding tank may be done entirely via gravity. Upon the temperature of the beverage located within the holding tank being measured at or below a predetermined lower threshold temperature, the beverage may be permitted to flow from the holding tank into a cool beverage reservoir of a freezing subsystem. The freezing subsystem may be configured to convert the beverage from a liquid into frozen beverage blocks.

An ice cream mould table for moulding ice cream products, comprising a plate that has a plurality of mould pockets that each protrude from a bottom side of the plate, and a spray nozzle arrangement including a plurality of spray nozzles that is arranged to spray heating fluid on the exterior of the mould pockets to facilitate releasing of ice cream from the mould pockets. At least one spray nozzle comprises a first spray opening arranged to spray heating fluid towards a target mould pocket and in a first direction that is inclined by a first angle relative the vertical direction, and a second spray opening arranged to spray heating fluid towards the target mould pocket and in a second direction that is inclined by a second angle.