A variegator and a process for using it. The variegator permits the manufacturer to obtain desirable patterns of distribution of sauce and chunks in frozen confections while at the same time permitting fast cleaning-in-place times to minimize factory downtime. The variegator comprises a) one or more conduits, each suitable for feeding a base frozen confection to a first opening or set of openings into a chamber, b) one or more conduits suitable for feeding a fluid variegating material such as a sauce through a second openings or set of openings at a level below the first set into the chamber below the base frozen confection opening, and c) a static mixer below the variegating material opening, the static mixer comprising at least two baffles.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products, specifically ice cream, includes a vessel for processing liquid or semi-liquid base products by means of a stirring device driven by a motor. The mixture in the vessel is transferred through a duct, along which movement means for moving the mixture are operatively located, these movement means comprising a rotary device including two juxtaposed discs, on which a series of rollers is mounted in such a way as to press a flexible portion of the duct, and an opposing element confronting the rollers.

A layered drink or dessert dispensing apparatus that accepts a single serving container and transfers the container through a grater that transfers the product into a cup glass or bowl while maintaining the layers. The dispensing apparatus pushes the product through the container while the grater turns. The container is configured in a non-round shape, so the consumer container does not rotate as the grinder or grater is rotated under the container. The grater has one blade or a plurality of teeth or scoops that “cut” through the layered product in the consumer container to extract, remove and scoop the beverage or dessert. The course configuration of the grater minimizes harm to pulp, fibers and/or seeds that may exist in the drink or dessert. Different layers with different densities and material are all equally removed and fall through the dispensing apparatus.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products, including: a first processing container for processing a basic liquid or semi-liquid product and defining a processing chamber; a stirrer positioned inside the first processing container; a thermal system including a heat exchanger, associated with the first processing container; at least one sensor, configured to measure an operating parameter of the machine; a processing and control unit, operatively connected to the at least one sensor and including a module for receiving and transmitting data captured by the sensor, wherein the module for receiving and transmitting data is configured to transmit data captured by the sensor to a “smart contract” program.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products, including: a first processing container for processing a basic liquid or semi-liquid product and defining a processing chamber; a stirrer positioned inside the first processing container; a thermal system including a heat exchanger, associated with the first processing container; at least one sensor, configured to measure an operating parameter of the machine; a processing and control unit, operatively connected to the at least one sensor and including a module for receiving and transmitting data captured by the sensor, wherein the module for receiving and transmitting data is configured to transmit data captured by the sensor to a “smart contract” program.

A machine for pasteurizing liquid or semi-liquid food products, including: a first container for the thermal treatment of a liquid or semi-liquid base product; a second container for feeding the liquid or semi-liquid base product, connected to the first, thermal treatment container, for feeding the liquid or semi-liquid base product; a stirrer for mixing the product in the first, processing container and mounted inside the first, thermal treatment container; a thermal system including an exchanger associated with the walls of the first, processing container and configured to release heat at the walls of the first, thermal treatment container, the machine wherein the stirrer is externally helically shaped and extends between a first, inlet end and a second, outlet end, so that as it rotates, the liquid or semi-liquid product is made to advance between the first, inlet end and the second, outlet end.

An interface assembly for a frozen dessert machine is disclosed that includes a freezer door having opposed front and rear sides and including at least one recessed mounting pocket formed in the rear side thereof, the at least one recessed mounting pocket including a cornice covering an upper portion thereof, and at least one elongated baffle having opposed proximal and distal end portions, the proximal end portion of the at least one baffle including a retention flange that is dimensioned and configured for detachable reception within the at least one mounting pocket of the freezer door behind the cornice.

A frozen food dispensing machine includes a refrigerated first zone including a product storage chamber. A second zone is operably connected to the first zone for flowing product from the first zone. A third zone is configured to receive a flow of product from the second zone, freeze the flow of product and dispense the flow of product. The first zone, the second zone and the third zone are isolatable from each other.

A through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising a freezing cylinder, an inlet pipe, an inlet blocking device, an air inlet, an outlet pipe and an outlet blocking device, wherein, at least in one operational mode of the through-flow freezer, the inlet blocking device and the outlet blocking device are closed such that a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun in the freezing cylinder can be entrapped in the freezing cylinder by introducing air via the air inlet. Furthermore, a method for starting up a through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising the step of adding air through the air inlet until a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun is entrapped in the freezing cylinder and a certain cylinder pressure is reached in the freezing cylinder before starting the cooling of the freezing cylinder.

An ice cream production apparatus comprises a control unit, a freezer, a freezer outlet pump and a piping system provided from the freezer to one or more ice cream outlet nozzles downstream the freezer, can assume at least two operational modes. The first operational mode is a production mode. The second operational mode is a pre-production mode comprising the steps of freezing the ice cream in the freezer such that the ice cream obtains a pre-production viscosity value being equal to or higher than a production viscosity value, and pumping the frozen ice cream into the piping system at a pre-production outlet flow being smaller than a production outlet flow. The pre-production mode is used for cooling the piping system and the ice cream outlet nozzles before operating the ice cream production apparatus in the production mode.