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 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.

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.

A method for making ice cream including a basic flavor in which an additional flavor of a different type is inserted includes the following steps: preparing a container for processing the basic ice cream product; cooling and stirring a basic preparation inside processing container to make a basic ice cream product; preparing a hermetically sealed capsule containing an additional flavor; opening the capsule; simultaneously transferring a portion of the basic ice cream from the processing container to the serving container and the additional flavor from the open capsule to the serving container, wherein the simultaneous transferring step comprises a step of delivering the additional flavor into a first predetermined spatial region and a step of delivering the basic ice cream into a second spatial region which contains the first spatial region, so that the additional flavor is fed into the basic ice cream in the serving container.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products comprises: a frame; a first container containing a liquid or semi-liquid base product; a second container defining a processing chamber for processing a base mixture made up of the liquid or semi-liquid base product and a gas; a stirrer mounted inside the second container; thermal treatment means associated with the second container, acting in conjunction with the stirrer to convert the base mixture inside the second container into a finished liquid or semi-liquid product; a connecting duct connecting the first container to the second container and configured to connect the first container to the second container in such a way as to allow the base mixture to be transferred to the second container; a dispenser connected to the second container to allow dispensing the finished product.

A kit for connecting to a processing container a device for feeding a liquid or semi-liquid food product, including at least: an internally hollow pipe having a first end and a second end, wherein at least one between the first and the second end includes an enlarged, external terminal portion; a receiving element provided with a hole for receiving at least the enlarged, external terminal portion at one end of the pipe and with an abutment for stopping the end of the pipe inside the hole; a pushing portion for pushing and locking the enlarged, external terminal portion at the end inside the receiving hole in order to allow locking the enlarged, external terminal portion against the abutment.

A machine for making and dispensing liquid, semi-liquid and/or semi-solid food products and which includes at least a cylinder for containing and processing basic products, means for heating and cooling the cylinder wrapped around at least part of the cylinder and a mixer unit positioned inside the cylinder which is able to mix the basic products during their processing; the machine also includes a supply duct for supplying the products into the cylinder, a dispensing duct for withdrawing the food products from the cylinder and means for recirculating the products contained in the containment and processing cylinder which are able to withdraw the products from the cylinder through the dispensing duct and to return them into the cylinder through the supply duct.