A machine for processing liquid or semi-liquid food products, comprising: a container for processing liquid or semi-liquid food products and provided with walls and an outlet; a stirrer, made at least partly from ferromagnetic material and disposed inside the processing container, the stirrer rotating about a mixing axis to mix the product to be dispensed; an actuator connected to the stirrer to set the stirrer in rotation about the mixing axis, the machine being characterized in that it comprises an induction element comprising one or more wound conductors for generating a magnetic field when an electric current flows through them, the induction element being disposed outside the processing container so that the magnetic field generated passes through at least part of the walls of the processing container to reach the stirrer and causes heating by magnetic induction.

A lighting array including one or more antimicrobial light segments configured to emit light sufficient to inactivate one or more microorganisms at a target surface may be installed within identified contamination zones of food or beverage preparation, processing, storing or packaging equipment or machinery. In an ice machine, for example, an array controller is configured for communication with an ice machine controller to receive ice machine status information signals. The status information signals are usable by the array controller to determine cycle, state, and/or usage information associated with the ice machine. The array controller may individually control activation of the one or more antimicrobial light segments based on the status information signals received from the machine controller to achieve inactivation of one or more microorganisms on target surfaces within the machine.

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.

Described is an apparatus for controlling the quality of a food product, including a quality control module, equipped with: at least one sensorized device, the sensorized device being adapted to detect at least one parameter regarding a property of a food product; a processing and control unit connected to the sensorized device for receiving the detected value regarding a property of a food product; the processing unit is configured to derive a quality indication of the food product based on the value detected by the sensorized device, and the apparatus includes a communication module connected to the processing and control unit and configured to transmit information relating to the derived quality indication.

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 method of performing a heat treatment cycle on a volume of product in a frozen food dispensing machine includes disconnecting a product storage portion of the machine from a freezing portion and a dispensing portion of the machine, defining a heat treatment circuit including the freezing portion and the dispensing portion of the machine, maintaining a first volume of product at the product storage portion at a product storage temperature and performing a heat treatment cycle on a second volume of product disposed in the heat treatment circuit at a heat treatment temperature greater than the product storage temperature.

A machine for the thermal treatment of liquid and semi-liquid food products includes at least two tanks for containing respective products to be subjected to the thermal treatment, at least one dispenser for dispensing the product contained in said tanks, at least one stirrer mounted inside each tank for mixing the product contained therein, and thermal treatment means operatively acting on the products contained in the containers. The thermal treatment means includes at least one circuit for circulation of an operating fluid and two first heat exchangers operating according to a thermodynamic cycle; each of the two heat exchangers being associated with a respective tank. The thermal treatment means is configured to implement at least one operating mode of removing heat from the respective tank by one heat exchanger and simultaneously transferring heat to the respective tank by the other heat exchanger.

A machine for making and dispensing liquid and/or semi-liquid food products includes a tank for containing the product, and a dispensing tap mounted on the discharging outlet of the tank. The tap has a duct connected to the discharging outlet and a piston sliding in a sealed fashion inside the duct. The duct has a first stretch extending between a first end and a branch of the duct from which a dispensing outlet of the tap extends, and a second stretch extending between the branch of the duct and a second end of the duct. The first end is connected in a sealed fashion to the discharging outlet and the second end is closed by a plug The piston is movable between a position preventing the dispensing of the product and allowing the washing of the duct, and a position allowing dispensing of the product.

A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid products comprises: a first container adapted to contain a first liquid or semi-liquid basic product; a first stirrer, mounted inside the first container; a second container connected to the first container to receive therefrom the first liquid or semi-liquid basic product; a pipe connecting the first container to the second container; a second stirrer, mounted inside the second container; a pump, having a first inlet duct, connected to the first container in order to draw the first liquid or semi-liquid basic product, a second, air inlet duct, and an outlet connected to the connecting pipe, the pump being also configured to mix the first liquid or semi-liquid basic product with air by compression.

A machine for making food products including: at least a first container containing a liquid or semi-liquid base product to be processed therein; a stirrer mounted inside the first container; thermal treatment means operatively associated with the first container; a dispenser connected to the first container to allow the product to be extracted from the first container; at least one device for generating gas micro bubbles or nano bubbles, operatively configured to release gas micro bubbles or nano bubbles into the mixture being processed in the machine; a control and drive unit connected to the device for generating gas micro bubbles or nano bubbles in order to control and drive it.