A multi-zone fryer (100) and method for preparation of fried food products (187) comprising an elongated cooking trough (105) for holding a volume of heated cooking oil (115), at least first and second rollers (106a, 106b), and a conveyor (110) arranged to extend and transport the food products in a direction from the first roller (106a) at an inlet end (120), along the bottom (121) of the trough to the second roller (106b) at an outlet end (122), wherein the elongated cooking trough (105) comprises at least a first and second cooking zone (140, 145), each cooking zone having oil level sensors (170,175,180,181) configured to co-operate and control an oil inlet control valve (184;184a) and an oil outlet control valve (185;185a) arranged in fluid connection with the trough (105) and an oil circulation system to ensure that a predetermined oil level is kept in the trough.

A frying unit, comprising an oil pan (1) which is essentially open on top, a transport unit (2), using which a basket (3) is movable from a filling position into the interior of the oil pan (1) and using which the basket (3) is movable from the interior of the oil pan (1) into an emptying position, wherein the oil pan (1) is designed in such a way that it can accommodate multiple baskets (3) simultaneously, and the transport unit (2) is designed in such a way that the baskets (3) are movable independently of one another.

A food frying and distribution device is used to pre-cook frozen food for storage and subsequent dispensing. The apparatus is configured to fry food to near completion, to store that food, and to then finish cooking upon consumer request, thereby reducing cooking time. The apparatus includes a housing, a frozen-foods inlet, a fried-foods outlet, at least one fryer basin, a first frying basket, a second frying basket, a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a vending mechanism, and a control unit. The housing is the protective shell that allows for arrangement of components. The frozen-foods inlet is an opening through which a user may insert frozen foods for preparation and storage within the apparatus. Conversely, the fried-foods outlet is an opening through which fried foods may be obtained by a consumer. The general configuration of the aforementioned components allows the apparatus to efficiently and effectively generate fried food relatively quickly.

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus, in which a flying oil is heated, disinfected and/or pasteurized, sterilized. The present invention further relates to a method to treat a flying oil with radio-frequency wave.

Frying is performed in two stages so as to dip a retainer in frying oil at a prescribed dipping ratio and then to dip the whole of the retainer in the frying oil, and in addition, flow rates of the frying oil supplied from an upstream side and a downstream side of a frying oil tank and a surface level of the frying oil are controlled. Therefore, a noodle lump can be prevented from peeling off and floating from the bottom of the retainer before fixing the shape of the noodle lump due to a pressure applied by the frying oil so as not to impair the shape of the noodle lump, and as a result, frying efficiency or production efficiency can be improved. Besides, a noodle lump that has a very small number of coarse or dense portions in a distribution of noodle strings can be stably produced.

Systems and methods for cutting and cooking a substance are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: convey, via a primary conveying subsystem, a layer of food substance along a conveyance path along which the layer of food substance is conveyed; cut, via a cutter, the layer of food substance into food pieces; apply, via a primary pressurized fluid outlet, primary pressurized fluid such that the food pieces are released from the cutter; heat, via the heating mechanism, a chamber; apply, via a secondary pressurized fluid outlet, secondary pressurized fluid so that the food pieces are held flat to the primary conveying substrate, and hold, via a secondary conveying subsystem, the layer of food substance flat between the primary conveying substrate and a secondary conveying substrate for at least a portion of the chamber.

Systems and methods for cutting and cooking a substance are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: convey, via a primary conveying subsystem, a layer of food substance along a conveyance path along which the layer of food substance is conveyed; cut, via a cutter, the layer of food substance into food pieces; apply, via a primary pressurized fluid outlet, primary pressurized fluid such that the food pieces are released from the cutter; heat, via the heating mechanism, a chamber; apply, via a secondary pressurized fluid outlet, secondary pressurized fluid so that the food pieces are held flat to the primary conveying substrate, and hold, via a secondary conveying subsystem, the layer of food substance flat between the primary conveying substrate and a secondary conveying substrate for at least a portion of the chamber.

Food preparation includes utilizing food immersion into low temperature cooking fluids, high temperature cooking fluids, or a combination of applications thereof. Foods are generally closely wrapped in vented, pliable, formidable outer skins. An example construction of such an outer skin is provided, as are examples of food preparation processes.

A food frying treatment apparatus includes: a frying oil circulation mechanism, which makes frying oil flow out from a frying oil tank on a downstream side and makes the frying oil flow in the frying oil tank on an upstream side by a frying oil inflow device, which ejects the frying oil in an upward direction from a bottom portion side of the frying oil tank; a frying food transport mechanism including a first transport mechanism, which transports the food fed into the frying oil tank on the upstream side in a floating state on a surface of the frying oil, and a second transport mechanism, which transports a frying food subsequently to the first transport mechanism in an immersed state below the surface of the frying oil in the frying oil tank; and a fried food collection mechanism, which collects a fried food from the frying oil tank.

Method for continuously making kettle style potato chips. A continuous cooking process is disclosed without regard or need to mimic the U-shaped temperature-time profile typically used to create kettle-style fried potato chips. Potato slices are placed directly into hot oil of a single continuous fryer having multiple temperature zones, with no flume frying prior to placement therein and without regard to a monolayer arrangement. Cool oil from the end of the continuous fryer to the upstream portion of the fryer ensures continuous achievement of an initial low temperature profile, lower than that of previous methods. A further dip in temperature profile is achieved as water evaporates from the slices. The potato slices are then further fried in the downstream portion of the fryer in one or more regions having increased hot oil temperatures, which occur through the injecting of hot oil into the downstream portions.