Apparatus and methods for making multiple, patterned extrudates
US6387421B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 14, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA21C11/163
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An extrudable food product is provided by a food cooker extruder (12) and is mixed with an additive to form a patterned food product, using a pattern forming die (20, 220). The cross-sectional area of the patterned food product is reduced from an inlet end (34) to an outlet end (36) by a factor of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of ≦45° while maintaining the cross-sectional pattern to form a reduced cross-sectional patterned dough, and then is extruded through a die port (13) having an opening equal to the reduced cross-sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate. The food product comprising, multiple extrudates are simultaneously formed with the flow rates for each extrudate being adjustable by an adjuster plug (16) including a smooth cylindrical portion (86) extendable into a passageway (14) having a circular cross section of a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion (86). A color additive is injected to provide a topical coating to the periphery of the flowing dough to lubricate and reduce friction of the periphery of the flowing dough with the passageway (22) and to produce a surface coloration on the periphery of the flowing dough.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.