Method and apparatus for making bowl-shaped snack food products
US6467398B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 10, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 22, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA47J37/1214
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method and apparatus for making bowl-shaped snack food products, e.g. tortilla chips. The method features placing chip preforms in open bowl-shaped cavities and partially frying the chip preforms by filling them with hot oil from above. Additionally, the preforms are partially fried from below by immersing the lower portions of the preforms in a vat of hot oil and transporting them through the hot oil. After cooking the preforms to a desired moisture content, at which point the preforms retain their bowl shapes outside of or independent of the mold cavities, the preforms are removed from the mold cavities and subsequently cooked to completion in a secondary frying operation. The invention also features an apparatus to carry out the method.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.