초록 ▼

The invention provides a method and apparatus for preparing frozen free-flowing particles of food product. Particles of solid food are supplied, or viscous food material is extruded, or liquid or semi-liquid food material is pumped through apertures, to a freezing stage. In the freezing stage, cryog

The invention provides a method and apparatus for preparing frozen free-flowing particles of food product. Particles of solid food are supplied, or viscous food material is extruded, or liquid or semi-liquid food material is pumped through apertures, to a freezing stage. In the freezing stage, cryogenic substance is used to freeze the food material to a temperature at which the material is frangible. The frangible food material passes to a fracturing stage such as a fracturing mill, which produces frozen food particles of a size small enough to pass through discharge apertures of the fracturing stage. The discharged particles are screened to remove undersized particles which are recycled, the remaining frozen particles being generally within a defined size range and constituting the final product.

대표청구항 ▼

Process for preparing frozen free-flowing particles of food product, comprising the steps of: extruding a viscous or semi-solid food material through at least one aperture having a diameter comprised between 5 and 50 mm, freezing said extruded food material by direct heat exchange with a cryogenic s

Process for preparing frozen free-flowing particles of food product, comprising the steps of: extruding a viscous or semi-solid food material through at least one aperture having a diameter comprised between 5 and 50 mm, freezing said extruded food material by direct heat exchange with a cryogenic substance at a temperature sufficiently low to ensure frangibilization and thus freezing to the inner core of said food material, fracturing the thus-frangibilized said food material to produce free-flowing fractured particles, and sizing the fractured particles to recover particles having a granulometry comprised between 5 and 12 mm.