초록 ▼

An enclosed food processing device is provided having one or more conveyor belts and vertical agitators positioned above the belt. The agitators have forward and backward prongs that stir the food being processed without causing physical damage to it. The food enters the device through an inlet and

An enclosed food processing device is provided having one or more conveyor belts and vertical agitators positioned above the belt. The agitators have forward and backward prongs that stir the food being processed without causing physical damage to it. The food enters the device through an inlet and is evenly distributed across a draining screen by an inlet deflector plate, which is adjustable to account for the different rates at which the food may flow into the device. Ramps are positioned under the device to collect liquid drained from the food, and the ramps have independent segments that separate the liquid based on the stage of the process at which it is drained from the food. A salting apparatus is provided for conveying salt to the food to be processed. The salt is dispensed in proportion to the amount of food to be salted. Salt is moved from a salt hopper into a chamber by a rotating dispensing wheel. The salting apparatus has a pump that moves a fluid, such as filtered air, through a Venturi pickup tee, where it creates a partial vacuum that pulls salt into the airstream from the chamber. The salt then is pushed through stationary salt distribution tubes and applied to the food to be salted.

대표청구항

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for processing cheese curds, comprising conveying the curds upon a conveyor belt while stirring the curds without physically damaging them, said stirring comprising stirring with a plurality of agitators comprising blunt prongs.

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for processing cheese curds, comprising conveying the curds upon a conveyor belt while stirring the curds without physically damaging them, said stirring comprising stirring with a plurality of agitators comprising blunt prongs.