In a continuous doughnut-making apparatus including a dough developer, a pump for forwarding dough-making ingredients to and through the developer and a depositor for receiving developed dough from the developer and forming it into doughnut form, a device is provided for withdrawing samples of developed dough from the apparatus for example for testing or for use in making speciality items, the device providing the samples without interference with the normal operation of the apparatus and being arranged to return all unused dough to the apparatus when sampling is completed.