摘要:
Potato chip cooking process and apparatus includes controlled cooking of potato slices from the initial to the final cooking stages. Slices are deposited in hot cooking oil to develop a slice pack which is carried along a cooking path during which the pack is agitated and mixed by paddle means or tumbled so that the individual slices receive maximum contact with the cooking medium. The cooking path may be divided into one or more stages in each of which the cooking times and temperatures are selected and maintained to produce potato chips of different styles having a final moisture content in the range of 1.2% to 2%.The apparatus includes temperature and oil circulation controls for the oil heat exchangers dedicated to each stage of a cooking protocol. A multiplicity of variable rate, rotatable paddle wheel assemblies are positioned along the cooking path for thorough agitation of the potato pack encouraging good oil contact with the individual slices and consistent, chip-to-chip final moisture content.
摘要:
A method of controlling the movement of snack food products being cooked continuously in a bath of hot cooking oil to the end of realizing a more uniform moisture content in the final product employs a plurality of segmented paddle wheels with blades to penetrate and agitate vigorously the product pack as the wheels are rotated in both directions. Also disclosed are a variety of segmented paddle wheel configurations and their functions of impeding and urging product flow during cooking.
摘要:
Potato chip cooking process and apparatus includes controlled cooking of potato slices from the initial to the final cooking stages. Slices are deposited in hot cooking oil to develop a slice pack which is carried along a cooking path during which the pack is agitated and mixed by paddle means or tumbled so that the individual slices receive maximum contact with the cooking medium. The cooking path may be divided into one or more stages in each of which the cooking times and temperatures are selected and maintained to produce potato chips of different styles having a final moisture content in the range of 1.2% to 2%. Further disclosed are apparatus that includes temperature and oil circulation controls for the oil heat exchangers dedicated to each stage of a cooking protocol. A multiplicity of variable rate, rotatable paddle wheel assemblies are positioned along the cooking path for thorough agitation of the potato pack encouraging good oil contact with the individual slices and consistent, chip-to-chip final moisture content.
摘要:
A rotary air impingement oven enables volume production of oil-free food products including those from root crops such as potato chips. The oven contains a cage-like drum with perforate or foraminous sidewalls rotatably disposed within the oven such that the sidewalls, containing product therein, are exposed to temperature and velocity controlled impinging process vapor which is withdrawn continuously during drum rotation. The food products within the drum are urged by an internal baffle towards the drum discharge during rotation.
摘要:
Simultaneous slicing and washing of relatively firm raw vegetable or fruit products is accomplished in a vat of water into which a slicer apparatus is positioned such that the slices are formed and discharge directly into the water. An inclined takeout conveyor serves to receive the slices and remove them from the water. A circulating water current and fluid jets urge the slices to disperse onto the conveyor. A spray of water or air blast removes residual vegetable matter from the slice surfaces before leaving the takeout conveyor for further processing. Slicing and washing a vegetable in a flume volute where the slices are dispersed onto a takeout conveyor is disclosed where the water medium is collected in a tub and recycled back to flow in the flume to a level that covers the slicer's operative parts. The apparatus may be used for simultaneous slicing and cooking of raw vegetables where hot cooking oil is maintained in the system and recycled for reheating.
摘要:
The unitized vacuum fryer is capable of low atmosphere vacuum cooking and has an elongate cooking tunnel having an upper portion separable from a base portion for cleaning and maintenance. When hermetically sealed together the two portions function to retain a high vacuum for an enclosed fry cooking system. Hermetic sealing locks at each end of the tunnel afford product entry and exit. The vacuum fryer does not require a separate enclosing pressure vessel.
摘要:
The unitized vacuum fryer is capable of low atmosphere vacuum cooking and has an elongate cooking tunnel having an upper portion separable from a base portion for cleaning and maintenance. When hermetically sealed together the two portions function to retain a high vacuum for an enclosed fry cooking system. Hermetic sealing locks at each end of the tunnel afford product entry and exit. The vacuum fryer does not require a separate enclosing pressure vessel.
摘要:
An oven for continuous cooking of products carried upon a open mesh wire conveyor provides the impingement of a cooking vapor from air discharge structure having ports arrayed above and below the conveyor. The discharge ports extend laterally of the conveyor and communicate with upper and lower plenums each charged by blower fans which draw cooking vapor from low pressure corridors alongside the product conveyor. Gas, electric or thermo fluid heaters are disposed in the corridors. The discharge ports are in slot form disposed about the apex of a Vee shaped riser spaced from the adjacent riser to provide a low pressure flow channel communicating with the corridors giving a rapid velocity change of the cooking vapor from turbulent to a less turbulent flow. The distance for vapor travel between the upper discharge ports and the product carrying conveyor is variable. Temperature and moisture content of the process vapor can be changed to suit cooking conditions.
摘要:
An oven with a box-like housing for efficient use of plant floor space encases a spiral food product carrying conveyor. A process vapor is circulated within the housing by "plug fans" with the inlet drawing vapor from the central axial zone of the spiral conveyor and exhausting into plenums along the periphery of the conveyor. The plenums have nozzles oriented tangentially to the conveyor for projecting the process vapor in a non-radial path over the food products.
摘要:
An oven and method for cooking solid foods. The oven comprises an elongated housing divided into tandem cooking zones each with separate cooking and heating chambers. Food products are carried on a vapor pervious conveyor through the cooking chambers as a distinct cooking process vapor is recirculated in each zone at different rates between the heating and cooking chambers. In one zone, the process vapor is circulated generally laterally of the conveyor over the food in a turbulent mode and then recirculated for reheating in a path parallel to the conveyor.