IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS PRODUCING A CURLY PUFF EXTRUDATE

• Main Authors: BORTONE EUGENIO, SUTARIA DEVANG JITENDRA, ORR DANIEL EUGENE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.06.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY ASINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The present invention utilizes a containment tube (30) to facilitate production of a curly puff extrudate (20) and a blade (40) to nick the extrudate (16) as it exists a die. A gap is provided between the tube and an extruder die (12) to allow a blade (40) access to the extrudate (16) as it exits an orifice (14) in the die (12). The blade (40) accesses the extrudate (16) while it is in a viscous melt, before the extrudate (16) has cooled and hardened. The blade (40) nicks the extrudate (16), as opposed to completely cutting it, thereby allowing the extrudate (16) to remain connected throughout processing such as curling in the containment tube (30). The gap also allows steam to be vented form the extrudate (16) as it exits the orifice (14) in the die (12). The curly puff extrudate (20) separates when fried or baked.