Casingless food production methods, systems, and associated wrappable coverings

Abstract

Systems, methods, and associated devices for casingless production of food products include: (a) moving at least one flexible cover member having a predetermined length with primary surface and opposing lateral edge portions along a predetermined travel path; (b) introducing a flowable food emulsion onto the primary surface of the flexible cover member; (c) wrapping the at least one flexible cover member about the food emulsion during the moving step; (d) advancing the wrapped emulsion into at least one forming tube having sufficient structural rigidity to be substantially non-deformable and having a preformed internal cavity space of predetermined size and shape; and (e) exposing the wrapped emulsion to predetermined processing conditions that convert the flowable emulsion to a non-flowable food product having substantially the molded shape of the forming tube as the wrapped emulsion advances through the at least one forming tube.

1 . A food production system, comprising: 
 at least one flexible wrappable member having opposing first and second lateral edges and a primary surface, the flexible wrappable member arranged to extend axially in a predetermined endless travel path, wherein, the first and second lateral edges are configured such that, in operation, they have a first spaced apart configuration and a second configuration, with the lateral edges being positioned closer to one another in the second configuration, and wherein, when in the second configuration, the at least one flexible wrappable member defines a perimeter with an internal cavity gap space;    at least one forming tube having sufficient structural rigidity to define a preformed cavity space with a predetermined configuration, the at least one forming tube having opposing ingress and egress portions;    a flowable food emulsion source that is configured to introduce emulsion onto the wrappable member proximate to the at least one forming tube so that the emulsion resides in the internal cavity space of the second configuration;    a transport system that is configured to move the wrappable member so that the wrappable member substantially continuously travels, in serial order, to a first location that is in fluid communication with the food emulsion source, through said at least one forming tube, and back to the first location; and    a processing region having a thermal energy source operably associated with the predetermined travel path so that, in operation, the processing region exposes the emulsion in the wrappable member in the forming tube to a predetermined thermal processing condition as the wrappable member travels along a portion of the endless travel path to convert emulsion held in the at least one forming tube to a non-flowable food product having substantially the molded shape of the forming tube cavity.    
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein, in operation, the flowable food emulsion source is configured to substantially continuously introduce emulsion onto the wrappable member at the first location.  
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein, in operation, the flowable food emulsion source is configured to introduce the emulsion at desired intervals onto the wrappable member at the first location.  
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second configuration perimeter is a closed perimeter that encases the internal cavity space and holds the flowable emulsion therein downstream of the first location and in the forming tube.  
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 4 , wherein, in the second configuration, one of the respective lateral edge portions overlaps the other.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 4 , wherein, in the second configuration, the lateral edges abut to define a seam region.  
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising wrapping means disposed upstream of the at least one forming tube, the wrapping means configured to wrap the wrappable member into a desired configuration.  
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wrappable member is a single member having having a width that is sufficient to define a closed perimeter with the opposing lateral edges positioned proximate to each other to define an encased internal cavity gap space.  
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein the wrappable member has a substantially planar configuration during a major portion of the predetermined travel path, and wherein the second configuration is substantially cylindrical with the opposing lateral edge portions moved both upward and inward so that the lateral edge portions reside proximate to each other.  
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein the wrappable member has a third emulsion filled configuration that is different from the second configuration, and wherein, in operation, the third configuration is generated when the emulsion is held in the wrappable member in the forming tube so that the flexible members expand outwardly to contact and take the shape of the forming tube.  
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wrappable member has a primary surface that has a pre-formed concave configuration.  
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible cover member is a plurality of cover members, and wherein the transport system is configured to move the plurality of cover members in concert and direct them to meet proximate the forming tube to define the second configuration perimeter with the internal cavity gap space.  
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein the second configuration perimeter shape of the wrappable member is held spaced apart from the forming tube, wherein the flexible wrapping members have a third configuration, the third configuration having a larger cross-sectional area than the second configuration, and wherein, in operation, the third configuration is an outwardly expanded configuration wherein the flexible wrappable member expands outwardly to contact and take substantially the shape of the forming tube.  
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the transport system and at least one wrappable cover member are configured so that the wrappable member lateral edge portions releasably attach at a first location and then automatically separate at a second downstream location to release the non-flowable food product.  
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the transport system is arranged to move the at least one wrappable member in a substantially vertical orientation along a major portion of the predetermined travel path.  
   
   
       16 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the transport system is arranged to move the at least one wrappable member in a substantially horizontal orientation along a major portion of the predetermined travel path.  
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system defines a food travel path that is a subset of the wrappable member endless travel path and extends between spaced apart first and second locations along the endless travel path, and wherein the at least one wrappable member is configured to serially travel so that: (a) the opposing lateral edge portions come together to define a closed perimeter with a gap space internal cavity at the first location, (b) the opposing lateral edge portions remain together with the closed perimeter intact through the forming tube encasing the emulsion, (c) the opposing lateral edge portions separate at a second location downstream of the first location to define an open perimeter exposing the non-flowable food product, and then (d) the spaced apart lateral edge portions travel for a second portion of the endless travel path to return to the first location, the first location of the food travel path being proximate the food emulsion source.  
   
   
       18 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second flexible wrappable member having opposing first and second lateral edges and a primary surface, the flexible wrappable member arranged to extend axially in a predetermined second endless travel path that is spaced apart from the first endless travel path of the first wrappable member, wherein, in operation, the first and second lateral edges thereof are configured to have a first spaced apart configuration and a second configuration with the lateral edges positioned closer one another in the second configuration, and wherein, when in the second configuration, the at least one flexible wrappable member defines a perimeter with an internal cavity gap space;    a second forming tube having sufficient structural rigidity to define a preformed cavity space with a predetermined configuration, the second forming tube having opposing ingress and egress portions;    a second flowable food emulsion source that is configured to introduce emulsion onto the second wrappable member proximate to the second forming tube so that the emulsion resides in the internal cavity space of the second wrappable member in the second configuration;    a second transport system that is configured to move the second wrappable member so that the second wrappable member substantially continuously travels, in serial order, to a first location that is in fluid communication with the second food emulsion source, through said second at least one forming tube, and back to the first location; and    wherein the second predetermined travel path extends through the processing region so that, in operation, the processing region concurrently exposes the emulsion in the first and second wrappable members in the respective forming tubes to a predetermined thermal processing condition to convert the emulsion to a non-flowable food product having substantially the molded shape of the forming tube cavity.    
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary surface of the wrappable member comprises raised and/or deformed regions formed thereon, the regions corresponding to surface indicia or texture pattern that applied to the outer surface of the food product.  
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the surface indicia pattern is alphanumeric.  
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the surface indicia pattern is in the shape of a logo design.  
   
   
       22 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming tube is configured with a non-circular cross-sectional profile.  
   
   
       23 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing region thermal source comprises an oven for heating the emulsion in the forming tubes for predetermined times and temperatures as the emulsion travels enclosed in the wrappable member therein.  
   
   
       24 . A system according to  claim 23 , wherein the oven is configured to generate sufficient energy and the respective shell residence time therein is such that the internal temperature of the shell enclosed emulsion rises to at least about  150  degrees F.  
   
   
       25 . A system according to  claim 23 , wherein the processing region further comprises a cooler that cools the emulsion in the shells for a predetermined time.  
   
   
       26 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing region thermal source comprises a microwave energy source that is configured to direct microwave energy at the emulsion for a predetermined time and energy level.  
   
   
       27 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing region thermal source comprises an RF energy source that is configured to direct RF energy at the emulsion for a predetermined time and energy level.  
   
   
       28 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrappable member is configured to advance along the endless path at about least about 1 fps.  
   
   
       29 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the emulsion source is configured to introduce the flowable emulsion with sufficient pressure to cause the emulsion to substantially fill the volume of the cavity of the second configuration of the wrappable member and/or the at least one forming tube.  
   
   
       30 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flowable emulsion is formulated and the forming tube is configured to produce a shaped burger product.  
   
   
       31 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flowable emulsion comprises at least one meat, meat analog, or meat derivative.  
   
   
       32 . A system according to  claim 31 , wherein the emulsion comprises at least one of pork, beef, veal, and/or poultry.  
   
   
       33 . A system according to  claim 32 , wherein the emulsion comprises ground pork, ground beef and ground veal.  
   
   
       34 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the emulsion is configured with ingredients to provide hot dogs as the resultant food product.  
   
   
       35 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the emulsion is configured with ingredients to provide sausages as the resultant food product.  
   
   
       36 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein, in operation, an outer layer of simulated skin having an increased density relative to the underlying food material is formed onto the food product based on processing conditions generated in the processing region.  
   
   
       37 . A system according to  claim 36 , wherein the skin layer is generated by at least one of the residence time of the at least one forming tube in the processing region, the type of processing energy employed in the processing region, the energy level generated in the processing region, and the temperature that the outer region of the emulsion is exposed to while in the wrappable member in the forming tube.  
   
   
       38 . An apparatus for producing food products, comprising: 
 means for moving at least one flexible cover member having a predetermined length with primary surface and opposing lateral edge portions along a predetermined travel path;    means for introducing a flowable food emulsion onto the primary surface of the flexible cover member;    means for wrapping the at least one flexible cover member about the food emulsion during the moving step;    means for providing at least one forming tube having sufficient structural rigidity to be substantially non-deformable and having a preformed internal cavity space of predetermined size and shape; and    means for exposing the wrapped emulsion to predetermined processing conditions that convert the flowable emulsion to a non-flowable food product having substantially the molded shape of the forming tube as the wrapped emulsion advances through the at least one forming tube.    
   
   
       39 . An apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the predetermined travel path is an endless travel path.  
   
   
       40 . An apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the cover member is substantially continuously moved along the endless travel path.  
   
   
       41 . An apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the at least one flexible cover member is a single cover member having a width that is sufficient to define a perimeter with the opposing lateral edges positioned proximate to each other and an internal cavity gap space.  
   
   
       42 . An apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the at least one flexible cover member is a plurality of cover members that move in concert and meet proximate the forming tube to define a perimeter with an associated internal cavity gap space, and wherein the step of wrapping comprises directing the plurality of cover members to meet to define a perimeter with opposing lateral edges of each cover member disposed proximate to the opposing lateral edge of a different cover member.  
   
   
       43 . An apparatus according to  claim 3   8 , wherein the emulsion o comprises at least one type of meat, meat analog, or meat derivative.  
   
   
       44 . An apparatus according to  claim 3   8 , wherein the emulsion comprises at least one of pork, beef, lamb, veal, and poultry and/or analogs or derivatives thereof.