Method and device for applying ingredients in food production

Abstract

A method and device for introducing a visible ingredient 7, 12 into the surface of a food present as a flowable mass, in particular a hot processed cheese 1, wherein the flowable mass of the food without the ingredient added is fed into the roller gap between a guide roller 2 and a calibration roller 3 disposed parallel thereto, and is shaped into a food strip having a defined thickness, wherein the food strip is sprinkled on one side with the ingredient 7 by way of a sprinkling device 5 downstream of the roller gap while lying on the guide roller 2, wherein the food strip 4, which has been sprinkled on one side, may be fed to a further roller gap, which is formed between the guide roller 2 and a pressure roller 8, wherein the ingredient 7 may be pressed into the surface via the pressure roller 8 and wherein the food strip is cut into individual slices, in particular after cooling.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A device suitable for introducing an ingredient onto the surface of hot process cheese present as a flowable mass comprising:
 (a) a guide roller;   (b) a first cooling belt supported on the guide roller;   (c) a calibration roller positioned above and parallel to the guide roller such that the calibration roller and the guide roller form a calibration gap between the calibration roller and the guide roller; and   (g) a first sprinkling device for sprinkling a sprinklable ingredient,   wherein the first sprinkling device is equipped with a first sprinkling outlet for dispensing a sprinklable ingredient from the first sprinkling device, wherein the first sprinkling outlet is capable of dispensing a sprinklable ingredient toward the guide roller adjacent to the calibration gap.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the first sprinkling outlet is directed at an upper quadrant of the guide roller. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the position of the first sprinkling outlet relative to the calibration roller is adjustable. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 11  further comprising:
 (h) a preshaping roller disposed above the calibration roller to form a preshaping gap between the preshaping roller and the calibration roller and 
 (i) a second sprinkling device equipped with a second sprinkling outlet for dispensing a sprinklable ingredient from the second sprinkling device, wherein the second sprinkling outlet is capable of dispensing a sprinklable ingredient toward the calibration roller between the calibration gap and the preshaping gap. 
 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the second sprinkling outlet is directed at an upper quadrant of the calibration roller. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the preshaping roller has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the calibration roller. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the position of the second sprinkling outlet relative to the calibration roller and the preshaping roller is adjustable. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the calibration roller is temperature-controlled. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the temperature of the calibration roller is adjustable. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the pre-shaping roller is temperature controlled. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the temperature of the preshaping roller is adjustable. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the calibration roller comprises a roller surface having a non-stick coating. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the first sprinkling device is capable of adjusting the rate at which an ingredient is discharged from the sprinkling outlet. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the second sprinkling device is capable of adjusting the rate at which an ingredient is discharged from the sprinkling outlet. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the first sprinkling device is capable of sprinkling a sprinklable ingredient over a full width of a flowable mass passing through the first gap. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the second sprinkling device is capable of sprinkling a sprinklable ingredient over a full width of a flowable mass passing through the second gap. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 11  further comprising:
 (a1) a pressure roller positioned parallel to the guide roller such that the pressure roller and the guide roller form a gap between the pressure roller and the guide roller and 
 (b1) a second cooling belt supported on the pressure roller. 
 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 14  further comprising:
 (a1) a pressure roller positioned parallel to the guide roller such that the pressure roller and the guide roller form a gap between the pressure roller and the guide roller and 
 (b1) a second cooling belt supported on the pressure roller.