General Mills, Inc.

Michael A Nemirow

Karl T Ulrich

John M Dubowik

Jon M Dubowik

An apparatus (10) utilizing the present methods for fabricating dual textured food pieces is disclosed. Specifically, cavities (20) are formed in and defined by the inner surfaces (26) of first and second, circular plates (22,24). The cavities (20) are moved along a circuitous path by rotation of the plates (22,24). During the first portion of the circuitous path, the plates (22,24) abut and are pressed together by being sandwiched between a movable jaw (54) and a stationary jaw (52) and by rollers (38) rolling on the outer surfaces (28) of the plates (22,24). Two adjacent cavities (20) are simultaneously filled by a food injection manifold (42) with first and second food materials which are metered through pumps (72,74) each having two inlets (76,78) and two outlets (80,82). After being filled, the cavities (20) are cooled by an air manifold (44). During the second portion of the circuitous path, the plates (22,24) are separated by a wedge (40) which flexes the second plate (24) away from the first plate (22). The food pieces are allowed to fall by gravity between the separated plates (22,24), with any remaining food pieces being blown out of the cavities (20) by a piccolo tube (48). In the preferred form, the bottom of the cavities (20) are initially filled by the first food material, then the first food material is coextruded with a second food material, with the first food material encircling the second food material, and the first food material is finally extruded to fill the top of the cavities (20). The resulting dual textured food piece includes a hard outer shell portion and a softer inner core portion.

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Lancaster, MA, United States of America

Michael A Nemirow