Frito-lay, Inc.

Ramon Cantu

David P Fowler

John Edwin Baker

Daniel A Asquino

A steam venting extruder feeder is provided for gravity feeding of flowable solid materials into a food extruder downstream of the first normal first zone feed port. The steam venting extruder feeder feeds the material down a tube while simultaneously venting steam from within the extruder around the periphery of the feed tube inside an outer tube in which compressed air is forced to assist in the flow of steam and pulls air in with the feed material preventing steam condensation and build-up in the feed tube.

Steam venting extruder feeder

A method and apparatus for monolayering sliced wafer-like articles such as fruit or vegetable slices to enhance further product processing. The apparatus includes a slice catcher in cooperative relationship with a centrifugal slicer such that discharged product slices impinge onto the slice catcher inner surface and are captured by a flow of liquid passing over the slice catcher inner surface. The slices are controllably separated, conveyed and deposited in monolayered fashion on a conveyor for subsequent processing.

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Dallas, TX, United States of America

Ramon Cantu