Lyco Manufacturing, Inc.

Steven W Hughes

David R Zittel

Daniel D Maupin

A method and rotary blancher for processing food product using a heat transfer medium and directed flows of a fluid that can comprise a liquid, a gas, a vapor or a combination thereof. The directed flows can be discharged from orifices or banks of orifices that are distributed around the food products in the blancher. The flows are discharged at a high flow rate, a high pressure, or a combination of both. Where a liquid is discharged, it preferably is discharged at a flow rate of at least 20 gpm and at least 30 psi. Where a gas is discharged, it is discharged at a flow rate of at least 60 CFM at a pressure of at least 2 psi or at a flow rate of at least 10 CFM at a pressure of at least 80 psi. If desired, discharged fluid can be recirculated to save energy. To help increase agitation and help break up clumps of food products in the blancher, direct-contact mechanical agitation devices, such as baffles, can be used. Such a blancher and method can be used to process food product by blanching, cooking and pasteurizing, is suited for processing relatively heavy food products having a density of at least 55 lbs/ftusing discharged liquid and gas, and is suited for processing food products having a lesser density using only discharged gas.

Rotary blancher for processing food product

A food processing apparatus includes a tank having an inlet end and a discharge end and at least one baffle divides the tank into a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein a temperature of the first compartment is greater than a temperature of the second compartment. A first drum is rotatably mounted within the first compartment of the tank such that a heat transfer medium contained in the first compartment of the tank will enter the first drum and a second drum is rotatably mounted within the second compartment of the tank such that a cool transfer medium contained in the second compartment of the tank will enter the second drum. A food product transfer device transfers food product from the first drum to the second drum. The food product transfer device defines a passageway having a first portion at least partially disposed in the first drum and a second portion at least partially disposed in the second drum, wherein the second portion is positioned to prevent the heat transfer medium from flowing from the first drum to the second drum through the food product transfer device.

Rotary cooker and cooler with improved product transfer mechanism

Method for processing food product

A method and rotary blancher for processing food product using a heat transfer medium and directed flows of a fluid that can comprise a liquid, a gas, a vapor or a combination thereof. The directed flows can be discharged from orifices or banks of orifices that are distributed around the food products in the blancher. The flows are discharged at a high flow rate, a high pressure, or a combination of both. Where a liquid is discharged, it preferably is discharged at a flow rate of at least 20 gpm and at least 30 psi. Where a gas is discharged, it is discharged at a flow rate of at least 60 CFM at a pressure of at least 2 psi or at a flow rate of at least 10 CFM at a pressure of at least 80 psi. If desired, discharged fluid can be recirculated to save energy. To help increase agitation and help break up clumps of food products in the blancher, direct-contact mechanical agitation devices, such as baffles, can be used. Such a blancher and method can be used to process food product by blanching, cooking and pasteurizing, is suited for processing relatively heavy food products having a density of at least 55 lbs/ft,using discharged liquid and gas, and is suited for processing food products having a lesser density using only discharged gas.

A rotary blancher that is substantially sealed during operation to increase food product heating speed and efficiency. The blancher has a sealed housing, a novel substantially sealed food product inlet, and a novel substantially sealed food product outlet. A heat transfer medium, such as water or only steam, is introduced into the blancher to heat the food product inside the blancher. During operation, food products are substantially continuously introduced into the blancher through the food product inlet, processed by the blancher, and thereafter discharged from the blancher through the food product outlet. As a result, a greater amount of food products can be more quickly heated to a desired temperature using a blancher of this invention as compared to a blancher that is not sealed.

Rotary drum blancher for cooking food

A food processing apparatus is disclosed that has a tank with an inlet end and an outlet end. The apparatus has at least two rotary drums received within an interior chamber of the tank, each communicating with the inlet end for urging a food product from the inlet end simultaneously through the drums to the outlet end. A liquid is held at a desired level within the interior chamber. Each of the rotary drums is submerged in the liquid to a predetermined depth. The food processor of the present invention is particularly well suited for increasing the food product volume capacity for particular foods which can only be passed through the drums at a relatively low product level within each drum.

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Beaver Dam, WI, United States of America

Steven W Hughes