Round items of frozen confectionery and process of manufacture

Abstract

A round item of frozen confectionery having an even roundness and a shape generated by revolution but essentially lacking an apex, rough edges and forming tool marks, In particular, the frozen confectionery has the form of a ball similar in appearance to a ball made non-industrially with an ice-cream scoop. These items are manufactured by extrusion-forming of a confectionery in the cold state.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of the U.S. national stage designation of International application no. PCT / EP00 / 06448 filed Jul. 6, 2000, the content of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The invention relates to the field of simultaneous forming and proportioning of items consisting in forming and discharging in round-shaped portions a frozen confectionery having a pasty consistency. [0003] The problem which forms the basis of the invention is the large-scale mechanical manufacture of round, especially spherical, items of frozen confectionery, for example ice-cream, ice-milk or sorbet, which do not contain a final coating of, for example, a couverture chocolate coating. Thus, when there is no coating capable of masking slight defects in shape, the formed portions obtained should have an evenly contoured roundness, a homogeneous general appearance and resemble, if possible, the shape a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The process achieves frozen confectionery items with over 95% cohesion and a smooth, defect-free surface, enabling high-quality, uncoated products with even roundness and flexibility in shape, suitable for commercial sale.

Problems solved by technology

Preformed balls are not currently commercially available because attempts at forming these balls, e.g., by molding them in a two-part mold between two hemispherical cavities, have not provided the desired appearance, with the balls being too smooth at the surface and having a visible mold joint.

The balls provided by this device are not perfectly spherical.

As a result, the ball is deformed under the effect of its own weight during the extrusion and tends to collapse when it falls upon the flat surface of the conveyor belt, resulting in a flat base before it has been sufficiently cooled by the hardening tunnel.

These marks are masked when the product is then coated, but the deformation of the items and the marks which are apparent on its surface are perceived as major visual defects for “plain” items that are utilized without a coating.

Using such processes, it is effectively possible to improve the roundness of the products, but these processes are expensive and do not address the problem of the marks on the surfaces of the balls.

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