	US 11,937,617 B2
	System and method for coating soft and sticky food cores
James Andrew Moss, Trenton (CA); and Sorin Stingaciu, Richmond Hill (CA)
Assigned to General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/943,468.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/243,355, filed on Sep. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0083723 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. A23G 3/54 (2006.01); A23G 3/34 (2006.01); A23G 3/46 (2006.01)

CPC A23G 3/54 (2013.01) [A23G 3/0023 (2013.01); A23G 3/0091 (2013.01); A23G 3/343 (2013.01); A23G 3/46 (2013.01)]

20 Claims

1. A method of producing coated food products comprising:

applying a carrier sheet upon a first conveyor unit;

dispensing a web of coating material laterally across a portion of the carrier sheet, with the coating material being in liquid form;

delivering a plurality of laterally spaced ropes upon the web, with the ropes being made of a soft and sticky material;

solidifying the coating material to form a solid web;

transferring the soft and sticky material upon the carrier sheet and solid web onto a second conveyor unit;

cutting the plurality of laterally spaced ropes into food pieces;

removing the carrier sheet from beneath the solid web;

transferring the soft and sticky material upon the solid web, without the carrier sheet, onto a third conveyor unit; and

enrobing the food pieces while removing portions of the solid web between the food pieces in forming the coated food products having cores of the soft and sticky material.