	US 12,290,081 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 Feb. 27, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/588,443.
Application 18/588,443 is a continuation of application No. 17/943,468, filed on Sep. 13, 2022, granted, now 11,937,617.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/243,355, filed on Sep. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0196923 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
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 across a portion of the carrier sheet, with the coating material not being in a solid form;

delivering a soft and sticky material upon the web;

solidifying the coating material to form a solid web;

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

creating food pieces from the soft and sticky material;

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

enrobing the soft and sticky material of 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.