# US 2016/0249648 A1 · Oil Removal From Food Surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0249648 A1 - Document ID: US20160249648A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/032,973 - Filed: 2013-11-01 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-01 - Assignees: General Mills, Inc. - Applicants: General Mills, Inc. - Inventors: Dan Hunzeker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160249648A1 ## CPC - A23L 5/20: Removal of unwanted matter, e.g. deodorisation or detoxification - A23L 5/30: Physical treatment, e.g. electrical or magnetic means, wave energy or irradiation (cooking A23L5/10) - A23L 7/13: Snacks or the like obtained by oil frying of a formed cereal dough - A23L 19/18: Roasted or fried products, e.g. snacks or chips - A23L 33/20: Reducing nutritive value; Dietetic products with reduced nutritive value - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract A method and apparatus for oil removal from food surfaces is disclosed. An air flow chamber directs air flow around a food product surface and contains the removed oil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of removing oil from a food surface comprising: placing a food article within an air flow chamber, the air flow chamber having an inlet air expansion zone and an opposing outlet air contraction zone and the food article is within a product zone separating the inlet air expansion zone and the opposing outlet air contraction zone; flowing air from the inlet air expansion zone to the opposing outlet air contraction zone to form an air flow, the product zone having a pressure being less than or equal to ambient pressure outside the air flow chamber; and removing oil from the food surface with the air flow. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the air flow is laminar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the placing step comprises conveying the food article through the air flow chamber in a direction orthogonal to the air flow. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the air flow chamber comprises a conveyor inlet opening and a conveyor outlet opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the placing step comprises vibrating the food article. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the food article is a taco shell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the air flow is at least 10 meters/sec. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the air flow is at least 100 degrees centigrade. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the air flow is recycled in a closed loop system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the flowing step comprises diverting the air flow from a portion of the food surface with an air flow diverter element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the food surface comprises a taco shell having a central spline portion and opposing wing portion extending from the central spline portion, and the air flow diverter diverts air flow away from the central spline. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the air flow in the product zone has a Reynolds number of 1000 or less. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing oil from the air flow downstream from the product zone. ### Claim 14 An apparatus for removing oil from a food surface comprising: an air flow chamber, the air flow chamber having an inlet air expansion zone and an opposing outlet air contraction zone and a product zone separating the inlet air expansion zone and the opposing outlet air contraction zone, the air flow chamber is configured to provide laminar air flow within the product zone; a food product conveyor for moving food product through the product zone in a direction orthogonal to an air flow direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an air flow diverter element disposed upstream of the food product conveyor, wherein the air flow diverter element diverts air flow around a portion of a food surface being conveyed on the food product conveyor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the outlet air contraction zone is fluidly connected to the inlet air expansion zone and forming a closed loop air flow system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an oil recovery unit downstream of the outlet air contraction zone, the oil recovery unit removing oil from the air flow. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the air pressure in the product zone is equal to or less than ambient pressure outside the air flow chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the product zone is defined by opposing side walls and opposing open ends that are perpendicular to the opposing side walls, the opposing open ends include a conveyor inlet opening and a conveyor outlet opening. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an air flow generator in fluid connection with the air flow chamber, the air flow generator provides air flow to the air flow chamber at a rate of at least 10 meters/sec and the air flow chamber is configured to provide air flow in the product zone having a Reynolds number of 2000 or less.