Food processing

Abstract

This invention relates to food processing and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing food to form a foodstuff incorporating a filling encased in an edible sheet material. The method includes forming a sandwich of layers of edible flexible sheet material having a stabilized filling placed therebetween, placing the sandwich in an evacuating chamber, withdrawing gas in the chamber surrounding the sandwich and thereafter introducing gas into the chamber again to compress the layers of edible sheet material against one another about the filling. Apparatus of the invention provides a tray for receiving the sandwich and a forming member one or both being movable relative to the other to force portions of the flexible sheet material between the filling against one another prior to the introducing of gas into the evacuated chamber. A method and apparatus for branding the foodstuff is also provided by the invention whereby a heated element is brought into contact with the foodstuff during formation to impart an imprint thereonto, the element being heated at least during contact with the foodstuff and until withdrawal to prevent the element sticking to the foodstuff.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.