Multi-orifice coextrusion method

A method of producing a center-filled food product with a coextrusion apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of tubes;
• a manifold including a chamber through which said plurality of tubes extend and a port for introduction of material into the chamber and around said plurality of tubes;
• a first spacer plate mounted on said manifold which comprises a plurality of spacer passages, each having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of each of said plurality of tubes, wherein one of said plurality of tubes is positioned within each of said plurality of spacer passages to form an annulus between each tube and its respective spacer passage;
• and
• a plurality of annulus sleeves extending between an entrance end and a discharge end with openings at each end, wherein said sleeves have a circumferentially variable wall thickness and are each rotatably positioned within one of the plurality of spacer passages and surrounding one of said plurality of tubes, said method comprising:
• extruding a first food material through each of said plurality of tubes and beyond its respective spacer passage;
• extruding a second food material through the manifold port, into the chamber, around said plurality of tubes, through the annuli, and beyond the spacer passages;
• and
• rotating each of said plurality of sleeves to a position where the annuli are configured to discharge the second food material coaxial with and in a circumferential uniform fashion around the first food material.

A method of producing a center-filled food product with a coextrusion apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of tubes;
• a manifold including a chamber through which said plurality of tubes extend and a port for introduction of material into the chamber and around said plurality of tubes;
• a first spacer plate mounted on said manifold which comprises a plurality of spacer passages, each having an inner diameter greater than the other diameter of each of said plurality of tubes, wherein one of said plurality of tubes is positioned within each of said plurality of spacer passages to form an outer annular opening about an inner opening between each tube and its respective spacer passage, wherein the outer annular openings and the inner annular openings converge to form a plurality of extrusion orifices and, wherein the outer annular openings are configured to maintain substantially uniform volumetric flow of material cross-sectionally across said extrusion orifices;
• and
• a die plate comprising a plurality of passages positioned to receive material discharged from each of the spacer passages of said first spacer plate and die inserts fitted into each of the die plate passages and being made of a material with a coefficient of friction below that of stainless steel, said method comprising:
• extruding a first food material through each of said plurality of tubes and beyond its respective spacer passage;
• extruding a second food material through the manifold port, into the chamber, around said plurality of tubes and through the outer annular openings, whereby the second food material flows coaxial with and around the first food material;
• passing the first and second food materials through the passages of said die plate;
• and
• slicing the first and second food materials discharged from said die plate.