An automatic device for producing a cooled semi-liquid food product, such as soft-ice, milk-shake or yoghurt, from a starting composition comprising:
- a first pump having an inlet and an outlet;
- a reservoir housing the starting composition for the cooled semi-liquid food product;
- a suction conduit having first and second ends, the first end of said suction conduit being connected to the inlet of said first pump, the second end of said suction conduit incorporating a first connection piece for selectively interconnecting said suction conduit with said reservoir;
- a pressure conduit having a first end connected to the outlet of said pump and a second end defining a draught end for the cooled semi-liquid food product;
- a cooling element arranged in said pressure conduit between the first and second ends thereof, said cooling element incorporating a cooling part that constitutes an evaporator of a cooling circuit;
- a shunt conduit having a first end connected to said suction conduit between said first pump and said reservoir and a second end connected to said pressure conduit between said first pump and said cooling element;
- and
- a cleaning device including a cleaning conduit having first and second ends, the first end of said cleaning conduit being provided with a second connection piece and the second end of said cleaning conduit being provided with a third connection piece, said second connection piece being adapted to selectively interconnect the cleaning conduit to the second end of said pressure conduit and the third connection piece being adapted to selectively interconnect the cleaning conduit to said suction conduit, said cleaning device further including a drain conduit provided between the first and second ends of said cleaning conduit, a second pump, having a higher output capacity than said first pump, mounted along said cleaning conduit, means for selectively closing said drain conduit, liquid supply means incorporating a supply conduit adapted to receive a supply of cleaning liquid, means for fluidly interconnecting said supply conduit and said cleaning conduit, and means for blocking the supply of cleaning liquid to said cleaning conduit through said supply conduit, wherein said cleaning device is isolated from the remainder of said automatic device when the suction conduit is fluidly interconnected with the reservoir through the first connection piece such that said automatic device can be used to produce a cooled semi-liquid food product and, when said automatic device is to be cleaned, the cleaning conduit is fluidly interconnected with the suction conduit through the first and third connection pieces and the second end of said pressure conduit is fluidly interconnected with the cleaning conduit through the second connection piece so that cleaning liquid can be passed through the supply conduit, the cleaning conduit, the suction conduit, the shunt conduit, the pressure conduit and the drain conduit.