Apparatus for continuous manufacture of multi-colored and/or multi-flavored food product

An apparatus for manufacturing a food product having a plurality of sections having different characteristics, said apparatus comprising:

• a platform moving in a predetermined direction;
• a first nozzle adjacent to said platform, for extruding a first stream of a first liquid food product having a first characteristic onto said platform, said first stream being extruded in a direction generally in the same said direction of the movement of said platform;
• said first stream having a height and a width with respect to said platform, and said first nozzle being constructed and positionable relative to said platform so as to cause said first stream, under the influence of gravity, to spread out under the force of gravity such that said height decreases and said width increases;
• a second nozzle adjacent to said first nozzle and to said platform, for extruding a second stream of a second liquid food product having a second characteristic on to said platform adjacent to said first stream, said second stream being extruded in a direction generally in the same said direction of the movement of said platform, said second stream having a height and a width with respect to said platform, and said second nozzle being constructed and positionable relative to said platform and relative to said first nozzle so as to cause said second stream, under the influence of gravity to spread out such that said height decreases and said width increases;
• and
• a stream joiner constructed and disposed relative to said platform and said first and second nozzles for abutting said increasing width of said first stream with said increasing width of said second stream to form a single product stream, a first viscosity of said first stream and a second viscosity of said second stream inhibiting substantial mixing of said first stream with said second stream when abutted by said stream joiner.

An improved chill roll single-slice packaging apparatus for manufacturing cheese slices having a plurality of sections having different characteristics, said chill roll apparatus of the type having a rotating cylindrical roll, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a first nozzle adjacent to said roll, for extruding a first stream of a first liquid cheese product having a first characteristic onto said roll, said first stream having a height and a width with respect to said roll, said first nozzle and said roll being relatively disposed such that said first stream spreads out on said roll and such that said height decreases and said width increases as said roll rotates;
• and
• a second nozzle adjacent to said first nozzle and to said roll, for extruding a second stream of a second liquid cheese product having a second characteristic onto said roll adjacent to said first stream, said second stream having a height and a width with respect to said roll, said second nozzle, said first nozzle and said roll being relatively disposed such that said second stream spreads out on such roll and such that said height decreases and said width increases, and such that said increasing width of said first stream abuts said increasing width of said second stream as said roll rotates, a first viscosity of said first stream and a second viscosity of said second stream inhibiting substantial mixing of said first stream with said second, when abutted.