Device for extracting zest from a fruit, and related extraction methods

Abstract

A device for extracting zest from a fruit includes a body, a carrier coupled to the body, and a blade coupled to the body. The carrier moves the fruit relative to the blade and holds the fruit as the blade separates a portion of the flavedo from the pith of the fruit's peel to extract zest from the fruit. The device also includes an arm that urges the blade against the fruit's peel to generate contact pressure as the carrier moves the fruit relative to the blade, and that allows the blade to move toward and away from the carrier to accommodate the contour of the fruit's peel, which is often curved. The blade includes a plurality of teeth, each configured to cut a portion of the fruit's flavedo from the fruit's pith without separating the pith from the berry. To allow one to extract flavedo in any desired form, such as small and short shavings, or thicker and longer chips, or still longer strings, the blade and carrier are releasably coupled to the body, and the amount of force that the arm exerts on the blade to urge the blade against the fruit's peel is adjustable.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.