IP Library Granted Patent US 12677860
Granted Patent B2
US 12677860 · App. 18/739,498 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Marbled foodstuff manufacturing system

Inventor: Xingjun James Chen (Richland, MI)
Assignee: KELLANOVA
A23P30/20A23J3/227A23J3/26A23P30/25
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12677860
App. No.
18/739,498
Filed
Jun 11, 2024
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3761
USPC
426/516
Abstract

A method for forming a marbled foodstuff (F M ) product includes the steps of extruding a first foodstuff (F 1 ) into a foodstuff conduit ( 26, 36 ) and injecting a second foodstuff (F 2 ) into the first foodstuff (F 1 ) within the foodstuff conduit ( 26, 36 ). The first foodstuff (F 1 ) includes water, red dye #3, natural smoke flavor, bacon flavor, soy isolate, wheat gluten, native tapioca starch, wheat protein texturizer, and megacell-80 texturizer, in combination with other elements. The second foodstuff (F 2 ) includes water, starch, egg whites, soy protein isolate, bacon flavor paste and bacon type flavor, and soy oil, in combination with other elements. The first foodstuff (F 1 ) and the second foodstuff (F 2 ) provided a non-homogenous, marbled appearance when the second foodstuff is injected into the first foodstuff to provide a vegetarian foodstuff having the appearance and flavor of natural bacon.

Claims (20)

1 . A foodstuff manufacturing system, comprising:

a first extrudable foodstuff conduit in fluid communication with an extrudable foodstuff source;

a second extrudable foodstuff conduit in fluid communication with the first extrudable foodstuff conduit, wherein the second extrudable foodstuff conduit is free of static and dynamic mixing elements;

an injectable foodstuff conduit including a distal end disposed within the second extrudable foodstuff conduit;

a foodstuff temperature controller;

a first temperature controlling device communicatively coupled to the foodstuff temperature controller and to the first extrudable foodstuff conduit; and

a second temperature controlling device communicatively coupled to the foodstuff temperature controller and to the second extrudable foodstuff conduit.

2 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein

the extrudable foodstuff source in communication with the first extrudable foodstuff conduit includes an extrudable foodstuff; and

the injectable foodstuff source in communication with the injectable foodstuff conduit includes an injectable foodstuff.

3 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 2 , wherein the extrudable foodstuff has a first color including a substantially red food coloring and the injectable foodstuff has a second color including a substantially white food coloring.

4 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 3 , further comprising a pump that injects the injectable foodstuff into the second extrudable foodstuff conduit with turbulence for forming a marbled foodstuff product with a marbled appearance.

5 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 3 , wherein the first temperature controlling device maintains the extrudable foodstuff at a first temperature when the extrudable foodstuff is within the first extrudable foodstuff conduit based on feedback from a first temperature sensor, wherein the second temperature controlling device maintains a combination of the extrudable foodstuff and the injectable foodstuff at a second temperature based on feedback from a second temperature sensor, the second temperature being less than the first temperature when the combination of the extrudable foodstuff and the injectable foodstuff is within the second extrudable foodstuff conduit.

6 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 5 , wherein the first temperature comprises a range from 240° F. to 250° F., wherein the first extrudable foodstuff conduit comprises a plurality of temperatures zones, each temperature zone heated to one or more zone temperatures in a range from 200° F. to 300° F. based on feedback from the first temperature sensor to gradually heat the extrudable foodstuff to the first temperature.

7 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 6 , wherein the second temperature comprises a range from 205° F. to 240° F.

8 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 6 , wherein the second temperature comprises a range from 205° F. to 250° F.

9 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein an extrudable foodstuff die is connected to, located at or positioned proximate to an output end of the first extrudable foodstuff conduit, wherein the extrudable foodstuff die is located downstream of and is in fluid communication with first extrudable foodstuff conduit.

10 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 9 , further comprising an extrudable foodstuff die extender having a body defining the second extrudable foodstuff conduit, wherein the second extrudable foodstuff conduit is in fluid communication with the extrudable foodstuff die of the first extrudable foodstuff conduit.

11 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 9 , wherein the second extrudable foodstuff conduit is defined by a first dimension, wherein the distal end of the injectable foodstuff conduit defines an injector opening disposed within the second extrudable foodstuff conduit, wherein the injector opening is defined by a second dimension that is less than the first dimension.

12 . The foodstuff manufacturing system of claim 11 , wherein the injector opening is an elongate opening formed along an axial portion of the injectable foodstuff conduit.