Frozen food dispensing machine and method of operation

1. A frozen food dispensing machine comprising:

a refrigerated first zone including a product storage chamber;

a second zone operably connected to the first zone for flowing product from the first zone; and

a third zone configured to:

receive a flow of product from the second zone;

freeze the flow of product; and

dispense the flow of product;

the second zone including:

one or more product feed lines in flow communication with the first zone and the third zone;

a check valve disposed at the one or more product feed lines to prevent flow from the second zone into the first zone;

a pump downstream of the check valve to urge the flow of product from the first zone into the second zone; and

a sanitizer source and a sanitizer conduit extending therefrom, the sanitizer conduit intersecting the one or more product feed lines at or near the check valve and configured to flush the second zone with a flow of sanitizer from the sanitizer source via operation of the pump;

wherein the first zone, the second zone and the third zone are isolatable from each other.

2. The machine of claim 1 , further comprising a freezing cylinder valve disposed at the one or more product feed lines configured to isolate the second zone from the third zone.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the third zone and/or the second zone is configured to be heat treatable.

4. A method of operating a frozen food dispensing machine comprising:

urging a flow of product from a refrigerated first zone into a second zone via operation of a pump disposed in the second zone;

conveying the flow of product through the second zone and into a third zone via one or more product feed lines;

freezing the product in a freezing cylinder in the third zone;

dispensing the product from the third zone;

fluidly isolating the second zone from the first zone and the third zone; and

flushing the second zone with a flow of sanitizer from a sanitizer source and sanitizer conduit disposed in the second zone while the second zone is fluidly isolated from the first zone and the third zone via operation of the pump;

wherein the first zone, the second zone and the third zone are isolatable from each other, the first zone isolated from the second zone via a check valve disposed at the one or more product feed lines between the pump and the first zone.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

isolating the second zone from the third zone via a freezing cylinder valve disposed at the one or more product feed lines.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising flushing product from the second zone to waste.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising draining the sanitizer from the second zone to waste.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising priming the machine by flowing a flow of product from the first zone into the second zone.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising heat treating the third zone and/or the second zone.