SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEASONED FOOD PRODUCTS

摘要

A system and apparatus for producing seasoned food products where seasoning is performed at individual packaging lines. The product is conveyed from the preparation area to a packaging area in an unseasoned condition. Upon reaching the packaging lines, which are disposed in packaging departments in the packaging area, the product can be selectively seasoned independent of other packaging lines. After seasoning, the product is packaged and prepared for delivery. At each packaging line, a volumetric feeder includes a feed head (48) that cooperates with a tumbler (50) having helical flights (52) to produce continuous controlled product portions. A seasoning dispenser (70) is positionable within the tumbler and can be adjusted to dispense a given weight of seasoning at a given rate, based upon the amount of product passing through the tumbler, to obtain consistent seasoning levels and coverage. The ability to produce separate product types at each packaging line yields superior plant scheduling flexibility due to more packaging possibilities than a system which delivers already seasoned product to the packaging lines.