U.S. patent application number 16/367285 was filed with the patent office on 2019-09-05 for frying system and method.
The applicant listed for this patent is N.F.T. Food Ltd.. Invention is credited to Itzak Gvili.
Application Number | 20190269276 16/367285 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34977114 |
Filed Date | 2019-09-05 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190269276 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gvili; Itzak |
September 5, 2019 |
FRYING SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
A system and method is disclosed for frying one or more food
items. A cooking oil delivery system (6) delivers cooking oil to
the tank (2) so as to completely fill the tank with cooking oil.
The method of the invention comprises inserting one or more food
items into the frying tank (2) and delivering cooking oil to the
tank so as to completely fill the tank, and then frying the food
items.
Inventors: |
Gvili; Itzak; (Netanya,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
N.F.T. Food Ltd. |
Zoran-Kadima |
|
IL |
|
|
Family ID: |
34977114 |
Appl. No.: |
16/367285 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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15393275 |
Dec 29, 2016 |
10285539 |
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16367285 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 37/1233 20130101;
A47J 37/12 20130101; A47J 37/1223 20130101; A47J 37/1266
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47J 37/12 20060101
A47J037/12 |
Claims
1. A system for frying one or more food items, comprising: (a) a
frying tank having an interior chamber configured to receive the
one or more food items, the frying tank including a heater for
heating cooking oil; and (b) a cooking oil delivery system
comprising: a vat including a substantially hollow inner chamber
for holding cooking oil, and a pump, the pump being operable to
deliver cooking oil from the vat to the interior chamber of the
frying tank in an amount that equals or exceeds the drainage of
cooking oil from the interior chamber or the cooking oil that is
removed from the interior chamber during the cooking process so as
to raise the cooking oil level to continuously maintain a desired
cooking oil level in the interior chamber of the frying tank.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of commonly owned
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/393,275, entitled: Frying
System and Method, filed on Dec. 29, 2016, now U.S. patent Ser. No.
______, which is a continuation of commonly owned U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/100,261, entitled: Frying System and
Method, filed on Dec. 9, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,554,672, which
is a continuation of commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 11/628,042, entitled: Frying System and Method, filed on Nov.
30, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,627,762, which is a U.S. National
Phase Entry application under 35 USC .sctn. 371 of
PCT/IL2005/000565, entitled: Frying System and Method, filed on
Jun. 1, 2005. The disclosures of all of the aforementioned patent
applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety
herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to methods and systems for
cooking, and more specifically to such methods and systems for
frying.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Conventional frying processes are carried out with heated
cooking oil, in which food items are immersed, exposed to air. This
results in deterioration of the quality and appearance of the oil
due to constant oxidation of the oil by air. The quality of the
fried food may be spoiled by partially oxidized oil, and
consumption of the fried food can pose a health hazard.
[0004] During the frying process, oil penetrates into the food
items being fried. After the food items are removed from the oil,
oil adhered to the surface of the fried items may be removed by
shaking or centrifugation, or by subjecting the items to a hot
air-jet. Removing cooking oil from the surface of the food items,
however, leaves substantial amounts of oil in the interior of the
food items. The oil present in the food items adds to the caloric
content of the food items.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,406 to Chiu discloses a system for
frying food in a frying tank that is partially filled with hot oil.
Food items are introduced into the frying tank above the oil. The
frying tank is then hermetically sealed and air in the frying tank
is removed to create a vacuum over the oil of about 60 torrs. The
food items are then immersed in the hot oil. The frying oil is
circulated in a closed system which maintains the temperature of
the oil and filters the oil. After frying the fried food items are
removed from the oil and shaken in the vacuum for deoiling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In its first aspect, the present invention provides a method
for frying food items with reduced oxidation of the cooking oil. In
accordance with this aspect of the invention, food items are fried
by hot cooking oil in a closed frying tank that is completely
filled with oil and does not contain any air during the frying.
[0007] In its second aspect, the invention provides a method for
deoiling fried food items. In accordance with this aspect of the
invention, food items that were fried at a first pressure are
subjected to a second pressure that is lower than the first
pressure. For example, food items that were fried at atmospheric
pressure may be inserted into a vacuum chamber and subjected to a
vacuum that is lower than atmospheric pressure. Subjecting the
fried food items to a pressure that is less than the frying
pressure causes cooking oil in the interior of the of the items to
be leeched out.
[0008] In its third aspect, the invention provides a system for
frying food. The system includes a frying tank into which food to
be fried are inserted. The frying tank is then hermetically sealed
and pre-heated cooking oil is then delivered from an oil vat to the
frying tank so as to expel all air from the frying tank and
completely fill the frying tank with oil. After the interior
chamber has been completely filled with oil, oil continues to
circulate between the vat and the frying tank. The food items are
preferably tossed during filling of the frying tank and during the
subsequent frying. The food items are exposed to the hot
circulating cooking oil for an amount of time necessary to
satisfactorily fry the food items. When frying of the food items is
completed, oil in the frying tank is removed. The fried food items
are then removed from the frying tank. In a preferred embodiment,
the cooking oil is confined to a close system after the frying tank
has been filled with oil, so as to avoid exposure of the oil to air
so as to prevent oxidation of the cooking oil and to prevent
release of oil vapors and cooking odors into the air.
[0009] In its fourth aspect, the invention provides a system for
frying food items and for deoiling food items after the frying. The
system comprises a frying tank and a vacuum chamber. The frying
tank may be an open frying tank in which case the food items to be
fried are exposed to the atmosphere) during frying. Alternatively,
the frying tank may be hermitically sealed during frying, in which
case the frying is configured to be completely filled with cooking
oil. The vacuum chamber includes a suction port from which air in
the interior chamber of the vacuum chamber may be evacuated. The
system preferably includes a vacuum pump and a hose or pipe
connecting the vacuum pump to the suction port for evacuating the
interior chamber of the frying tank. In a preferred embodiment, the
frying tank also serves as the vacuum chamber.
[0010] Thus, in its first aspect, the invention provides a system
for frying one or more food items, comprising:
[0011] (a) a frying tank having an internal chamber configured to
receive the one or more food items the frying tank having an open
state in which the one or more food items may be introduced into
the interior chamber or removed from the interior chamber, and a
closed state in which the interior chamber is hermetically sealed;
and
[0012] (b) a cooking oil delivery system configured to deliver
cooking oil to the interior chamber so as to completely fill the
interior chamber with cooking oil.
[0013] In its second aspect, the invention provides a method for
frying one or more food items, comprising:
[0014] (a) Inserting the one or more food items into a frying tank
having an internal chamber configured to receive the one or more
food items, the frying tank having an open state in which the one
or more food items may be introduced into the interior chamber or
removed from the interior chamber, and a closed state in which the
interior chamber is hermetically sealed;
[0015] (b) delivering cooking oil to the interior chamber so as to
completely fill the interior chamber with cooking oil; and
[0016] (c) frying the one or more food items.
[0017] In its third aspect, the invention provides a method for
deoiling food items fried at a first pressure comprising subjecting
the fried food items to a second pressure that is less than the
first pressure.
[0018] In its fourth aspect, the invention provides a system for
frying food items comprising a frying tank and a vacuum
chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may
be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be
described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a frying system in accordance with one
embodiment of the invention; and
[0021] FIG. 2 shows the frying tank of the system of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a frying system in accordance with another
embodiment of the invention in which oil is delivered and removed
from the frying tank by the same pipe; and
[0023] FIG. 4 shows a frying system in accordance with another
embodiment of the invention having an open frying tank.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a frying system 1 in accordance with one
embodiment of the invention. The system 1 includes a frying tank 2
into which food to be fried is inserted. The system also includes a
vat 3 for heating cooking oil 4 by means of a heating element 5
inside the vat 3. The oil is preferably heated to around
130-180.degree. C. The vat 3 may be supported by legs 16. Oil 4 is
conducted from the vat 3 to the frying tank 2 and from the frying
tank 2 to the vat 3 by means of an oil pump 6. Under the action of
the oil pump 6, oil 4 is pumped out of the vat 3, and then passes
through a segment of a pipe 7 to a pipe 8 before entering the
frying tank 2 through the top of the frying tank 2. Oil 4 leaves
the frying tank 2 from the bottom of the frying tank 2 through a
pipe 9, and then passes through oil filter 10 before returning to
the vat 3. The pipes 7, 8, and 9 are preferably insulated so as to
reduce cooling of the oil as it flows from the vat 3 to the frying
tank 4 and back to the vat 3. The frying system 1 also includes a
first oil valve 11 located on the pipe 7 and a second oil valve 12
located on the pipe 9. The vat 3 is provided with a drain pipe 13
having a valve 14. The valve 14 is normally closed. When it is
desired to empty the vat 3 of cooking oil 4, the valve 14 is opened
so as to allow the oil 4 in the vat 3 to flow under the influence
of gravity into a drain pipe 15. The system 1 further comprises a
vacuum pump 33 for removing air from the frying tank 2, as
explained below. A vacuum valve 17 is located on the pipe 8 between
the vacuum pump 33 and the pipe 8.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows the frying tank 2 in greater detail. The frying
tank 2 is provided with a hinged side door 20. The door is shown in
its open position in FIG. 2 so as to expose an interior frying
chamber 21. In use, the door 20 is closed, as shown in FIG. 1. The
frying chamber 21 includes a cylindrical frying drum 24 having a
horizontal axis. The frying drum 24 is formed as a wire mesh
basket, so that when the frying chamber 21 is filled with cooking
oil 4, the oil contacts food items 25 located inside the frying
drum 24.
[0026] In use, the door 20 of the frying tank 2 is opened with the
interior chamber empty of cooking oil 4, and one or more food items
25 to be fried are placed in the frying drum 24. The door 20 is
then closed. When the door 20 is closed, a hermetic seal is formed
between the door 20 and the edge 22 of the frying chamber 21 by
means of a sealing ring 23. With the valves 11 and 12 open and the
valves 17 and 14 closed, the oil pump 6 is activated so as to cause
pre-heated cooking oil 4 to flow from the vat 3 through the pipes 7
and 8 into the interior chamber 21 of the frying tank 2. The flow
rate of the oil into the interior chamber under the influence of
the oil pump 6 is adjusted to exceed the drainage rate from the
interior chamber 21 via the pipe 9. The oil level in the interior
chamber 21 thus rises as oil enters the interior chamber 21. As the
level of the oil in the interior chamber 21 rises, air in the
interior chamber 21 mixes with the oil and leaves the interior
chamber 21 via the pipe 9 with oil. This process continues until
all air initially present in the interior chamber 21 has been
expelled from the interior chamber 21 and the interior chamber 21
is completely filled with oil. A valve 34 on the upper surface of
the vat 3 allows any air arriving in the vat 3 to escape from the
vat 3.
[0027] As the interior chamber 21 fills with oil, the frying drum
24 is made to rotate about its horizontal axis by means of an
electric motor 26 located outside the frying tank 2 (FIG. 1). The
motor 26 has a spindle 27 that passes through a back wall 31 of the
frying tank opposite the door 20. An hermetic seal 28 between the
spindle 27 and the wall of the frying tank 2 prevents oil from
leaking out of the frying tank 2 around the spindle 27. The seal 28
also includes bearings in which the spindle rotates in the seal
28.
[0028] After the interior chamber 21 has been completely filled
with oil and the air initially contained in the closed interior
chamber 21 has been released through the valve 34, the valve 34 is
closed. The cooking oil is then confined to a closed system which
prevents avoids exposure of the oil to air so as to prevent
oxidation of the oil and release of oil vapors and cooking odors
into the environment. The cooking oil continues to circulate
between the vat 3 (where the oil continues to be heated by the
heating element 5) and the frying tank 2. The food items 25 are
exposed to the hot circulating cooking oil 4 as the frying drum 24
continues to rotate for an amount of time necessary to
satisfactorily fry the food items 25. When frying of the food items
25 is completed, the pumping action of the oil pump 6 is
terminated. With the frying drum 24 continuing to rotate, the
interior chamber 21 is emptied of cooking oil. This may be
accomplished in one of two ways. In one way, the valve 11 is closed
and the valve 17 is opened. Since the vacuum pump 33 is still off,
opening the valve 17 vents the interior chamber 21 through the
vacuum pump 33 so as to allow the oil in the interior chamber 21 to
flow under the influence of gravity from the interior chamber 21
via the pipe 9 through the oil filter 10 and into the oil vat 3. In
another way, the valve 12 is closed and the pumping action of the
oil pump 6 is reversed so that oil in the interior chamber 21
returns to the vat 3 via the pipe 7 under the pumping action of the
pump 6.
[0029] At this point, the valves 11 and 12 are closed, and the
valve 17 remains opened. With the frying drum 24 continuing to
rotate, the vacuum pump 33 is now activated which removes air from
the interior chamber 21 causing excess oil to be leeched out of the
fried food items 25, so as to deoil the fried food items 25. When
deoiling is completed, operation of the vacuum pump 33 is
terminated so as to vent the interior chamber 21 through the vacuum
pump 33. The door 20 of the frying tank 2 is then opened and the
fried food items are removed.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a frying system 40 in accordance with another
embodiment of the invention. Components of the frying system 40 in
common with the frying system 1 shown in FIG. 1 are labeled with
the same reference numeral used in FIG. 1 without further comment.
The frying tank 2 in FIG. 3 has an interior chamber 21 similar to
the interior chamber 21 of the system 1, including a cylindrical
frying drum 24 in the form of a wire mesh basket. The frying system
40, does not include a vacuum pump. The oil pump 6 is used to
introduce and removes cooking oil from the frying tank 2 via the
pipe 7 which enters the frying tank 2 at the bottom of the
tank.
[0031] As with the system 1, the door 20 of the frying tank 2 of
system 40 is opened with the interior chamber empty of cooking oil
4, and one or more food items 25 to be fried are placed in the
frying drum 24. The door 20 is then closed. When the door 20 is
closed, a hermetic seal is formed between the door 20 and the edge
22 of the frying chamber 21 by means of a sealing ring 23. The
interior chamber 21 is then filled with cooking oil. After the
interior chamber 21 has been completely filled with oil and the air
initially contained in the closed interior chamber 21 has been
released through the valve 34, the valve 34 is closed. The cooking
oil is then confined to a closed system which prevents avoids
exposure of the oil to air so as to prevent oxidation of the oil
and release of oil vapors and cooking odors into the environment.
The food items 25 are then fried as explained above with reference
to the system 1 of FIG. 1.
[0032] When frying of the food items 25 is completed, the interior
chamber 21 is emptied of cooking oil. With the valves 17 and 12
closed and the valve 11 open, the pumping action of the oil pump 6
is reversed so that oil is pumped from the interior chamber 21 to
the vat 3. Since the valves 17 and 12 are closed, as the pump 6
removes oil from the interior chamber 21, a vacuum forms in the
interior chamber 21. Oil continues to be removed by the pumping
action of the pump 6 until a desired vacuum is formed in the
interior chamber around the fried food items 25. This causes excess
oil to be leeched out of the fried food items 25, so as to deoil
the fried food items 25. When deoiling is completed, the valve 17
is opened so as to vent the interior chamber 21. The door 20 of the
frying tank 2 is then opened and the fried food items are
removed.
[0033] The system 1 was used for frying potato pieces at a pressure
of 1 atmosphere. The cooking oil was then removed from the interior
chamber 21, and the fried potato pieces were deoiled by subjecting
the potato pieces to a pressure of 0.4 atmospheres with rotation of
the drum 24 for 30 seconds. The oil content of the fried potato
pieces was determined before and after the deoiling step. It was
found that 30%-40% of the oil present in the fried potato pieces
before the deoiling step was removed by the deoiling.
[0034] FIG. 4 shows a frying system 40 in accordance with another
embodiment of the invention. The system 40 comprises a frying tank
42 for frying food items 47 and a vacuum chamber 44 for deoiling
fried food items. The frying tank 42 has an open top, so that
cooking oil 46 in the tank is exposed to ambient air, and hence to
atmospheric pressure. The frying tank 42 includes a heating element
43 for heating oil 46 in the frying tank 42. A wire mesh basket is
used to contain food items 47 during the frying. The basket 48 is
dimensioned to be received in the frying tank 42 so that food items
47 are in contact with the frying oil 46 when the basket 48 is
received in the frying tank 42. When inserted into the frying tank
42, the basket 48 is supported by stops 50 extending from the walls
of the frying tank 42. At the termination of the frying, the basket
48 may be removed from the frying tank 42.
[0035] The vacuum chamber 44 is provided with a hinged side door
52. The door is shown in its open position in FIG. 4 so as to
expose an interior space 56. The interior space 56 includes a
cylindrical frying drum 58 having a horizontal axis. The frying
drum 58 is formed as a wire mesh basket.
[0036] In use, the door 52 of the vacuum chamber 44 is opened and
the food items 47 after frying are placed in the frying drum 58.
The door 52 is then closed. When the door 52 is closed, a hermetic
seal is formed between the door 52 and the edge 60 of the interior
space 56 by means of a sealing ring 63. The frying drum 58 is then
made to rotate about its horizontal axis by means of an electric
motor located outside the vacuum chamber (not visible in the
perspective of FIG. 4). The motor has a spindle 65 that passes
through a back wall 67 of the frying tank opposite the door 52.
[0037] The vacuum chamber 44 includes a vacuum pump 68 which
removes air from the interior chamber 56 when the door 52 is closed
causing excess oil to be leeched out of the fried food items 47, so
as to deoil the food items 47. When deoiling is completed,
operation of the vacuum pump 68 is terminated so as to vent the
interior chamber 56 through the vacuum pump 68. The door 52 of the
vacuum chamber 44 is then opened and the deoiled fried food items
47 are removed.
* * * * *