A machine for continuously depositing a sorbitol-sweetened hard candy confection which allows the manufacture of such hard candies in a continuous commercial high volume operation. The machine deposits the hard crystalline candies from an aqueous sorbitol solution having a crystalline seeding material therein, such that the sorbitol solution must be maintained in the depositing machine within a relatively narrow temperature range to prevent rapid thickening of the solution at too low temperatures and destruction of the crystalline seeding materials at too high temperatures. The machine includes a heated hopper for the aqueous sorbitol solution and a heated depositing base, through which the aqueous sorbitol solution is deposited through an array of nozzles into candy molds positioned therebeneath. The depositing base is fabricated with heating medium passageways therein, through which a heating medium is circulated. The array of nozzles is secured in a recessed position in the depositing base such that the nozzles are also heated by the circulating heating medium. Moreover, a hot air heat gun also circulates heated air in the head space in the hopper above the aqueous sorbitol solution to maintain the upper surface of the solution in the narrow temperature range, to prevent a premature thickening or crusting of the solution on the upper surface thereof.
To make decorated strands of pasty products, a pasty material is continuously extruded from a nozzle integral with a mobile support disposed above a continuously moving conveyor belt. The apparatus thus includes a conveyor belt adapted for continuous movement, a mobile support disposed above the conveyor belt, at least one extrusion nozzle integral with the mobile support, at least one source for providing a continuous supply of pasty product to each nozzle and means adjacent an edge of the conveyor for transmitting movement to the support for moving it in one plane while keeping it in the same orientation in space for providing a repetitive curved trajectory for each extrusion outlet orifice. In operation, the extrusion nozzles, having their outlet orifices above the conveyor belt, are positioned at an angle of from 60.degree. towards the direction of movement of the conveyor belt to being parallel with the belt. The relative movements of the nozzle and the conveyor belt are such that a continuous, regularly wound strand is formed on the conveyor belt.
A process is disclosed for producing vitreous molten mass from sweeteners by means of an extruder, in particular a double screw extruder. The sweetener is introduced into an inlet zone of the extruder, is extruded in a melting zone at an increased temperature, in a vacuum zone at a reduced pressure and increased temperature, and finally in a cooling zone at a reduced temperature, forming a vitreous molten mass.
