Patent Description:
Furthermore, the invention relates to the process for producing puree and/or juice carried out by the aforementioned plant.

As it is known, the industrial extraction of juice and puree from food products such as, fruits and vegetables, is carried out by rotating machines, such as rough extractors and refiner extractors. These, normally, comprise a rotor provided with blades and mounted within a fixed, or movable sieve, having a cylindrical, or conical shape, and provided with holes of determined size. The rotor is operatively connected to a driving group which causes the same to rotate about a rotation axis. The centrifugal force so generated by the blades of the rotor on the treated product forces this against the sieve causing the same to be separated into the extracted food product, i.e. the juice, or puree, which passes through the holes of the sieve and is discharged through a first outlet, and the waste part, mainly seeds, skins and petioles which, instead, does not pass through the holes of the sieve and is discharged through a second outlet. See as an example <CIT>.

A known process of this type is the extraction at room temperature, also said "cold" extraction, that is, normally, carried out in two steps. In a first step a grinding and/or softening of the food pulps is carried out, for example, applying a series of pulses in quick succession as for example described in <CIT>, and in a second step within an extraction is carried out the aforementioned separation of the treated product into an extracted food product, i.e. the juice and the puree, from the solid parts to be wasted. Normally, the puree extracted at room temperature is, then, heated within a heating plant for blocking the enzymatic activity and stabilizing the same, this process is known as enzymatic inactivation.

Another type of process is the hot extraction, which, instead, provides to carry out the extraction after having heated the product in a heating section up to reach a determined temperature.

A drawback both of the plants for carrying out the "cold" extraction and of the plants for carrying out the "hot" extraction is that when a creamy final product, i.e. having a high viscosity, is to be produced, it is necessary to carry out the extraction working at a high rotation speed of the rotor. In this way, in fact, the turbulence produced by the rotor within the machine during rotation is increased and, therefore, the processed product is homogenized, because a great part of the waste product, which comprises skin, seeds, and petioles, originally present in the product reduces its size and, therefore, can pass through the sieve, thus, increasing the viscosity of the final product.

However, as known, in the extraction section most of the main product obtained passes through the sieve at the first portion of this. Therefore, even though a high angular velocities of the rotor is reached, it is, anyway, not possible, to significantly increase the viscosity of the final product, because the resident time of the treated product within the extraction section is, anyway, not sufficient. In addition to the above, working at high angular velocities means also to have a high energy consumption.

Therefore, with both the cold and hot extraction sections of known type, it is not possible to obtain a creamy product, i.e. having a high viscosity.

Another drawback of the known plant, in particular for producing puree or juice from tomatoes is that the fruits, i.e. the tomatoes are normally transported to the plant together with the herbaceous and woody parts of the plant. Therefore, it is very common that parts of the product are embedded between the components of the machines which carry out the treatment of the product, in particular the rough extractors and the refiner extractors, and therefore it is necessary to stop the machine in order to remove the same with consequent loss of time and productivity, besides causing the final product to be "polluted".

Examples of plants for producing puree, or juice, starting from products of vegetable origin, having the above drawbacks are described in <CIT> and <CIT>.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a plant for producing puree and/or juice, from a food product of vegetable origin which allows to overcome the drawbacks described above of the prior art plants.

It is, in particular, an object of the present invention to provide a plant for producing puree and/or juice, from a food product of vegetable origin which allows to obtain a final creamy product, i.e. with a high viscosity, and, at the same time, to reduce the energy consumptions.

These and other objects are achieved by a plant, according to the invention, for producing juice and/or puree from a food product of vegetable origin said plant comprising:.

whose main feature is that said division section is configured to divide said food product of vegetable origin into a plurality of pieces having at least a dimension with a length equal to, or less than, said first distance (d1) between said treating surface of said fixed hollow body and said first rotor at said inlet end, in such a way to allow to easily introduce the pieces into said treating section.

Other features of the invention and related embodiments are set out in the dependent claims.

In particular, the aforementioned first driving group can be configured to operate the first rotor in such a way that the following expression vT·L/d2 i.e. the product of the peripheral velocity (vT) and the length (L) of the fixed hollow body divided for the second distance (d2) is comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm, advantageously between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for producing juice and/or puree from a food product of vegetable origin comprises the steps of:.

whose main characteristic is that the division step is arranged to divide said food product of vegetable origin into a plurality of pieces having at least one dimension with a length equal to, or less than, a said first distance (d1) between said fixed hollow body and said rotor at said inlet end, in such a way to allow to easily introduce the pieces into said treating section.

The invention will be now illustrated with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:.

As diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, a plant <NUM>, according to the invention, for producing juice and/or puree from a food product of vegetable origin, in particular tomato, comprises a treating section <NUM> comprising an inlet <NUM> for introducing the food product of vegetable origin <NUM>, and an outlet <NUM> for discharging a treated food product of vegetable origin. In particular, the treating section <NUM> is configured in such a way that the quantity of food product introduced through the inlet <NUM> is equal to the quantity of treated food product discharged through the outlet <NUM>. More in particular, the treating section <NUM> comprises a fixed hollow body, or stator, <NUM> having a substantially cylindrical or conical shape. The fixed hollow body, or stator, <NUM> has a predetermined length L, in particular a "useful" length, i.e. the distance between the inlet <NUM> and the outlet <NUM>, and is provided, at an internal wall, with a treating surface <NUM>. Within the fixed hollow body <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> a first rotor <NUM> is provided also this having a substantially cylindrical or conical shape and arranged to apply a centrifugal force to the treated pieces <NUM> of food product of vegetable origin thus pushing them against the aforementioned treating surface <NUM>. The fixed hollow body <NUM> and the first rotor <NUM> are configured, in particular have a size such that the treating surface <NUM> is positioned at a first distance (d1) from the first rotor <NUM> at an inlet end 10a closer to the inlet <NUM>, that is less than, or equal to <NUM>, i.e. d1≤<NUM>, and at a second distance (d2) with d2<d1, at an outlet end 10b, more distant from the inlet <NUM>. In particular, the second distance (d2) can be less than, or equal to <NUM>, i.e. d2≤<NUM>, advantageously less than, or equal to <NUM>, i.e. d2≤<NUM>, preferably less than, or equal to <NUM>, i.e. d2≤<NUM>.

The treating section <NUM> provides, furthermore, a first driving group <NUM> configured to cause the first rotor to rotate <NUM> about a first rotation axis <NUM> at a predetermined peripheral velocity vT. For example, the first rotation axis <NUM> can be oriented along a horizontal direction, or can be inclined of an angle less than <NUM>° with respect to a horizontal direction. In this way, the management of the treating section <NUM> is simplified with respect to different technical solutions, in particular solutions which provide treating section with vertical axis, because, in this case, the force of gravity comes into play.

More in detail, in the embodiment diagrammatically shown in the <FIG>, the fixed hollow body, or stator, <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> has a substantially cylindrical geometry, instead the first rotor <NUM> has a substantially conical geometry.

In an alternative embodiment foreseen and diagrammatically shown in the <FIG>, both the fixed hollow body <NUM>, or stator, and the first rotor <NUM> have a substantially conical geometry with cross section progressively increasing between the first end portion 15a and the second end portion 15b. In this case, the conical geometries of the fixed hollow body, or stator, <NUM>, and of the first rotor <NUM> can be different from each other in such a way to form the aforementioned "funnel" when the product reaches the space between the treating surface <NUM> and the external surface <NUM> of the first rotor <NUM>.

Also in the embodiment of <FIG>, both the fixed hollow body <NUM>, or stator, and the first rotor <NUM> have a substantially conical geometry with a section which progressively increases between the first end portion 15a and the second end portion 15b of rotor <NUM>. In this case, however, the profile of the blades of rotor <NUM> is curvilinear, in particular substantially parabolic. Also in this case, at the inlet end 10a, between the blades of rotor and the stator <NUM> the aforementioned funnel which facilitates the introduction of product <NUM> into the treating section <NUM> is formed. As diagrammatically shown as an example in <FIG>, the blades <NUM> of rotor <NUM> at the surface facing towards the treating surface <NUM> of the stator <NUM>, can be provided with a series of depressions <NUM> in order to increase turbulence in the product during the working of the treating section <NUM>.

In a further embodiment of <FIG> both the fixed hollow body <NUM>, or stator, and the first rotor <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> have a substantially cylindrical geometry. However, also in this case, the first rotor <NUM> has, advantageously, at a first end portion 15a a cross section having a smaller diameter which progressively increases up to a working portion 15c and then is substantially constant up to the second end portion 15b opposite to the first end portion 15a. In this way, a "funnel" is substantially formed that facilitates the introduction of the product within the treating section <NUM>.

Upstream of the treating section <NUM> a division section <NUM> is provided and configured to divide an entire food product of vegetable origin <NUM> into a plurality of pieces <NUM> of predetermined size. In particular, according to the invention, the division section <NUM> is configured to divide the entering food product of vegetable origin <NUM> into a plurality of pieces <NUM> having at least a dimension with a length equal to, or less than, the first distance (d1) between the fixed hollow body <NUM> and the first rotor <NUM> at the inlet end 10a. In this way, the introduction of the product within the treating section <NUM> is facilitated. In particular, the first driving group <NUM> can be arranged to operate the first rotor <NUM> at a peripheral velocity vT such that the following expression (vT·L)/d2 i.e. the product of the peripheral velocity (vT) and the length (L) of the fixed hollow body divided for the second distance (d2) is comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm, advantageously between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm.

In particular, the aforementioned peripheral velocity vT can be comprised between <NUM>/sec and <NUM>/sec, preferably comprised between <NUM>/sec and <NUM>/sec.

Downstream of the treating section <NUM> is, furthermore, foreseen an extraction section <NUM> configured to separate the treated food product of vegetable origin that is discharged from the treating section <NUM> into a main product comprising puree and/or juice and a waste product containing the skins, the seeds, etc..

The plant <NUM>, according to the invention, allows, in particular, to obtain a final product <NUM> that is highly viscous and both without bright parts, which are, normally, due to the presence of seeds, and dark parts, which are, instead, normally, due to defects in the processed product, as, instead, generally happen with the puree and juices produced by the prior art plants.

A first example of a division section <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. As diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, the division section <NUM> can comprise an inlet <NUM> through which the entire products, for example tomatoes, are fed into a hollow body <NUM>. Here the product can be, for example, pushed by a screw operated by a first motor 82a towards a cut member <NUM>, for example comprising <NUM>, or more cutting blades. The cut member <NUM> can be fixed, or movable. In <FIG> as an example the cut member <NUM> is provided configured to rotate about an axis <NUM> operated by a second motor 82b.

An example of an extraction section <NUM> is diagrammatically shown in <FIG>. In particular, the extraction section <NUM> can provide a rotor <NUM> provided with blades and mounted within a fixed, or movable, sieve <NUM> having a substantially cylindrical, or substantially conical, shape and provided with holes <NUM> of determined size. The rotor <NUM> is operatively connected to a driving group <NUM> which causes its rotation about a rotation axis <NUM>. As known, the centrifugal force so produced by the blades of rotor <NUM> on the treated product forces the latter against the sieve <NUM> causing the separation of the extracted food product, i.e. the juice and/or the puree, which passes through the holes <NUM> of the sieve <NUM> and is discharged through a first outlet <NUM>, from the part to be discharged, mainly seeds, skins and petioles, which, instead, do not pass through the holes of the sieve <NUM> and is discharged through a second outlet <NUM>.

In particular, the internal wall <NUM> of the hollow body <NUM> can have a substantially cylindrical, or conical, surface, which is substantially "smooth", embodiment not shown in the figure for simplicity.

Alternatively, as diagrammatically shown in the figures from 6A to 6E, the treating surface <NUM> of the fixed hollow body <NUM> can provide a plurality of recessed portions 19a and a plurality of protruding portions 19b alternating to each other, in such a way to be substantially "wavy". More in detail, the protruding portions 19b and the recessed portions 19a of the treating surface <NUM> of the fixed hollow body <NUM> can be obtained by a series of straight portions, or curvilinear portions, in such a way to form sharp edges, or round edges at the protruding portions 19b and/or the recessed portions 19a.

In particular, as diagrammatically shown in <FIG> for the embodiment of <FIG>, but also valid for all the embodiments of the invention diagrammatically shown in the figures from 6A to 6E, the lowered portions 19a of the treating surface <NUM> of the fixed hollow body <NUM> are positioned at a maximum distance dmax from the first rotor <NUM>, in particular from the ends <NUM> of the blades <NUM> of this, instead, the protruding portions 19b are positioned at a minimum distance dmin from the first rotor <NUM>. In this case, the first driving group <NUM> is configured to operate the first rotor <NUM> in such a way that the product of the peripheral velocity vT expressed in m/sec, and the length of the fixed hollow body <NUM>, expressed in m, divided for the minimum distance at the outlet end (d2min), i.e. vT·L/(d2min) is comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm, advantageously between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> (m<NUM>/sec)/mm.

Advantageously, the ratio between the maximum distance dmax and the minimum distance dmin can be comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, i.e. <NUM>≤dmax/dmin≤<NUM>, advantageously comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, i.e. <NUM>≤dmax/dmin≤<NUM>. For example, the minimum distance dmin can be comprised between <NUM>,<NUM> and <NUM>, advantageously between <NUM>,<NUM> and <NUM>, preferably between <NUM>,<NUM> and <NUM>. In particular, the maximum distance dmax can be comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, advantageously between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>.

In an alternative embodiment foreseen, the treating surface <NUM> of the fixed hollow body <NUM> and the first rotor <NUM> are configured in such a way to be positioned at a distance d1 at the inlet end 10a less than, or equal to <NUM>, i.e. d1≤<NUM>. In this case, therefore, the division section <NUM> is arranged to divide the food product of vegetable origin which enters through the inlet <NUM> into pieces having at least a dimension of length smaller than, or equal to <NUM>. In another alternative embodiment foreseen, the distance d1 at the inlet end 10a is less than, or equal to <NUM>, i.e. d1≤<NUM>.

In an embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned substantially cylindrical, or substantially conical, treating surface <NUM> of the fixed hollow body <NUM>, or its planar development, can be at least equal to <NUM>% of the surface of sieve <NUM> of the extraction section <NUM>, or its planar development, advantageously at least equal to <NUM>% of the surface of sieve <NUM>, or its planar development, preferably at least equal to <NUM>% of the surface of the second sieve <NUM>, or its planar development.

Even though the possibility that the pieces obtained by the division section <NUM> can be discharged by gravity into the treating section <NUM> is foreseen, it is also foreseen the possibility, diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, that they can be sucked by a pump device <NUM> from the outlet <NUM> of the division section <NUM> and fed into the treating section <NUM>.

In <FIG> another alternative embodiment of the plant <NUM> of <FIG> is diagrammatically shown, where upstream of the division section <NUM> a heating section <NUM> is provided configured to heat the food product of vegetable origin from a first temperature T1 to a second temperature T2 with T2>T1, advantageously comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>. In particular, the heating section <NUM> can be configured to heat the food product of vegetable origin from a first temperature T1, for example comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, up to a second temperature T2 comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> if a less viscous final product is desired, or comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> if, instead, a more viscous final product is desired. As diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, in case that upstream of the division section <NUM> a heating section <NUM> is provided, the heated product can be, preferably, fed into the division section <NUM> by a pump device <NUM>, for example positioned between the heating section <NUM> and the division section <NUM>. Alternatively, in particular if upstream of the division section <NUM> no heating section is provided, the food product <NUM> can be fed into the division section <NUM> by a hopper (<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>).

In particular, in the embodiment of <FIG>, the heating section <NUM> described above with reference to <FIG> is positioned between the division section <NUM> and the treating section <NUM>. Analogously to the previous case, the heating section <NUM> is advantageously configured to heat the pieces of food product of vegetable origin from a first temperature T1, for example comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, to a second temperature T2 with T2>T1, advantageously comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, in case a less viscous final product is desired to be obtained, or comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> in case, instead, a more viscous final product is to be obtained.

The division section <NUM> can be, in particular, configured to carry out the aforementioned division of the product into pieces of determined size by griding, or cutting, or forcing the processed product to pass through the holes of predetermined size of a sieve. In particular, as diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, within the division section <NUM>, a rotor <NUM> can be provided arranged to rotate about a rotation axis <NUM> operated by a driving group <NUM>. More in particular, the rotor <NUM>, for example provided with blades <NUM>, can be configured to force the product present within the division section <NUM> to pass through the holes <NUM> of a sieve <NUM> to cause them to be divided into pieces having corresponding dimensions. Advantageously, the holes <NUM> can have a diameter greater than <NUM>, in particular a diameter greater than <NUM>, advantageously a diameter greater than <NUM>, preferably a diameter greater than <NUM>. This solution is particularly advantageous when upstream of the division section <NUM> the aforementioned heating section <NUM> is present. In the example of <FIG> only one outlet <NUM> is present through which the cut product is discharged downstream of the division section <NUM>. However, it is also foreseen the possibility that the division section <NUM> is provided with a first outlet <NUM> to discharge the pieces <NUM>, which are passed through the sieve <NUM>, into the treating section <NUM>, and with a second outlet through which can be discharged the pieces that are not cut, i.e. those that have not passed through the holes <NUM> of the sieve <NUM>, for example the stones of the processed product having a size greater than the size of the holes <NUM>.

In the embodiment diagrammatically shown in the <FIG>, the division section <NUM> can be also configured to divide the processed food product of vegetable origin in the aforementioned pieces having at least a dimension of length less than, or equal to the aforementioned first distance d1 by applying a series of compression stresses in quick succession. In particular, the division section <NUM> can comprise a fixed hollow body <NUM> having a substantially cylindrical or conical shape (as in the case shown in the <FIG> and <FIG>) and a second rotor <NUM> also this having a substantially cylindrical or conical shape (as in the case shown in the <FIG> and <FIG>). In particular, a second driving group <NUM> is, furthermore, provided configured to cause the second rotor <NUM> to rotate about a second rotation axis <NUM> in such a way to subject the processed product to the aforementioned series of compression stresses in quick succession.

In an alternative embodiment that is provided, the division section <NUM> can be equipped with a fixed, or movable, cut member <NUM> configured to cut the entering product into pieces having at least a dimension of length less than the first distance d1.

For example, the aforementioned cut member <NUM> can be provided with a predetermined number of blades mounted on a rotation shaft <NUM> operated by a respective driving group <NUM>.

In the embodiment diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, downstream of the division section <NUM> and upstream of the treating section <NUM> a softening section <NUM> is provided comprising a rotor <NUM> having a substantially cylindrical or conical shape, housed within a fixed hollow body <NUM> provided with an inlet <NUM> for the product to be treated and with an outlet <NUM> for discharging the treated product <NUM>. In particular, the rotor <NUM> is arranged to be operated by a respective driving group <NUM> for applying a series of compression stresses in quick succession on the cut product before feeding the same into the treating section <NUM>. In this case, whilst the division section <NUM> acts at least on one dimension of the product for reducing the same up to a length less than <NUM>, advantageously less than <NUM>, the softening section <NUM> acts on another dimension for reducing this up to a length less than <NUM>, advantageously less than <NUM>, preferably less than <NUM>. This solution allows, in particular, to reduce the wastes with respect to the other embodiments of the inventions.

In the further embodiment diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, the division section <NUM> comprises a first division group 20a provided with the aforementioned cut member <NUM> comprising for example a first blade and a second blade arranged at opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the division section <NUM>, and a second division group 20b comprising the aforementioned rotor 25b configured, as described above with reference to the <FIG> and <FIG>, to be housed within the fixed hollow body <NUM> and operated by the second driving group <NUM> for applying a series of compression stresses in quick succession on the cut product before discharging the same from the division section <NUM> through the outlet <NUM>.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the treating section <NUM> and the extraction section <NUM> are configured in such a way that the respective rotation axes <NUM> and <NUM> are arranged parallel to each other with the treated product that is discharged from the treating section <NUM> along a trajectory that is tangential to the peripheral velocity of rotor <NUM>.

As diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, according to still another embodiment of the invention, the treating section <NUM> and the extraction section <NUM> can be positioned in line with each other, i.e. with the respective rotors <NUM> and <NUM> configured to rotate about respective rotation axes <NUM> and <NUM> operated by respective driving groups <NUM> and <NUM>, but coaxially arranged with respect to each other. In particular, the distance D between the outlet of the product from the treating section <NUM> and the inlet of the treated product in the extraction section <NUM>, in particular between the ends of the respective rotors <NUM> and <NUM> facing with each other, is less than <NUM>, advantageously less than <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the treating section <NUM> and the extraction section <NUM> are arranged in line with each other, analogously to the case of <FIG>, but, in this case, the respective rotors <NUM> and <NUM> are operated by the same driving group <NUM>.

In the further embodiment of <FIG>, the division section <NUM> and the treating section <NUM> are provided housed within the same machine. In particular, the division section <NUM> can be provided with a cut member <NUM> operated by a motor <NUM> by a motor shaft <NUM> in order to rotate about a rotation axis <NUM> in such a way to cause the product to be divided into pieces <NUM> having at least a dimension of length less than the distance d1 between the fixed hollow body <NUM> and the rotor <NUM> of the treating section <NUM>. More in particular, the treating section <NUM> is axially arranged with the division section <NUM>, i.e. the motor shaft <NUM> operatively connected to the motor <NUM> which causes the rotation of the rotor <NUM> about the rotation axis <NUM> is coaxially arranged with respect to the aforementioned motor shaft <NUM> of the division section <NUM>.

As diagrammatically shown in the still further embodiment of <FIG>, the division section <NUM>, the treating section <NUM> and the extraction section <NUM> can be arranged in line with each other, i.e. in such a way that the different rotation axes <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are coaxially arranged with respect to each other. More in detail, in the example of <FIG>, the division section <NUM> can be provided with the cut member <NUM> for example a series of blades fixed to a motor shaft <NUM> operated by a motor <NUM>, instead, the rotor <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> and the rotor <NUM> of the extraction section <NUM> can be mounted on the same motor shaft <NUM>=<NUM> caused to rotate about the same axis <NUM>=<NUM> by the same motor <NUM>=<NUM>.

In the embodiments described above with reference to the figures from <NUM> to <NUM> the rotor <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> can be advantageously provided with a series of radial blades <NUM> projecting from a central portion, for example fixed by welding, mounted on the motor shaft <NUM> operatively connected to the first driving group <NUM>.

In the alternative embodiment diagrammatically shown in the <FIG>, the first rotor <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> provides a predetermined number of protruding portions <NUM>, also these assimilable to blades, which radially protrude from a main body <NUM>'. In particular, the protruding portions, or blades, <NUM> can be made starting from a cylindrical, or conical frustum shaped full body subject this to a working operation, for example a milling, arranged to make a series of longitudinal recessed portions <NUM>" which laterally delimit each protruding portion <NUM>.

According to another embodiment diagrammatically shown in the figures from <NUM> to <NUM>, at least a part of the aforementioned blades <NUM> of rotor <NUM>, both in the case of protruding blades and in the case of longitudinal grooves like those that are shown in the <FIG>, at the edge <NUM> that during working conditions faces towards the aforementioned treating surface <NUM> of the fixed hollow body, or stator, <NUM>, can be provided with a plurality of recessed portions, or "depressions", <NUM>. The recessed portions <NUM> can have all the same width and the same depth, or, as foreseen in an alternative embodiment of the invention, have a width and/or a depth decreasing going from the inlet <NUM> to the outlet <NUM> of the treating section <NUM>. In particular, the depressions <NUM> change the axial velocity of the product within the treating section <NUM> and create a turbulence which contributes to further increase the viscosity of the treated product.

In the further embodiment of <FIG>, between the treating section <NUM> and the extraction section <NUM> a deviation device <NUM> is provided. This, for example a three ways valve, is configured to deviate the flow of cut product exiting the division section <NUM> and to divide it into a first flow 101a which is fed into the treating section <NUM> where is subjected to the treatment as described above, and a second flow 101b which, instead, bypasses the treating section <NUM> and is directly sent downstream of the same. More in particular, the second flow 101b can be directly fed into the extraction section <NUM>, case not shown in the figure for simplicity, or as shown in the example of <FIG>, can be mixed with the treated product <NUM>, which exits the treating section <NUM>, for example by a "T" connection member, or by a second deviation device similar to the deviation device <NUM>, not shown in figure for simplicity, obtaining a mixed product which is, therefore, fed into the extraction section <NUM>. In this way, it is possible to obtain a flow of product comprising a more viscous fraction essentially consisting of the product <NUM> discharged from the treating section <NUM> and obtained by treating the aforementioned first flow 101a, immersed into a more liquid fraction essentially consisting of the aforementioned second flow 101b.

Advantageously, in case that the plant <NUM> provides a heating section <NUM>, the transfer of the pieces <NUM> of food product <NUM> from the division section <NUM> to the treating section <NUM> can be carried out by a pump device <NUM> (see at this regard the embodiments diagrammatically shown in the <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>). In an alternative embodiment, the transfer of the pieces <NUM> of food product <NUM> from the division section <NUM> to the treating section <NUM> can be carried out by gravity positioning the division section <NUM> at a height higher than that of the treating section <NUM>.

The treated product <NUM> can be moved from the treating section <NUM> to the extraction section <NUM> by a supplementary pump device not shown in figure for simplicity.

In a further embodiment foreseen, the treated product <NUM> moves from the treating section <NUM> to the extraction section <NUM> by gravity, positioning the treating section <NUM> at a height greater than the extraction section <NUM>.

In the embodiments according to the invention and diagrammatically shown in the figures from <NUM> to <NUM>, the angular velocity ωT of the first rotor <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> can be less than <NUM> rpm, preferably less than <NUM> rpm. More in particular, the angular velocity ωT can be comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> rpm, advantageously, between <NUM> and <NUM> rpm. The diameter of the fixed hollow body <NUM> of the treating section <NUM> can be comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, advantageously comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

Advantageously, the angular velocity ω of the extraction section <NUM> can be comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> rpm, in particular, between <NUM> and <NUM> rpm, advantageously between <NUM> and <NUM> rpm. The diameter of the body of the machine at the extraction section <NUM> can be comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, advantageously comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Plant (<NUM>) for producing juice and/or puree from a food product of vegetable origin, said plant (<NUM>) comprising:
- a treating section (<NUM>) provided with an inlet (<NUM>) for introducing a food product of vegetable origin (<NUM>), and an outlet (<NUM>) for discharging a treated food product of vegetable origin, said treating section (<NUM>) being configured in such a way that the quantity of food product (<NUM>) introduced through said inlet (<NUM>) is equal to the quantity of treated food product discharged through said outlet (<NUM>), said treating section (<NUM>) comprising:
- a fixed hollow body, or stator, (<NUM>) having a substantially cylindrical or conical shape having a predetermined length (L) and provided with a treating surface (<NUM>);
- a first rotor (<NUM>) also this having a substantially cylindrical or conical shape, said fixed hollow body (<NUM>) and said first rotor (<NUM>) being configured in such a way that said treating surface (<NUM>) is positioned at a first distance (d1) from said first rotor (<NUM>) at an inlet end (10a) closer to said inlet (<NUM>) less than, or equal to <NUM>, i.e. d1≤<NUM>, and at a second distance (d2) with d2<d1, at an outlet end (10b) more distant from said inlet (<NUM>);
- a first driving group (<NUM>) configured to cause said first rotor (<NUM>) to rotate about a first rotation axis (<NUM>) at a predetermined peripheral velocity (vT);
- a division section (<NUM>) positioned upstream of said treating section (<NUM>) and configured to divide a food product of vegetable origin (<NUM>) into a plurality of pieces (<NUM>) of determined size;
- an extraction section (<NUM>) positioned downstream of said treating section (<NUM>) and configured to separate said treated food product of vegetable origin (<NUM>) into a main product (<NUM>) comprising said puree and/or juice and a waste product (<NUM>);
said plant (<NUM>) being characterized in that said division section (<NUM>) is configured to divide said food product of vegetable origin (<NUM>) into a plurality of pieces (<NUM>) having at least a dimension with a length equal to, or less than, a said first distance (d1) between said fixed hollow body (<NUM>) and said first rotor (<NUM>) at said inlet end (10a), in such a way to allow to easily introduce the pieces into said treating section (<NUM>).