Patent ID: 8158076

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to receive ingredients to form a base concentrate, the base concentrate common to at least a first flavored food product and a second flavored food product, the first flavored food product having different flavoring than the second flavored food product, the base concentrate having a first temperature, the base concentrate devoid of flavoring corresponding to the first flavored food product or the second flavored food product, a first flavor source corresponding to the first flavored food product, the first flavor source downstream of the chamber, a second flavor source corresponding to the second flavored food product, the second flavor source downstream of the chamber, a plurality of process lines downstream of the chamber, each process line configured to receive the base concentrate from the chamber, heated liquid from a heated liquid source, and flavoring to form a mixture of base concentrate, heated liquid and flavoring, wherein the flavoring received by at least one process line comprises flavoring from either the first flavor source corresponding to the first flavored food product or the second flavor source corresponding to the second flavored food product, each process line comprising at least one stir tank, wherein the mixture exiting the at least one stir tank of each process line has a second temperature, the second temperature greater than the first temperature of the base concentrate, the second temperature sufficient to achieve a change in the mixture selected from the group consisting of microbial change, chemical change, biochemical change, and enzymatic change, and combinations thereof, a valve associated with the first flavor source and having an open position when the first flavor source is to be received by the at least one process line and a closed position when not, and a valve associated with the second flavor source and having an open position when the second flavor source is to be received by the at least one process line and a closed position when not.