Patent ID: 8323711

Claim:
A method of coating a plurality of edible particulate solids, comprising the steps of: introducing edible particulate solids into a drum having an interior wall concentric with an inner tube so that an annular space is defined between the inner tube and the drum; a spiral element being positioned in the annular space defining a spiral gas pathway in the annular space such that gas does not travel axially through the annular space except along the spiral gas pathway, the spiral element being rotatable to move solids through the drum; applying an edible coating material to the edible particulate solids to form coated edible particulate solids; rotating the spiral element to cause movement of the coated edible particulate solids through the drum; flowing gas from a gas entry zone along the gas pathway defined by the spiral element to dry or solidify the coating material on the edible particulate solids; and discharging coated edible particulate solids from the drum.