As is well known by those skilled in the art, homemade- style ice cream is produced using mainly two systems.

A first system comprises the following three steps: 1) Pasteurisation of the base mixture with heating of the same to a temperature of about +85°C and rapid cooling to a temperature of about +4°C, in order to eliminate the bacterial flora; 2) Maturation of the pasteurised mixture at 4°C for a suitable period of time, for example 12 hours; 3) Whisking of the matured mixture, with cooling, until the production of an ice cream having solid structure, which is drawn out by the whisking machine, depending on the situation, to temperatures which may generally vary from-8°C and-11°C.

This system is, in the art, commonly known as the "classical"or"traditional"method.

Therefore, the production of a homemade-style ice cream by the traditional method, comprising the three above- listed steps, requires relatively long periods of time, which requires a particular management of the

laboratory, above all in the summer months when the demand is greatest, and three separate machines: a pasteuriser, a maturation tub and a whisking machine.

The pasteuriser may also be employed as a maturation tub, though in this case it is not possible to conduct other pasteurisations until the tub containing the matured mixture is emptied.

A second system, known in the art as the"Trittico" <BR> <BR> method (registered trademark of Bravo S. p. A. ), does not provide for the mixture's maturation step: in other words, the mixture, heated to +85°C, is immediately cooled and simultaneously whisked.

Consequently,"Trittico"has proposed another method of ice cream production--revolutionising the traditional method--through the use of a single laboratory machine where the mixture's maturation step is not executed: in other words, the mixture, heated to +85°C, is immediately cooled and simultaneously whisked.

To such end, the machine comprises an overlapping pasteuriser and whisking machine, of-normal capacity, and interconnected through a controlled conduit from a manual drive valve.

Pasteuriser and whisking machine may work in entirely independent manners ; with such a machine, therefore, it is possible to pasteurise a quantity of mixture and simultaneously whisk the previously pasteurised mixture

quantity.

Since the capacities of the pasteuriser and whisking machine are substantially identical, as the times of pasteurisation and whisking are substantially identical, the whisked ice cream may be drawn out by the whisking machine, and the pasteurised mixture (14) discharged by gravity into the empty whisking machine, so that is whisked, thus freeing the pasteuriser, within which (after closing the valve) a new quantity of mixture to be pasteurised may be poured, the machine returning to its previous state, where pasteuriser and whisking machine work simultaneously, independently from each other.

In this manner, a continuous laboratory is created, where about every 10-15 minutes (these are the times of pasteurisation and whisking in the"Trittico"machine) it is possible to draw out the desired quantity of ice cream, which is then placed immediately in the shop displays for distribution, or else in cabinets for conservation.

The"Trittico"method and machine of Bravo S. p. A. are for example described and illustrated in the patents IT-996.102, IT-1.055. 984, EP-A-423.898, whose teachings should be considered as being part of the present application.

Laboratory trials have demonstrated how there is no

structural difference between an ice cream produced by the classical or traditional method and the"Trittico" method.

With"Trittico"the strong technical bias of the setting, consolidated over the years, has been overcome, bias characterised in that in order to produce a quality homemade-style ice cream it was absolutely necessary to let the pasteurised mixture mature before whisking it. From this point there is the necessity to use a batch manufacturing process which requires three machines: pasteuriser, maturation tub and whisking machine, with all the drawbacks of space, lengthy. production times and above all with serious risks of contaminating the mixture during the (external) passage from one machine to the other.

A great merit of"Trittico"was that of having overcome this strong bias, incorporating in a single machine of continuous function an overlapping and intercommunicating pasteuriser and whisking machine, where the entire pasteurised mixture is emptied into the underlying whisking machine to be immediately worked (eliminating thus the intermediate maturation step), while another quantity of mixture may be simultaneously pasteurised to be poured into the whisking machine immediately after its emptying, and so on. All this occurs without the mixture leaving the

machine for a single moment, therefore in absolutely hygienic conditions.

Overall, the principal advantages of the"Trittico" system, above all from a sanitary-hygienic point of view, may be summarised in the following manner: The manufacturing process occurs as a closed cycle, where the pasteurisation may be executed to 95°C, at which temperature an immediate, continuous cooling follows inside a hermetically- closed and protected setting, with the--still liquid--mixture having to be pumped through external tubes or connections.

- Also in the presence of any improbable but possible contaminations of some raw material, the thermal treatment guarantees that the mixture is scrupulously sanified.

- The lack of a rest step at refrigeration temperature and the total absence of stock periods of the not-yet-frozen mixture, represent an additional guarantee from a microbiologic point of view.

- Absolute absence of manual interventions by the operator from the moment of the loading of the ingredients intended to be pasteurised, to the moment of collection of the finished ice cream in the small tub.

- Drastic reduction of possible contaminations of aerobic type, since the manufacturing cycle occurs in a completely closed setting, with no manufacturing steps of the plant which foresee the stocking of the mixture in tubs without guaranteeing hermetic protection; thus possible contaminations of anthropical or environmental origin are avoided.

-The"Trittico"system accomplishes an ideal process of mixing, pasteurising and freezing, where the temperature decreasing occurs in extremely short periods of time, quickly by- passing the most dangerous temperature zone comprised between 30°C and 5°C.

- Also the machine washing system occurs in a closed cycle, where the addition of water, its heating to 95°C and the subsequent transfer from the heating zone to the whisking machine occurs without manual intervention by the operator.

With the"Trittico"system an ice cream with optimal structure is obtained, due to a quick passage from hot to cold, which favours the formation of reduced-nucleus ice crystals, which improve the stability of the product over time, rendering it less susceptible to thermal shock and therefore less vulnerable to organoleptic alterations.

According to the present invention it has been thought to use the above-mentioned particular and exclusive characteristics of the Trittico method, with particular reference to the great hygienic properties of the system, in the production of homemade-style ice cream packaged in sealed containers, such as cones, cups and/or small tubs of different dimensions, for example with capacities from 50 grams to 1 kilogram.

Such sealed packages of ice cream are presently produced using costly industrial and/or semi-industrial plants, or else manually drawing the homemade-style ice cream from a reserve supply (shop display, refrigerator cabinet or other), by way of a cooper, filling and sealing the container.

Nevertheless, such a manual system brings with it a serious danger of contamination of the ice cream, which is manipulated by the operator and exposed to the surrounding environment.

General object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentioned drawback and, to such end, it has been thought to use, in combination with at least one "Trittico"or equivalent machine, a packaging machine, capable of directly drawing the ice cream product and automatically packaging it, without any manual intervention.

Another object of the invention is to propose a plant

for the production of sealed packages of homemade-style ice cream which is of relatively contained cost.

The characteristics of the process and of the plant according to the invention are described in the attached claims.

The characteristics of the process and of the plant according to the invention are described below, with reference to the attached schematic diagrams, which show as only a non-limiting example, a plant capable of carrying out said process.

In the drawings: - figure 1 is a schematic plan view (layout) of an example of the plant according to the invention; and - figure 2 is an elevated view of the plant of figure 1.

In the drawings, illustrated only as a non-limiting example, there is a plant comprising two Trittico machines 10,100 (or equivalent), which alternatively feed, or simultaneously feed to achieve a double flavour, a batching-packaging machine 12 through respective pumps 11, 110. Downstream from the packaging machine 12 a packing table 13 may be foreseen.

As already said, the"Trittico"machines 10,100 may be of the type described and illustrated in the previously cited patents, while the batching-packaging machine 12

may be that known on the market with the name"ROTARY 1500"by Sigmateck.

Briefly, the machines 10,100 each comprise a pasteuriser and a whisking machine, which are operatively interconnected, where the mixture is emptied directly into respective pumps 11,110 through a receiver (hopper), through which the pumps feed the whipped ice cream to the packaging machine 12. The packaging machine 12 provides to give doses of the ice cream (for example in quantities of 50 grams to 1 kilogram) through a group of doses 14 and packages it within cones, cups and/or small sealed tubs which are discharged in 15 on table 13.

It thus appears evident how, in a plant such as that described above, the ice cream is produced and packaged in sealed packages, without any manual intervention, therefore with the most absolute respect for current safety regulations from a hygienic point of view.

The plant according to the invention is additionally capable of assuring in brief time a suitable production of sealed packages without the producer having to face onerous investments such as those required for plants of different type.

In such a manner, the objects mentioned in the description preamble are attained.