WO1995011046A1

WO1995011046A1 - Compacted enhanced flavor/odor emitting elements

Info

Publication number: WO1995011046A1
Application number: PCT/US1994/012126
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jack Donald Warf
Original assignee: Modular Energy Corp
Current assignee: Modular Energy Corp
Priority date: 1993-10-19
Filing date: 1994-10-19
Publication date: 1995-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1996-04-19

Abstract

A method and apparatus (10) is described for manufacturing elements for emitting odors/flavors. First, an arboreal material is comminuted into particles of a dimension not greater than 3/16th of an inch. An odor/flavor is introduced and thoroughly mixed uniformly throughout the comminuted arboreal material. The mixed odor/flavor and comminuted material are disposed under pressure into a die to produce therefrom the odor/flavor-emitting element. The arboreal materials consist of non-resinous hard woods such as oak, hickory, walnut, pecan, apple, cherry, peach, mesquite, alder and poplar.

Description

COMPACTED ENHANCED FLAVOR/ODOR EMITTING ELEMENTS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to compacted elements for emitting odors and/or flavors of controlled strength and the process and apparatus for manufacturing such elements with such enhanced odors/flavors. Such compacted elements are used in cooking, where they are heated to a temperature less than the ignition or flash point of the element material to emit a desired flavor to be imparted to the food. These compacted elements may be used without heating to emit odors, e.g., potpourri to freshen a home, or an odor pouch to emit odors to attract or repel animals and insects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The barbecue industry has ignited varieties of wood, i.e., hickory, mesguite, etc, to emit smoked flavoring to compliment the foods being cooked. The wood is traditionally in the form of uncompacted chunks, which require lengthy burning most often long after the food is done, or uncompacted chips, which ignite and burn away in a few minutes long before the food is done. Chunks and chips of wood for these purposes are packaged by cubic measure as some weight is lost during the normal drying process. The degree of natural drying prior to its use makes timing of the smoke and ultimate combustion of the wood uncontrollable.

The greater the moisture content of the wood chips or blocks, the longer it will take to heat and to drive off the contained moisture, before smoking and ignition can occur. The naturally occurring flavor of the hickory or mesguite wood may be relatively weak and hardly any of its flavor will be imparted to the food as it is cooked. Flavoring enhancing products, such as "Liquid Smoke", are coated on the food during or after cooking to enhance its flavor.

Fuel elements are well known in the arty these elements are ignited and burned to emit smoke which permeates the food with a desired flavor. U.S. Patent No. 2,341,377 of Hinderer discloses the manufacture of a patty or briquette, which is comprised of a comminuted charcoal, a binding agent such as a gum or gum arabic and a flavoring material. The flavoring may take the form of a coarse hickory wood sawdust or a liquid concentrate of the desired flavor. The liquid concentrate is produced by condensing the vapors and smoke obtained by carbonizing hickory in a heated retort, or by passing such vapors through water to produce a saturated solution of the smoke particles. U.S. Patent No. 4,941,889 of Holmes discloses a similar fuel block, which is burned to impart a flavor to the cooked food. The blocks are formed of wood pieces, a conventional cooking spice such allspice, bay leaves, celery, cumin etc., and an adhesive such as a gelatin. U.S. Patent No. 3,709,700 of Ross discloses a combustible element such as a fuel briquette or wood chip, which are coated with a mixture of an adhesive and a flavoring agent. The flavoring agent may be a herb, condiment, spice, extracts or imitation flavor.

U.S. Patent No.4,874,396 of McLeod discloses briquettes for smoke seasoning foods. The briquettes are formed of 1-3 inch blocks of a hard wood, e.g., oak, which are soaked for 1-10 days in a seasoning liquid such as blends of wine, soy sauce, molasses, whiskey, liquid smoke, lemon extract, onion powder, garlic powder, all spice, and/or black or red pepper. These briquettes are used to generate smoke or fumes by placing them directly on or proximate to the charcoal, or by wrapping in a non-combustible material such as aluminum.

Pellets are used as a fuel source for residential home heating in pellet burning appliances. Of economic benefit, constituent materials for such pellet are available in the form of waste wood, e.g., sawdust and shavings which would otherwise be thrown away. Such waste wood is typically green, and its sap and water accounts for a 40% to 45% moisture content. The excess moisture is removed by a drying process. After being dried, the moisture content of the fiber is at least 10%. The waste wood is pulverized by a hammermill, which beats and breaks up the wood fiber of the waste wood. The material is broken down by small hammers within the hammermill until it is small enough to pass through a surrounding screen in the hammermill. The ground or comminuted material is fed to a pellet mill, which compacts the comminuted material into fuel pellets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved compacted element for emitting odors and/or flavors.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved compacted element which is heated to a temperature less than the ignition point of the element materials to emit odors and/or flavors.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved compacted element for emitting a wide variety of odors and/or flavors of selected strength.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved compacted, odor/flavor emitting element, which is made of waste wood materials.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved compacted, odor/flavor emitting element, which is made of a bland hardwood and is flavored with a wide variety of natural and/or artificial flavors.

In accordance with these and other objects of this invention, there is described a method and apparatus for manufacturing elements for emitting odors/flavors. First, an arboreal material is comminuted into particles of a dimension not greater than 3/16th inch. An odor/flavor is introduced and mixed uniformly throughout the comminuted arboreal material. The mixed odor/flavor and comminuted material are disposed into a die under sufficient pressure to produce the odor/flavor emitting element.

In a further aspect of this invention, the given odor/flavor of the arboreal material is relatively bland and the introduced odor/flavor provides the primary odor/flavor of the element. The arboreal material consists of non-resinous hard woods such as oak, hickory, fruit woods such as apple, cherry and peach, walnut, pecan, mesquite, alder and poplar.

In a still further aspect of this application the element produced under pressure is cooled. The ratio of the introduced odor/flavor to the arboreal material is controlled to thereby determine the strength of the odor/flavor emitted from the elemen .

In a further aspect of this invention, a compacted element is described for emitting a given odor/flavor. The element comprises particles of an arboreal material, each particle having a dimension not greater than 3/16th of an inch, and an enhancing odor/flavor mixed thoroughly and uniformly with the particles throughout the element. The element is compacted to a density not less than 35 pounds per cubic foot. The arboreal material consists of a non resinous hardwood, such as oak, hickory, walnut, pecan, apple, cherry, peach, mesquite, alder and poplar.

In a further aspect of this invention, the odor/flavor emitting element is heated to a temperature less than the given flashpoint of its arboreal material to cause the element to smolder and to emit its odor/flavor. In particular, the element is disposed in a container made of a non-flammable material at this temperature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A written description setting forth the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention and of the manner for implementing and using it, is provided by the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention in one or more of the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the equipment which comprises the apparatus for carrying out the steps of the method for manufacturing compacted, flavor/odor emitting elements in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed drawing showing pictorially the equipment shown generally in FIG. 1 and how the method of this invention is carried out to inject a selected flavor and/or odor in liquid form into the compacted elements; and

FIG. 3 is a more detailed drawing showing pictorially the equipment shown generally in FIG. 1 and how the method of this invention is carried out to inject a selected flavor and/or odor in powder form into the compacted elements. DESCRIPTION OF λ PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THIS INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a flavor and/or odor introducing apparatus 10 in accordance with the teachings of this invention. Apparatus 10 comprises a conveyer 14 onto which is input at a loading station 12 a raw product. The raw product is an arboreal material including various species of woodwaste, a cellulose material or a fibrous material. An inexpensive source of the raw product is a saw mill, furniture factory or other manufacturer of wood products, which typically provide scrape or waste wood materials. Such waste wood material may illustratively take the form sawdust or shavings. The conveyer 14 transports the raw product past a metal detector 16, which alerts an attendant to the presence of any undesired metal objects in the raw product so that they may be removed. If any metal objects are not detected and removed, they potentially could inflict significant damage to the downstream equipment as will be described below.

After the removal of any metal objects, the conveyer 14 transports the raw product to a machine 18 for pulverizing or comminuting the raw product, e.g, sawdust or shavings, into a "comminuted" material suitable to be compacted, as will be described below, into flavor/odor emitting elements in accordance with the teachings of the invention. The term "comminuted" is employed in the specification and claims to denote a state of subdivision into particles. In an illustrative embodiment of this invention, the pulverizing machine 18 may take the form of a Champion HM400-30 Hammer Mill manufactured by the California Pellet Mill Company. Such a Hammer Mill has a plurality of hammers (not shown) which break up or comminute the raw product to a desired particle size not greater than 3/16th of an inch. If the raw product has not been previously dried, it would need to subjected to heat by a dryer (not shown) to reduce its moisture content to not more than 10%. Gas dryers are available, which comprise heating units that force hot air through a series of rotating drying chambers where the sawdust and hot air are mixed and uniform drying is ensured. In an illustrative embodiment of this invention, a triple-pass dryer such as manufactured by M-E-C Company is employed.

After comminuting, the particles of the raw product are directed by a blower 20 through a conduit 22 to a storage bin 24. The comminuted raw product falls through an opening in the bottom of the bin 24 to be directed by a blower 26 through a conduit 28 to a metering bin 30, which dispenses the product onto a conveyer 32. The conveyer 32 transports the product to a pellet mill 38, which includes a conditioning or mixing chamber 34. The size of the storage bin 24 depends on the rate of production of the particular mill 38 employed; typically, the bin 34 should have sufficient capacity to receive enough raw product for four hours of production by the pellet mill 38. The metering bin 30 is operated to deliver the comminuted raw product to the pellet mill 38 at a rate commensurate with its rate of production. In an illustrative embodiment of this invention, the pellet mill 38 may take the form of the gear driven Pellet Mill manufactured by Sprout-Bauer, Inc. An input 36 to the conditioner 34 is provided for the input of the desired odor/flavor or blend thereof. As will be explained, the odor/flavor may be in the form of a liquid or a powder and is thoroughly mixed by the conditioner 34 with the comminuted raw product, whereby the introduced odor/flavor is mixed uniformly throughout the raw product before it is converted into compacted elements 99 by the pellet mill 38. The odors/flavors illustratively comprise wood flavors such as hickory, mesquite, cherry, the fruit woods such as cherry, apple and peach, and pecan. As will be explained, blends of these flavors/odors can be mixed thoroughly with the comminuted raw product.

The compacted elements 99 produced illustratively by the pellet mill 38 are pellets formed as small cylinders of about 1/4 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter and about 1 to 4 inches long. It is appreciated that the compacted elements 99 of this invention may also take the form of other types of densified arboreal products, such as logs and briquettes which differ from the pellets primarily by size. Logs typically are cylindrically shaped, with a diameter of 2 to 4 inches and a length of 12 to 16 inches. A 12 inch log will weigh approximately 5 pounds. Briquettes are generally disk shaped and produced from the same type of machine as logs and have a diameter of 2 to 4 inches and a length of about 1 to 2 inches. The compacted elements 99 have a density of at least 35 pounds per cubic foot and preferably greater than 40 pounds per cubic foot. The elements 99 are thus four times more dense than normally existing, uncompacted wood.

As the compacted elements 99 are discharged from the pellet mill 38, they fall or are transported by a conveyer 40 to a cooling chamber 42. The elements 99 coming out of the pellet mill 38 have a temperature in the range 200-250 degrees F and, until they cool, are fragile. The table 46 includes a conveyer 48 for receiving the hot elements 99 and for transporting them to the left as shown in FIG. 2, while cool air circulates over and cools the elements 99. In an alternative feature of this invention, a liquid containing the desired odor/flavor is introduced via an input 50 and sprayed onto the pellets as they move beneath a distribution assembly 44. When odor/flavor is sprayed onto the elements 99, it forms a coating or layer about the element 99 or pellet, which provides when heated or exposed to the atmosphere to be freshened, emits quickly a relatively strong or intense odor/flavor. After cooling, the compacted elements or pellets 99 are discharged via an outlet 49. The cooling chamber 42 may in an illustrative embodiment of this invention take the form a Collaire(TM) model horizontal pellet cooler as manufactured by Sprout-Bauer.

The raw product is preferably a hard, non-resinous wood such as oak, mesquite, alder, fruit woods such as apple, cherry or peach, hickory, walnut, poplar and pecan. Typical soft woods are resinous and, when heated, produce a sap or creosote material which has a harsh flavor unsuitable for smoking foods. Though most of the hard woods listed above have a flavor which is suitable for smoking foods, it is contemplated that the concentrated liquid or powder flavor could also be added to a raw product of such woods, whereby an element 99 with a blend of flavors would be produced. For example, if the raw product was derived from hickory, a cherry flavor could added to enhance the original flavor to provide a blended flavor element 99, i.e., hickory-cherry. Other blends such as apple-mesquite or apple- hickory are contemplated.

It is also contemplated to use a raw product derived from a relatively bland wood such oak or cherry and then to enhance that raw product with the primary flavor being derived from a concentrated flavor liquid or powder. Hickory and mesquite elements 99 have been produced in this fashion. Using oak as the raw product has an economic advantage in that oak is typically one of the least expensive hardwoods available to be formed into compacted elements 99.

The raw product should also be clean and free from contaminants such as dirt and insecticides, which would render the elements 99 otherwise unsuitable in a food preparation application. In addition, the presence of dirt in the raw product would potentially cause severe damage to any pellet mill 38 into which such raw product was introduced.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a more detailed disclosure of the odor/flavor introducing apparatus 10. The comminuted raw product 52 is stored within the metering bin 30 and falls therefrom through a bottom opening 56 onto the conveyer 32. A screen 56 with openings of 3/16th of an inch is disposed across the opening 56 to prevent any particle of the product 52 of a greater dimension from being introduced into the pellet mill 38. An auger (not shown) is disposed at the bottom of the bin 30 to meter the discharge rate of the raw product from the bin 30 onto the conveyer 32. The auger is rotatively driven at rate corresponding to the desire discharge rate of the raw product. The conveyer 32 is driven at a corresponding rate set to transport the discharge raw product from the metering bin 30 and to introduce it into the pellet mill 38.

The conveyer 32 transports the raw product 52 from the metering bin 30 to an input hopper 74 of the pellet mill 38. As will be explained below, a solution of a flavor/odor concentrate and water is also introduced via the input 36 into the hopper 74. A variable speed screw conveyer 76 transports the raw product from the hopper 74 to the conditioner 34, which is configured as a cylindrically shaped cavity in which there is rotatively mounted an agitator 78. The agitator 78 includes a plurality of paddles 80, which extend radially from a shaft 82 and are spaced at equal angles from each other. The shaft 82 is driven at a constant speed to ensure the uniform mixing of the odor/flavor solution throughout the raw product. The flavor enhanced raw product is forced downward through a chute 84 and a second conveyer screw 86 to be further mixed by a second agitator 90, which is similar to the first agitator 80. The second conveyer screw 86, the second agitator 90 as well as a roller assembly 91 are mounted upon a drive shaft 88, which is rotatively driven by a motor 97. The roller assembly 91 comprises a plurality of rollers 98, which are disposed at the same radial distance from the drive shaft 88 and are spaced from each other by equal angles. The roller assembly 91 is rotatively mounted within a cylindrical cavity 92, which includes upon its periphery an angularly shaped die 96. A plurality of holes 94 is distributed evenly about the peripheral surface of the cavity 92; each hole 94 extends radially through the cylindrically shaped portion of the cavity 92. In operation, the flavored raw product is transported by the cavity screw 86 into the pelleting cavity 92, where it is pressed through the steel die 96. This die 96 is illustratively 3 to 3 1/2" thick steel with 3500 to 4500 drilled holes 94. The die 96 is rotated at a high rate of speed and the rollers 98 on the die 96 compress the flavored raw product through the holes 94. The compacted elements 99 are extruded through the holes 96 and are formed by this compression ratio of about 4 to 1.

In the illustrative embodiment of this invention as shown in FIG. 2, the additive input 36 is coupled to a mixing tank 62 to introduce a liquid composed of the selected odor/flavor to the conditioner 34 of the pellet mill 38. A liquid concentrate of the desired odor/flavor or concentrates according to the desired blend of odors/flavors is introduced into the mixing tank 62 with water and is mixed therewith by a mixer 64. The ratio of concentrate(s) to the raw product is determined by the desired strength of the odor/flavor to be imparted to the compacted elements 99. The ratio may be adjusted, for example, to provide stronger or weaker flavors to cooked foods according to individual personal tastes. In addition to enhancing the odor and/or flavor, the concentrate and water mixture acts as a lubricant for the raw product as it is transported to and processed by the pellet mill 38. In an illustrative embodiment of this invention, a solution of 4 gallons of a liquid flavor concentrate was used with 26 gallons of water and 2000 pounds of a raw product produced from oak sawdust and shavings, to produce 2000 pounds of the flavor enhanced raw product.

The mixer 64 is mounted onto an upper edge of the mixing tank 62 by a mounting clamp 68 and includes a drive motor 66 for rotatively driving a mixing blade 70. In an illustrative embodiment of this invention, the mixer 64 may take the form of a model GM2.0 mixer as manufactured by the Barrel Accessories and Supply Company. The thoroughly mixed liquid is directed by a pump 60 from an outlet 74 of the mixing tank 62 via a flow meter 58 and the input 36 to an inlet 72 in communication with the inlet hopper 72 of the pellet mill 38. The flavored liquid is thoroughly mixed by the first and second agitators 78 and 90 with the raw product, before it is processed into the compacted elements 99.

The flavor concentrate, as well as the flavor powder, must be suitable for processing at elevated temperatures of 400 degrees F or greater, which are typically present in the pellet mill 38. The enhancing flavor concentrate should not comprise a constituent such alcohol which would be readily evaporated or otherwise driven off at the contemplated temperatures. Flavor concentrates which are oil based, e.g., vegetable oil, have been used in this method.

As the raw product is being forced by the roller assembly 91 through the die assembly 96, it is heated by the resulting friction to temperatures of greater than 400 degrees F. The heated elements 99 leave the pellet mill 38 and fall into an input 43 of the cooling chamber 42 and, in particular, onto a first conveyer belt 48a, which transports the elements 99 to the left as shown in FIG. 2 as indicated by the arrows 53. Thereafter, the elements 99 fall onto a second conveyer belt 48b, which transports them to the left until they fall from the conveyor 48b and through a discharge 49 onto a third conveyer belt 51 as indicated by the arrows 53. A fan 41 draws ambient air including the heat generated by the pellet mill 38 through the inlet 43, whereby the pellet mill 38 and the elements 99 are cooled before the air is vented through an air outlet 47. The distribution assembly 44 is disposed immediately above the third conveyor 51 and is supplied with the flavored fluid from the mixing tank 62 via the additive input 50. The distribution assembly 44 takes the form of a liquid plenum chamber with a plurality of nozzles 43 spaced evenly along the bottom thereof and transversely across the third conveyer belt 51. The nozzles 43 emit sprays 45 of the flavored liquid onto the elements 99 thereby imparting a coating of the flavor to the elements 99. The third conveyer 51 transports the coated element 99 out of the page as shown in FIG. 2 to a station, where the elements are packaged for distribution.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a further embodiment of this invention where like members are identified by the same numbers but in the hundreds series. The flavor introducing apparatus 110 of this embodiment introduces the odor/flavor in the form of a powder introduced in measured amounts by a metering device 121 into the input hopper 72 of the pellet mill 38. The metering device 121 comprises a storage bin 123 for receiving the raw product and a metering chamber 127, in which a metering screw (not shown) is mounted to be rotatively driven by a drive motor 125 at a controlled speed set dependent upon the selected quantity of odor/flavor powder introduced. The metering device 121 may illustratively comprise the Vibra Screw Feeder as manufactured by Vibra Screw, Inc. In a manner similar to that described above, odor/flavor powder is mixed in the first and second agitators 178 and 190 along with water or steam introduced the input 136. In an illustrative embodiment of this invention, a solution of 80 pounds of powder flavor enhancer and 30 gallons of water were introduced into the hopper 72 to produced 2000 pounds of enhanced raw product. The compacted elements 99 are discharged from the die 196 into the inlet 143 of the cooling chamber 142, which cools and thereby structurally stabilize the elements 99. After cooling, the elements 99 are discharged through an outlet 149 to be packaged for distribution.

In one illustrative application, the compacted elements 99 are introduced into a smoke generating cooking appliance and heated to a temperature less than the ignition or flash point of the arboreal material. If subject to greater temperatures as by exposing directly to the flames, the elements 99 would rapidly burn and would expose the cooking food to the flavor smoke or vapors for a relatively short time. The smoke produced from the smoldering (not ignited) elements 99 will recognizably flavor the food being prepared. Proper placement of the product into these appliances, in specially designed trays or when wrapped in materials not readily flammable, will allow smoldering and smoking for controlled periods of time without igniting. The elements 99 may be used in all types of smoke generating appliances, charcoal, gas, electric, and wood pellet fueled. Control timed smoking and consistent characteristics are obtained by the above described manufacturing method by moisture reduction and compaction of the raw product allowing packaging and sale of the product by actual weight. When the compacted elements 92 are heated in an appliance to a temperature less than the flash point, the appliance will heat within 5 to 10 minutes of ignition the elements 99 sufficiently to begin smoldering and smoking, which smoking will continue for approximately 1 and 1/2 hours per 4 ounces of the elements 99 in pellet form. The extended smoking is a result of the uniform mixing of the flavor/odor throughout the element 99 and the compacting of the elements 99 to a density of at least 35 pounds per cubic foot. It is appreciated that the compacted elements 99 are less likely than uncompacted elements to be ignited and thus rapidly consumed.

In considering this invention, it should be remembered that the present disclosure is illustrative and the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A method of manufacturing elements for emitting odors/flavors, said method comprising the steps of: a) comminuting an arboreal material into particles of a dimension not greater than 3/16th inch; b) introducing an odor/flavor to said comminuted arboreal material; c) thoroughly mixing said introduced odor/flavor uniformly throughout said comminuted arboreal material; and d) disposing under pressure said mixed odor/flavor and comminuted material into a die to produce therefrom said odor/flavor emitting element.

2. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said arboreal material has a given flavor and said introduced odor/flavor enhances said given odor/flavor.

3. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 2, wherein said given odor/flavor and said introduced odor/flavor blends together to impart a blended odor/flavor to said element.

4. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 2, wherein said given odor/flavor is relatively bland and said introduced odor/flavor provides the primary odor/flavor of said element.

5. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said arboreal material consists of non-resinous hard woods.

6. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hardwoods consist of oak, hickory, walnut, pecan, apple, cherry, peach, mesguite, alder and poplar.

7. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 4, wherein said arboreal materials consist of oak and cherry with said relatively bland odor/flavor.

8. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step d) sufficient pressure is disposed to produce said element with a density of greater than 35 pounds per cubic foot.

9. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein there comprises the further step of cooling the element produced in step d) .

10. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said introduced flavor comprises a liquid concentrate.

11. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said introduced flavor comprises a powder.

12. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further include the step of controlling the ratio of said introduce odor/flavor to said arboreal material to thereby determine the strength of said odor/flavor imparted to said element.

13. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said odor/flavor comprises material which withstands temperatures as high as 400 degrees F.

14. The method of manufacturing as claimed in claim 13, wherein said odor/flavor comprises a vegetable oil base.

15. An element for emitting a given odor/flavor comprising: a) particles of an arboreal material, each particle having a dimension not greater than 3/16th inch; and b) an enhancing odor/flavor mixed thoroughly and uniformly with said particles throughout said element; c) said element being compacted to have a density not less than 35 pounds per cubic foot.

16. The flavor emitting element as claimed in claim 15, wherein said arboreal material consists of a non-resinous hardwood.

17. The flavor emitting element as claimed in claim 16, wherein said hardwood consists of oak, hickory, walnut, pecan, apple, cherry, peach, mesquite, alder and poplar.

18. The flavor emitting element as claimed in claim 15, wherein said arboreal material has a bland odor/flavor, and said introduce odor/flavor provides the primary odor/flavor of said element.

19. The flavor emitting element as claimed in claim 18, wherein said arboreal material consists of oak and cherry.

20. The method of using said odor/flavor emitting element as claimed in claim 15, wherein said arboreal material has a given flashpoint and said method comprises the step of heating said element to a temperature less than said given flashpoint to cause said element to smolder and to emit said odor/flavor.

21. The method of using said odor/flavor emitting element as claimed in claim 20, wherein there is further included the step of disposing said element in a container made of a non¬ flammable material at said temperature.