Abstract: A food product having at least one moulded body. The moulded body has a food mass and an array of baked items or a substantially centrally located baked item. At least one member of the array of baked items or the centrally located baked item form a consumable unit together with at least a portion of the moulded body. Further, at least one portion of at least one baked item is not covered with the first food mass and is visible from at least one side of the moulded body.

Abstract: A high-amplitude corrugated food product and method of making same. The corrugated food product comprises a corrugated surface on opposing surfaces, each surface having a plurality of peaks with substantially equal amplitude values of at least about 2.54 mm. The corrugated food product further comprises a high area moment of inertia of between about 20×10?8 m3 to about 160×10?8 m3 with a dehydration factor of less than about 1.7, which provides for less breakage and more texture. The corrugated food product has a 90°-to-0° hardness ratio of at least about 2.78 and a 90°-to-0° and a crispiness ratio of at least about 3.14.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antioxidant composition comprising a galactolipid, ascorbic acid and/or a derivative thereof, and at least one further lipid. Further aspects of the invention are the method of manufacturing such an antioxidant composition as well as the use of galactolipids in combination with ascorbic acid and/or a derivative thereof for protecting a composition against oxidation. Particularly, the invention relates to a composition to be used in food products.

Abstract: The present invention provides an innovative packaging for microwave preparation of expandable food, such as cookies, an innovative food product prepared from the packaging and the method of preparation thereof. The innovative packaging includes first and second susceptor sheet portions each having an accordion-like shape; one or more members for spacing the susceptor sheet portions at a predetermined distance; and an expandable uncooked food placed between the two susceptor sheets, wherein the food is in intimate contact with sheet portions and becomes efficiently browned and crisped during microwave cooking. The food is preferably a cookie dough.

Abstract: Disclosed is a proofed, cooked corrugated dough crust. The crust may include a top surface. Opposite the top surface is a bottom surface intended to be in contact with rollers of a roller grill. The bottom surface defines at least one parallel groove or at least one parallel ridge or both. A roller grill system for a proofed, cooked corrugated dough crust is also disclosed. The system may include a roller grill including a plurality of parallel rollers and spaces in an alternating series. At least one corrugated crust is also included. Any grooves rest on top of the rollers and any ridges are in the spaces between the rollers. A forming assembly system for proofing and cooking a corrugated dough crust is also disclosed.

Abstract: A high-amplitude corrugated food product and method of making same. The corrugated food product comprises a corrugated surface on opposing surfaces, each surface having a plurality of peaks with substantially equal amplitude values of at least about 2.54 mm. The corrugated food product further comprises a high area moment of inertia of between about 20×10?8 m3 to about 160×10?8 m3 with a dehydration factor of less than about 1.7, which provides for less breakage and more texture. The corrugated food product has a 90°-to-0° hardness ratio of at least about 2.78 and a 90°-to-0° and a crispiness ratio of at least about 3.14.

Abstract: An edible spoon for dissociating into consumable predetermined clumps in order to prevent dissociating into random granules that would make consumption more difficult. The edible spoon includes a bowl and a handle. The bowl extends from the handle and contains weakened lines. The weakened lines in the bowl define the consumable predetermined clumps so as to allow the bowl to dissociate into the consumable predetermined clumps in order to prevent dissociating into the random granules that would make the consumption more difficult.

Abstract: Modified slicing shoes and method for making food product shavings. A conventional slicing shoe for insertion into a slicing head assembly used in conjunction with a centrifugal type slicing machine is modified. The modified slicing shoes comprise a cutting edge having top and bottom ends that protrude towards the interior of a slicing head assembly as a vertex protrudes away from the interior such that the blade is not confined to one plane. In one embodiment, the slicing shoe blade cutting edge and its components comprise a V-shape having an angle that ranges from between about 90° to about 140°. In a second embodiment, the slicing shoe and its components are curvilinear having a curvature ranging from about 1.5 cm to about 2.0 cm. The shape of the blade and its corresponding components allow for the production of snack chips having folded or curled shapes.

Abstract: A portable tablet dispenser includes a plurality of cartridges including a first cartridge including a first plurality of ingestible tablets housed therein and a second cartridge including a second plurality of ingestible tablets housed therein. A main housing includes a first cartridge port that receives a dispensing end of the first cartridge and a second cartridge port that receives a dispensing end of the second cartridge. A dispensing mechanism is located in the main housing. The dispensing mechanism is configured to selectively dispense an individual ingestible tablet from one and simultaneously both of the first cartridge and the second cartridge where selection is based on a user input.

Abstract: Disclosed is a waffle sheet as a long-life baked product, comprising one respective rib structure on opposite surfaces of a support layer. Said support layer has the shape of a corrugated plate (1, 10, 11, 12), e.g. with a sinusoidal or angular, trapezoidal undulation, the walls of said corrugated plate having the same thickness. Ribs (5, 5?, 6) which penetrate or bridge the wave troughs (3, 3?, 3?, 3??) extend transversal to said undulation. The wave troughs (3, 3?, 3?, 3??) of both surfaces or the top face and bottom face touch or penetrate an imaginary center line (4) of the cross-section of the waffle. The average wall thickness of the ribs (5, 5, 6) corresponds to the wall thickness of the corrugated plate (1, 10, 11, 12). The ribs (5, 5?, 6) extend at an angle from or perpendicular to the apex line of the waves. The ribs (6) in the wave troughs (3, 3?) located on the top face are offset by half a separation relative to the ribs (5, 5?) of the wave troughs (3, 3??) located on the bottom face.

Abstract: A cut vegetable product such as a wedge-cut potato includes a pair of cut surfaces oriented generally at an acute angle, and each extending and diverging from a common tip toward a heel. Each of the cut surfaces defines a generally wave-shaped configuration with a wave pitch and a wave amplitude. At least one and preferably both of the wave pitch and wave amplitude increases progressively from the common tip toward the heel.

Abstract: Packaged food articles comprise at least one shaped food product disposed within sealed moisture resistant packaging. The shaped food products include an axially aligned center piece or rod as a core portion and at least one string wrapped around the periphery of the core piece. The shaped food piece is fabricated from a pliable or plastic food composition such as a sweetened intermediate moisture fruit or confection such as licorice. The center piece can be provided with a multiplicity of fins extending longitudinally about the exterior periphery of the core piece. The coiled string is peelably removable from the core piece. The combination of core piece and coiled string provide a child oriented wholesome food of enhanced play value. Methods for preparing the shaped food product are described.

Abstract: The present invention includes puffed food starch material snack, in particular starch material from grains, having an improved crispy texture and a more aesthetic appearance and methods for preparing them. In general terms, the products are snack chips, cakes, crackers or the like, made from food starch material. Preferably, the starch material is provided primarily in the form of individual kernels or pellets of a cereal grain, such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, or mixtures thereof. Quantities of other food starch materials may also be employed as a co-mixed constituent, or the primary source of bulk starch material, for example potato starch material. A quantity of the grain is puffed (expanded) in a manner which forms a snack product of considerable crispiness, lightness, and unique texture to both the mouth and eye.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of making a puffed-food starch material snack, in particular starch material from grains, having an improved crispy texture and a more aesthetic appearance. The products may be snack chips, cakes, crackers or the like, made from food starch material. Preferably, the starch material is provided primarily in the form of individual kernels or pellets of a cereal grain, such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, or mixtures thereof. According to one method, a puffing chamber is provided having inner surfaces and a chamber volume. A bulk amount of the food starch material is placed into the puffing chamber. The bulk amount of food starch material is caused to volumetrically expand. The expanding food starch material is constrained in its expansion in at least a first dimension, while permitting unconstrained expansion of the bulk amount in at least a second dimension.

Abstract: A ready-for-use refrigerated or frozen dough that is prepared from flour, a leavening agent, fat; has no greater than 0.5 weight percent sugar or sugar substitute; and preferably includes one or more toppings, fillings, or both. The dough has a surface that includes grooves, score lines, or combinations thereof which define pieces of the dough to be separated into individual bakery products. The grooves, score lines, or combinations thereof each have a depth of about 3% to about 95% of the thickness of the dough. The dough is in the form of a sheet or a parallelepipedal, cylinder, prismatic block or polygon having a thickness of from about 0.5 to 5 cm.

Abstract: A ready to bake dough product with a shaped filling is disclosed. The filling is sized and configured so as to minimize or avoid exposure or spilling during processing, handling, or baking. The shape of the filling is configured such that it has a shorter distance vertically than horizontally. The shape of the filling may be substantially in the form of a rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, half circle, diamond, trapezoid, oval, or similar shapes.

Abstract: A grooved, pre-proofed, freezer-to-oven pizza crust dough. The dough includes a top surface for a pizza filling, and a bottom surface opposing the top surface and contacting a pizza pan. The bottom surface of the dough defines a plurality of grooves which provide the dough with a uniformly cooked surface upon baking the dough.

Abstract: A method for providing individually baked products comprising the steps of providing an uncooked dough sheet or block which has separable portions of predefined shape, separating one or more portions from the sheet or block and then baking the portions to obtain individually baked products. The shapes of the portions are defined by grooves, score lines, or combinations thereof and the portions are separated from the sheet by breaking then along the grooves, or score lines. The grooves or score lines may be intersecting or non-intersecting and substantially straight to define polygonal shaped portions, or at least partially arcuate to define the shape of an object having non-linear features, such as a cartoon character.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of making a puffed food starch material snack, in particular starch material from grains, having an improved crispy texture and a more aesthetic appearance. The products may be snack chips, cakes, crackers or the like, made from food starch material. Preferably, the starch material is provided primarily in the form of individual kernels or pellets of a cereal grain, such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, or mixtures thereof. Quantities of other food starch materials may also be employed as a co-mixed constituent, or the primary source of bulk starch material, for example potato starch material. A quantity of the grain is puffed (expanded) in a manner which forms a snack product of considerable crispiness, lightness, and unique texture to both the mouth and eye.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a ready-for-use frozen or refrigerated sweet dough which is prepared from flour, sugar, a leavening agent and fat, and which is provided in a form that includes grooves, score lines, or a combination thereof, to facilitate separation of the dough into pieces that can be baked into individual bakery products such as cookies, muffins, brownies, or other pastries. The invention also relates to a method for providing individually baked products comprising the steps of providing an uncooked dough sheet or block which has separable portions of predefined shape, separating one or more portions from the sheet or block and then baking the portions to obtain individually baked products. The shapes of the portions are defined by grooves, score lines or combinations thereof and the portions are separated from the sheet by breaking them along the grooves or score lines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of using germinated brown rice, a germinated brown rice processed food, a brown rice germination apparatus and a germinated brown rice filling apparatus. Germinated brown rice is boiled and steamed. The germinated brown rice boiled or steamed is boiled together with polished rice. The germinated brown rice is preserved while being frozen or sealed in a container or a bag. The germination apparatus conducts germination by dipping the germinated brown rice in tourmaline ore water. The filling apparatus moves a container supported by guide rails and allows the container to pass below a hopper into which the germinated brown rice is inputted, thereby automatically filling the germinated brown rice in a storage recessed portion of this container.

Abstract: There are provided a stick type expanded starch confectionery with a wave-like configuration on its surface and a process for easily manufacturing the same, which uses an extruder method. According to the process, the stick type expanded starch confectionery is obtained by adjusting amounts of water and calcium salt to an amount of starch raw material to prepare a dough, whereby fluidity of thermally treated dough extruded from a double-staged die which belongs to an extruder is controlled.

Abstract: A split sausage of the present invention comprises a sausage link having an interior and an outer surface surrounding the interior, wherein the sausage link is sliced longitudinally. A process for producing split sausage links comprises receiving a plurality of sausage links and automatically slicing the sausage links longitudinally. The sausage links are sliced to a depth that is greater than about 50% of its cross-section.

Abstract: A ready-for-use refrigerated sweet dough that is prepared from flour, sugar, a leavening agent and fat. The dough has a surface that includes grooves, score lines, or combinations thereof which define pieces of the dough to be broken off and baked into individual bakery products such as cookies, muffins, brownies, or other pastries. The grooves, score lines, or combinations thereof each have a depth of about 3% to about 95% of the thickness of the dough. The dough is in the form of a sheet or a parallelepipedal, cylinder, prismatic block or polygon having a thickness of from about 0.5 to 5 cm.

Abstract: A ready-for-use cookie dough which can be preserved in the refrigerator and which is prepared from flour, sugar, baking powder and fat, containing between about 0.3 and 1.5% baking powder and provided in a precut form or in a form with grooves. Preferably, the dough is provided with score lines or grooves that define equally sized portions that can be broken off or pulled apart and then baked to form individual cookies. In addition, the block can be formed of different dough layers or strips, or each portion can be provided with a different color, stamping, decoration or filling. If desired, the portions can be of different configurations or shapes.

Abstract: A ready-for-use refrigerated cookie dough and which is prepared from flour, sugar, baking powder and fat, containing from about 0.1% to about 1.5% baking powder and provided in a form that includes grooves, score lines, or a combination thereof, to facilitate separation of the dough into pieces that can be baked into individual cookies.

Abstract: A ready-for-use refrigerated sweet dough which is prepared from flour, sugar, a leavening agent and fat, and which is provided in a form that includes grooves, score lines, or a combination thereof, to facilitate separation of the dough into pieces that can be baked into individual bakery products such as cookies, muffins, brownies, or other pastries. A method for providing individually baked products comprising the steps of providing an uncooked dough sheet or block which has separable portions of predefined shape, separating one or more portions from the sheet or block and then baking the portions to obtain individually baked products. The shapes of the portions are defined by grooves, score lines or combinations thereof and the portions are separated from the sheet by breaking them along the grooves or score lines.

Abstract: A method of forming an edible chip by providing a sheet layer of flexible, edible material, bending the sheet layer about a fold line to define first and second sheet layer walls which abut to each other at a location spaced from the fold line, and treating the sheet layer to rigidify the sheet layer with the first and second sheet layer walls bent about the fold line.

Abstract: Filled wafer blocks are made by feeding preliminary blocks at a lower level to a stacking station and then feeding a wafer sheet coated on an upper side with a spread to that location, gripping them and inverting them as they are laid on the lower block to form a filled block in the production of filled wafers and the like. The filled wafer blocks can also have uncoated sheets laid onto the blocks.

Abstract: Precooked, packaged ground meat products and methods of making such products. The product comprises ground meat and at least one moisture-absorbing additive. The formulated meat mixture is formed into a raw ground meat portion. Perforations are formed in the raw ground meat portion. The perforated raw ground meat portion is sealed within a closed envelope and cooked. The moisture-absorbing additive and perforations control the purge (water and other juices) discharged by the meat during cooking. The moisture-absorbing additive absorbs some of this purge; the perforations trap much of the remaining purge. The resulting product is thus without large amounts of free purge within the package and may be broken apart easily into cooked ground meat upon removal from the package. The raw meat should be frozen and maintained frozen until cooking to maintain the grain structure and perforations during handling.

Abstract: Using a dough prepared by using a material containing at least 50% by weight ratio as dried of a preliminarily gelatinized starch material, a sheet in a predetermined configuration wherein grooves which reach the edge of the sheet are formed on at least one side of the sheet, is formed. The thus obtained sheet having the grooves on at least its one side, is placed on a steel band or a mesh band so that the grooves are located downward, and baked by an oven, to obtain fabricated chips. The fabricated chips contain a low oil and fat content since baked by an oven, and have no defects in the appearance such as partially raised portions and random blisters since they have the grooves which reach the edge on at least one side.

Abstract: A powdered substance, which is suitable for preparation of a beverage with an extraction fluid, is extracted for preparation of a beverage. The substance which is compacted in a form of a cake, is contained within a sachet between two sachet sheets which, prior to extraction of the substance, protect the substance against oxygen and water vapor and which extend to sealed edges for containing the substance within the sheets prior to and during extraction. In effecting extraction, one sheet is perforated to provide at least one opening for injection of extraction fluid, and extraction fluid is injected under pressure into the sachet for contacting and deforming the compacted substance cake and for extracting the substance in the sachet, and the other sheet is deformed against a surface having portions forming, upon deformation of the second sheet, local breakages in that sheet for opening that sheet for flow of extracted beverage substance.

Abstract: A crisp, approximately circular wafer product is provided whereby the two surfaces of the wafer each have a pattern formed by ridges, the first surface having a pattern comprising at least two grid patterns superimposed on each other, one grid being at an angle of approximately 45.degree. to the other, the second surface having a single grid pattern, the pattern being at 45.degree. to the lower grid on the first surface.

Abstract: A ready-for-use cookie dough which can be preserved in the refrigerator and which is prepared from flour, sugar, baking powder and fat, containing between 0.3 and 1.5% baking powder and provided in a precut form or in a form with grooves.

Abstract: A powdered substance, which is suitable for preparation of a beverage with an extraction fluid and which is compacted in a form of a cake, is extracted for preparation of a beverage. The compacted substance cake is contained within a sachet between two sachet sheets which, prior to extraction of the substance, protect the substance against oxygen and water vapor and which extend to sealed edges for containing the substance within the sheets prior to and during extraction. In effecting extraction, one sheet is perforated first to provide at least one opening for injection of extraction fluid, and extraction fluid is injected under pressure into the sachet for contacting the substance and for extracting the substance in the sachet, and the other sheet advantageously is deformed against a surface having portions forming, upon deformation of the second sheet, local breakages in that sheet for opening that sheet for flow of extracted beverage substance.

Abstract: An edible food container which is self supporting and stable in a generally upright position when placed on a rigid and substantially planar support surface. The edible food container includes a pair of spaced apart side walls and a base connecting the side walls. The base includes at least two spaced apart line bearing contact surfaces for supporting the edible food container on the substantially planar surface. Preferably, the base includes at least two elongate spaced apart ribs which define the at least two line bearing contact surfaces. The base may further include a raised portions on both ends of the base to increase the ability of the food container to hold fillings therein.

Abstract: A method is described for forming dough product containing a filling. The method includes making projections on the surface of the dough product. The projections serve to isolate a volume of dough away from the main body of the dough product, so the moisture from the filling inside the main body of the dough product cannot readily migrate into the projections. The dough product with its projections attains a significant level of crispness upon frying, and retains the crispness upon reheating, even after a freeze/thaw cycle.

Abstract: A compound pizza arrangement includes an inner shell section and an outer shell section. A gap is formed between the outer edge of the inner shell section and an inner edge of the outer shell section, to prevent the shell sections from contacting each other when the shell sections expand during baking. The inner and outer shell sections function to increase the overall length of the exposed shell edge, and provide two distinct shell sections for receiving toppings or other ingredients. A die is utilized to separate the shell sections from each other and form the space therebetween.

Abstract: Long, thin and tubular quick cooking pasta having, in transverse section, a wall thickness of between 0.60 and 1.1 mm and teeth on the inner surface of the tube, which are longitudinal and parallel, having a height of between 0.3 and 1.6 mm and having a height to wall thickness ratio of between 0.4 and 2.

Abstract: A microwavable food product comprises a crust which is formed of laminated pastry or dough. The crust has a uniform thickness and is provided with a pattern of depressions formed on the upper surface of the crust. The depressions include a plurality of depressions which each intersect the outer periphery of the crust. There are additional depressions in the peripheral region of the crust, and the depressions together, in the preferred embodiment, form substantially radially outwardly extending lines which run up to the outer periphery of the crust. The depressions are such that the region of each depression the thickness of the pastry is between one-half and one-third of the original thickness of the pastry.

Abstract: Non-fried instant noodles are manufactured by kneading wheat flour together with water or water containing additives to form a dough, rolling the dough by a rolling device to form a dough sheet, passing the dough sheet between molding rolls having a plurality of pyramid-shaped protrusions formed thereon to form pyramid-shaped recesses in rolled surfaces of the dough sheet, cutting the dough sheet into a plurality of strips such that each of the strips has formed therein at least one row of pyramid-shaped recesses aligned in a longitudinal direction of the strip, boiling the instant noodle strips with steam, and drying the boiled noodle strips with hot air. The thus obtained oil-free instant noodles have superior reconstituting property and transparent appearance, and can give smooth and soft chewiness. Further, the instant noodles are well matched with soup.

Abstract: A method and device for manufacturing food products where the product material, initially in a substantially liquid state, is fed into the device and through the supply of heat or cold is given its final, substantially solid state, the device comprises elements capable of being moved apart as well as brought together, having at least one recess on at least one side of each element so that the sides facing each other are mounted close to each other and define between them at least one product-forming space.

Abstract: Baked food products are produced by forming a flat sheet of dough and feeding the sheet to a nip between a pair of contra-rotating rollers arranged with their curved surfaces in contact with each other, and each of the rollers has grooves indented into its curved surface. The rollers push the dough into the grooves and form the dough into a lattice comprising an array of ridges imparted to the dough by one of the rollers, which ridges are spaced apart from and extend in substantially the same direction as each other, and an array of ridges imparted to the dough by the other roller, which ridges are spaced apart from and extend in substantially the same direction as each other. The direction in which the ridges of one array extend are at an angle to that of the other array so that the ridges of one array intersect the ridges of the other, and the contacting portions of the curved surfaces of the rollers form apertures in the dough between the intersecting ridges.

Abstract: A ridged dough product is made by a method for making a ridged dough. The method includes preparing a dough and processing the dough with a means for providing ridges and valleys on the outer surface of the dough, such as a die. The ridged dough product exhibits a moisture gradient across the thickness of the dough.

Abstract: A pizza mold for forming pizza dough includes a frame having a peripheral configuration which matches the desired peripheral configuration of the dough, e.g., round, rectangular or square. One surface of the frame includes a plurality of concentric cavities formed at predetermined radial distances from the geometric axis of the frame, with one concentric cavity being formed adjacent the peripheral edge of the frame. The frame is designed to be brought into contact with the dough and the dough is formed (e.g., rolled) across the surface of the frame with the dough being formed in the concentric cavities. When the pizza mold is removed, the concentric cavities produce raised ridges of dough on the surface of the dough. The cavities can be formed in rings across the surface of the frame to create annular raised ridges for a round pizza, or the cavities can be formed in rectangles or squares across the surface of the frame to create rectangular or square raised ridges for a rectangular or square pizza.

Abstract: A pet food product prepared from a fiber containing nutritionally balanced mixture of carbohydrate protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, the product having an expanded striated structural matrix which fractures when chewed by the pet. The product when chewed by the pet exhibits an improved mechanical tooth cleansing function whereby a substantial reduction in plaque, stain and tartar on the pet's teeth is affected. The product is prepared by extruding a plasticized mixture of food ingredients through a discharge passageway, the internal walls of which are maintained at a coefficient of friction no greater than 0.2 so that a condition resembling laminar flow exists in the extrudate.

Abstract: A process for producing biscuits comprises forming a dough into generally laminar portions each having a corrugated configuration and baking the portions to form biscuits. The corrugated configuration is such that the resistance to breaking of the biscuits is greater in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the corrugations extend than in the direction in which the corrugations extend by a factor of at least 1.5. In a preferred process, dough is formed into a sheet 1b having a corrugated configuration (preferably by feeding a flat sheet of dough to a pair of corrugated rollers 6). Individual portions are cut out from the corrugated sheet 1b and baked to form the biscuits.