Abstract: A mechanism (10) includes a slide plate (32) having die openings (38) adapted to hold dies (42a, 42b) and slideable relative to a cooker/extruder (12). Rotary cutters (74, 174) are rotatably mounted relative to and moveable with the dies (42a, 42b). In one preferred form, a motor (76) can be connected and disconnected to the rotary cutter (74) aligned with the cooker/extruder (12) by moving a male coupling (96) within or out of a female coupling (108). In another preferred form, the rotary cutter (174) is mounted to and carried exclusively by a center shaft (180) fixed to the die (42a, 42b) and includes provisions (187, 191) located within a housing (183) for rotating the housing (183) on the center shaft (180). Thus, it is not necessary to shut down the cooker/extruder (12) to service or change the dies (42a, 42b) and/or the rotary cutters (74, 174).

Abstract: Controlled release, discrete, solid particles which contain an encapsulated and/or embedded component such as a heat sensitive destruction or readily oxidizable pharnaceutically, biologically, or nutritionally active component are continuously produced without substantial destruction of the matrix or encapsulant. A release-rate controlling component is incorporated into the matrix to control the rate of release the encapsulant from the particles. the additional component may be a hydrophobic component or a high water binding capacity component for extending the release time. The plasticizable matrix material, such as starch, is admixed with at least one plasticizer, such as water, and at least one release-rate controlling component under low shear mixing conditions to plasticize the plasticizable material without substantially destroying the at least one plasticizable material and to obtain a substantially homogeneous plasticized mass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ready-to-eat cereal flakes exhibiting higher percentages of curled flakes and reduced bulk densities as well as processes for preparing said cereal flakes. More specifically, the present invention provides ready-to-eat cereal flakes fabricated from cooked cereal dough pellets having a bulk density of 150 to 200 g/1003 inch, an average flake thickness of 600 to 800 &mgr;m and at least 45% of the flakes being curled to provide a flaked width of at least five millimeters.

Abstract: Refrigerated cultured dairy products such as yogurt having enhanced anti-mold stability are prepared by including minute quantities of a cultured dairy ingredient having been cultured with a propionic acid forming culture. The propionic bearing cultured dairy ingredient such as whey is added to a milk base that is then heat treated prior to inoculation and fermentation with a yogurt culture. Premature protein coagulation that can occur during the heat treatment step is minimized by adding minute quantities of a calcium sequestrant to the milk base.

Abstract: A continuous method for preparing an aerated confection, especially marshmallows, includes the steps of A. continuously forming a clear concentrated sugar syrup in a single vessel by continuously admixing to form a sugar syrup slurry; cooking the sugar syrup slurry with agitation and indirect heat to dissolve the solids, concentrating the sugar syrup by evaporating water as vapor and venting the vapor to form a concentrated clear syrup, wherein the residence time of the syrup within the vessel ranges from about 1 to 5 minutes; B. cooling the clear concentrated syrup without crystallization to form a cooled clear sugar syrup; C. admixing the clear cooled sugar syrup with about 1 to 30% of a foam structuring agent to form a liquid confection blend; D. seeding the liquid confection blend with dry sugar crystals to form a seeded liquid confection blend; E. aerating the seeded liquid confection blend to form an aerated confection plastic foam; F.

Abstract: A package (10) is disclosed including a tray (22) having an annular flange (34) extending from the open end (26) of a basket (24) receiving a promotional device (38). The open end (26) of the basket (24) is closed by a clear membrane label (32) extending thereover and onto the flange (34) to seal the promotional device (38) in the basket (24). The flange (34) includes a tab extension (37) and the clear membrane label (32) includes a pull tab (33) which is not secured to the tray (22). The basket (24) is inserted into an opening (20) formed in a panel (14) of a carton (12) until the flange (34) abuts with the panel (14) around the opening (20). A second label (36) is secured over the tray (22) and to the panel (14) around the flange (34) to attach the tray (22) to the carton (12). In a first form, the second label (36) has adhesive at least around the periphery thereof for adhering to the panel (14) outside the tray (22).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for forming open ended, cone-shaped snack products includes a rotary cutter (28) having opposed, counterrotating rollers (30) each formed by multiple cutting discs (36) axially spaced on a mandrel (34) by spacers (38). A dough sheet formed by a sheet forming device (12) is conveyed to a slitting device (24) which slits the dough sheet into multiple pairs of dough strips. The dough strips are conveyed on a conveyer (26) towards the rotary cutter (28). The first dough strips of each pair pass over the end of the conveyor (26), and twisted 90° as they pass over sheaves (44, 56, 60) and pass between stationary guides (42) to the first roller (30) while the second dough strips of each pair pass over the end of the conveyor (26), are twisted 90° as they pass over sheaves (46, 58, 62) and pass between the stationary guides (42) to a second roller (30). The pair of dough strips are drawn under tension through the nip of the rollers (30) in a face to face stacked orientation.

Abstract: A method for coating discrete food pieces with a sweet coating such as in the preparation of a presweetened R-T-E cereal and coated food products prepared by the method is provided. The coating contains a mixture of sugars and calcium. The method of preparation comprises the steps, in sequence of: (A) providing a base of dried food pieces; (B) blending sugar syrup with an aqueous calcium slurry; (C) coating the base of dried food pieces with the sugar syrup and calcium slurry blend; and (D) drying the coated product to a shelf stable moisture content to provide a calcium fortified finished product.

Abstract: A mechanism (10) includes a slide plate (32) having die openings (38) adapted to hold dies (42a, 42b) and slideable relative to a cooker/extruder (12). Rotary cutters (74) are rotatably mounted relative to and moveable with the dies (42a, 42b). In one preferred form, a motor (76) can be connected and disconnected to the rotary cutter (74) aligned with the cooker/extruder (12) by a male coupling (96) including an elastomeric band (106) tensioned in a groove (102) formed in an outer peripheral surface (100) and received within the inside surface (116) of a cylindrical body (114) of a female coupling (108). Thus, it is not necessary to shut down the cooker/extruder (12) to service or change the dies (42a, 42b) and/or the rotary cutters (74). An annular wear plate (134) is sandwiched between the slide plate (32) and a frame element (18) having a central aperture (126) into which the barrel (14) of the cooker/extruder (12) is slideably received.

Abstract: A shelf stable ready-to-bake batter article for baked goods comprises an unpressurized gas impermeable container, low water activity, batter with a leavening system disposed within the container and partially filling the container and an inert low oxygen gas in the headspace not filled by the batter. The ratio of sugar to flour in the batter ranges from about 0.5:1 to 2.5:1. The batter has a water activity of less than 0.85.

Abstract: Disclosed are annatto-caramel food colorant blends having a pH of about 9.1 to 10 that exhibit improved stability against precipitation and provide a rich brown color. The colorant blends are particularly useful for use in RTE cereals. The blends are characterized by low ammonia contents (<0.05%). Also disclosed are methods for preparing low ammonia content caramel color solutions. The methods involve adding KOH to a caramel solution to a pH of >10, off gassing ammonia to reduce the ammonia content to <0.05%, and acidifying the caramel colorant to a pH of 6.5 to 7 to provide a treated low ammonia neutral aqueous caramel colorant. An aqueous annatto colorant having a pH of about 12.5 to 13.5 is admixed with the treated low ammonia neutral caramel solution in a solids weight ratio of about 1:1 to about 4:1.

Abstract: A mechanism (10) includes a slide plate (32) having die openings (38) adapted to hold dies (42a, 42b) and slideable relative to a cooker/extruder (12). Rotary cutters (74) are rotatably mounted relative to and moveable with the dies (42a, 42b). A motor (76) can be connected and disconnected to the rotary cutter (74) aligned with the cooker/extruder (12) by a male coupling (96) including an elastomeric band (106) tensioned in a groove (102) formed in an outer peripheral surface (100) and received within the inside surface (116) of a cylindrical body (114) of a female coupling (108). The rotary cutters (74) include a plurality of knives (90) mounted to an annular cutter head (82) rotatably mounted upon a center shaft (80) axially extending from each of the dies (42a, 42b). Thus, it is not necessary to shut down the cooker/extruder (12) to service or change the dies (42a, 42b) and/or the rotary cutters (74).

Abstract: Topical applications are provided to the support material (16) before the deposit of the food (14) thereon or to the food (14) after the deposit of the food (14) on the support material (16). Thus, although the food (14) is continuously deposited on the support material (16), the characteristics of the food is varied by contact with the topical application. In the preferred form, the topical applications are in the form of flavors, colorants and/or fortification ingredients and especially temperature sensitive ingredients.

Abstract: Disclosed are cooked dried farinaceous food products such as cooked cereal doughs, ready-to-eat cereals and grain based snacks fabricated from such cooked cereal doughs containing high levels of soluble fiber supplied at least in part by inulin or other .beta.-2 fructofuranose. The cereals contain about 0.1 to 17% added inulin. The inulin ingredient can be incorporated into the dough and/or topically applied. Also provided are methods for preparing such cooked cereal doughs and finished farinaceous products.

Abstract: A container (10) especially adapted for wedge shaped food products is disclosed including a transparent, thermoformed tray (11) receiving a paperboard product card (32) and sealed by a transparent closure layer (15). The tray (11) includes an isosceles trapezoid shaped bottom (16) and a sidewall (18) formed by a first, isosceles trapezoid shaped end (20), sides (24, 26) extending at an angle between an annular flange (12) and the bottom (16) from their upper edges to their lower edges and from their first end edges to their second end edges, a second trapezoid shaped end (22), and a triangular shaped corner panel (28). The product card (32) includes a bottom portion (34) of a size and shape for abutting with the bottom (16) of the tray (11) and end and side portions (36, 40) integrally connected to the bottom portion (34) about fold lines (38, 42) for abutting with the first end (20) and first side (24) of the tray (11).

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus (10) for making a complexly patterned extrudate. The apparatus (10) includes a food cooker extruder (12) for providing at least one extrudable food product, at least one food color supply (18), a pattern forming die (20) for mixing the food color and extrudate food product to form a complexly patterned food product, a reducing passageway for reducing the cross sectional area of the patterned dough from an inlet end (34) to outlet end (36) of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. and an extruder exit port at the discharge end of the reducing passageway. The methods comprise the steps of: providing a plastic extrudable food mass; providing at least one color; mixing the food mass and color to form an organized complexly patterned food dough having an initial cross sectional area; reducing the initial cross sectional area by a factor of at least 50:1 with an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed where plastic extrudable food product is provided such as by a food cooker extruder and is mixed with a food color to form a complexly patterned food product, such as by a pattern forming die.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus (10) for making a complexly patterned extrudate. The apparatus (10) includes a food cooker extruder (12) for providing at least one extrudable food product, at least one food color supply (18), a pattern forming die (20) for mixing the food color and extrudate food product to form a complexly patterned food product, a reducing passageway for reducing the cross sectional area of the patterned dough from an inlet end (34) to outlet end (36) of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. and an extruder exit port at the discharge end of the reducing passageway. The methods comprise the steps of: providing a plastic extrudable food mass; providing at least one color; mixing the food mass and color to form an organized complexly patterned food dough having an initial cross sectional area; reducing the initial cross sectional area by a factor of at least 50:1 with an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree.

Abstract: A method for coating discrete food pieces with a sweet coating such as in the preparation of a presweetened R-T-E cereal and coated food products prepared by the process. The coating resists dissolution in cold milk. The coating contains a mixture of sugars, gelatin and calcium material. The method of preparation comprises the steps, in sequence of: (A) providing a base of dried food pieces; (B) blending an aqueous sugars solution with an aqueous gelatin solution and calcium material; (C) coating the base of dried food pieces with the aqueous sugar, gelatin solution and calcium material; and (D) drying the coated product to a shelf stable moisture content.

Abstract: A container is used to store fine particles such as bakery flour in a sealed packaging, wherein air in the container, such as air entrapped during filling, can be expelled through compression without loss of fine particles. The container includes a main body forming a pouch which terminates in a principal opening and is fabricated from an imperforate flexible material such as clear plastic film. A sealing mechanism is attached to the pouch for sealing the pouch, and a multiplicity of microscopic pores extend through the flexible material. Each pore has a dimension ranging from 10 to 150 .mu.m sufficient to permit air to exit through an exit port, but to prevent the fine particles from escaping through the pores. At least a portion of the pouch material has an anti-slip surface with an external coefficient of friction ranging from about 0.4 to 0.5.