Abstract: An improved process for preparing thin, yeast-leavened dough crusts provides improved products with reduced fragility. The process comprises: preparing a dough, preferably including an antimycotic; holding the dough at a suitably low temperature which is effective to develop the dough while maintaining good forming characteristics; dividing the dough into weighed pieces; finally proofing the weighed dough pieces; pressing the weighed dough pieces between upper and lower, differentially-heated platens to form and condition a flat dough preform, the starch in the upper surface being partially gelatinized and the lower surface being strengthened. Preferably, the product baked and then packaged in a heat-sealed plastic covering.

Abstract: An easy open tabbed package made of a flexible laminate material comprises a product enclosure having side walls, a bottom portion and an overlapping top portion. The overlapping top portion includes opposing flaps having a sealable region wherein a hand-peelable heat seal can be applied and a raised grippable tab means integral with the sealable region of each flap. The package is designed to enclose a product such as roast and ground coffee which can be vacuum-packed and peelably sealed inside the flexible laminate enclosure. The tab means, which preferably comprises a wave-shaped raised tab, is constructed integrally with the peel-seal region and greatly facilitates opening of the package by pulling outwardly from the center.

Abstract: Fruit-flavored, powdered gelatin dessert mixes are formulated to obtain a relatively high pH of at least 4.15, and a relatively low gelatin load weight while still retaining a desirable sour taste. The mix contains adipic acid and fumaric and/or citric acid at a weight ratio of 15-21:1. The mix also contains soluble sodium buffer salts and soluble citrate buffer salts at a weight ratio of 0.9-2:1.

Abstract: Fat in a confectionary chip is reduced to below about 10% by using a low-fat insoluble, non-gummy food material and 40-70% small particle sugar (less than 100 microns) in combination with about 13% moisture. The sugar to non-gummy food material ratio must be between 2:1 and 4:1 and the moisture between about 10% to about 15%. Hydrated food ingredients are added to retain at least some of the moisture in the bound state. Other ingredients which may be added to the formulation include syrups, milk solids and starch. The chips can be made by simply blending the dry ingredients and adding the moisture to form a dough in the form of a dry, crumbly paste. The dough is mixed or worked up well and then formed into the desired shape. The shape is then cut into pieces similar to chocolate chips.

Abstract: Raw starch which has been treated with an emulsifying agent during a wash step, such as during refining, is alkali-treated, washed to remove flavor, crosslinked, neutralized, gelatinized and dried to give instant starch useful for instant puddings and mixes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously loading containers into cartons in oriented two row arrays is provided. A supply delivers the containers individually to a depositing device for individually receiving respective containers. The depositing device is then moved to individually deposit the containers delivered thereto in a first collection device for collecting the containers in rows and columns corresponding to the array. The first collection device includes a matrix of dedicated channels similar to the array into which channels the depositing device deposits the containers in a sequential manner whereby the matrix is repeatedly filled with the containers row by row. Individually and alternately after each associated row of the matrix is filled, each row of containers in the first collection device is next delivered to a second collection device for collecting the containers in separated rows. The second collection device includes a respective bay for each respective row of the array of containers.

Abstract: Bitterness inhibitors are disclosed which are derivations of cinnamic acid. A process for reducing the bitterness of consumable materials is set forth which comprises the addition of the bitterness inhibitors at a level of from about 0.001% to 0.2% by weight. The preferred bitterness inhibitors are caffeic acid and ferulic acid.

Abstract: Food products, typically having a moisture content above 50% by weight, are prepared which contain polysaccharide hydrocolloid and insoluble fiber at a weight ratio of 1:0.2-3.5:1.1-4.5. These materials are preferably added to the food product as an aqueous dispersion. The aqueous dispersion preferably also contains a protein material. This invention is particularly useful in the preparation of fat-free food products.

Abstract: Formulations and processes for shelf-stable, gelled, gelatin confections which have a texture akin to gelatin dessert gels.

Abstract: Coffee products and other comestibles having an increased content of potassium are useful to enhance the gastric acid response of persons having abnormally low gastric acid secretion such as persons having gastric atrophy or atrophic gastritis. Preferred coffee beverages have an added potassium content of at least 1% by weight based on the dry weight of coffee solids in the beverage.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the production of vanillin through the bioconversion of a vanillin precursor with a tissue culture of undifferentiated callus cells derived from a vanilla plant and/or enzymes obtained therefrom in the presence of a water soluble sulfhydryl compound and optionally, also in the presence of an assimilable carbon source.

Abstract: An improved method for extracting caffeine from a coffee material, preferably raw coffee solids, with an extractant comprising supercritical carbon dioxide. Caffeine is continuously absorbed from the extractant with an aqueous wash solution in an absorber. This wash solution is continuously treated by reverse osmosis to form a caffeine-containing retentate stream and a permeate stream containing dissolved solids but substantially no caffeine. The permeate stream is recycled and used as wash water in the absorber or is used to prehydrate solid coffee materials, or both. The permeate stream comprises acidic dissolved solids.

Abstract: An aqueous shelf-stable beverage product containing water, milk solids, and an acidic flavoring agent, and a two component stabilizing system of monoglycerides and up to 10% by weight diglycerides, carrageenin or pectin; disodium phosphate; and potassium hydroxide; the shelf-stable beverage product having a pH of about 6.3 to about 6.5.

Abstract: A no-fat cheese analog having the texture, body and eating qualities of cheese is produced by admixing about 15% to about 35% of a coagulated skim milk product having a fat content of less than 2%, about 15% to about 35% dry particulate rennet casein, about 1% to about 3% of an edible emulsifying salt, sufficient quantities of flavoring agents and acidulants to impart desired flavor and pH, and about 30% to about 65% water; said dry rennet casein being hydrated in said water by action of said emulsifying salt at temperatures of about 160.degree. F. to about 200.degree. F. under agitation conditions for a time period sufficient to provide a plastic homogenous body being substantially free of unhydrated rennet casein particles, said edible emulsifying salt being present at about 2% to about 15% by weight of the said particulate rennet casein, said emulsifying salt being selected from the group consisting of alkali metal phosphates, citrate salts and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: In a process for deacidifying and improving the flavor of so called secondary extracts obtained in the production of instant coffees, the secondary extracts are pumped over alkaline molecular sieves and are therewith completely or partially liberated from acids and flavor-impeding organic compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing soluble coffee with an infusion quality similar to that of roast bean coffee, with which instant-typical off-flavour characters are no longer detectable, with which ground roast coffee of a particle size of at most approximately 1.