Abstract: Thin snack chips having a curved or wave shape are obtained by forming, shaping or curling baked chips into a curved or wave configuration before they become too cold and rigid so as to result in breakage during forming. The essentially flat, malleable baked chips, still hot from baking in an oven may be continuously transported on a conveyer belt into a nip or gap formed between the conveyer belt and a rotating forming roller to curve or curl the malleable baked chips around the roller. The malleable baked chips are subjected to a guided curtain of air to cool and set the chips in a curved or wave configuration and to remove or blow the curved or wave chips off of the rotating forming roller onto the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A container or container unit includes a main container having a rigid rim and a flip top for the main container. The flip top includes a base member attached to the rigid rim and a cover member hingedly connected to the base member and which has a first catch member. The base member includes a resilient push button formed therewith. This push button includes a second catch member such that the second catch member interacts with the first catch member when the cover member is in a closed position relative to the base member to hold the cover member to the base member, and such that the first and second catch member are separable from one another when the push button is pushed. The container unit includes a dry beverage mix in the first container and a dry additive for the dry beverage mix in a secondary container attached to an inside surface of the cover member.

Abstract: A cheese reshaper is provided that reshapes a generally rectangular portion of cheese into a generally circular or ovular portion of cheese. The cheese reshaper consists of a cheese shaping die having a generally rectangular entrance opening and a generally circular exit opening with a transition zone therebetween. The transition zone is dimensional to gradually reshape the cheese as it passes through it. Furthermore, the cross-sectional areas of the generally rectangular portion of cheese, generally circular or ovular portion of cheese, generally rectangular entrance opening, and the generally circular or ovular exit opening are all substantially equal.

Abstract: Methods are provided for making nutrient fortified foods, and particularly methods of fortifying process cheeses with magnesium and the resulting magnesium-fortified process cheese products. These methods allow significant amounts of nutrient supplements, such as minerals and/or vitamins, to be delivered per serving of food product without adversely affecting functionality or product quality. These magnesium-fortified process cheeses also may be produced with increased salty flavor without increased sodium content, or maintain salty flavor at reduced sodium content, without need for potassium salt substitutes. Foods fortified by the disclosed methods retain their desired functionality and sensory properties such as textures, mouthfeel, flavor, and the like.

Abstract: A food package for sliced food products including a rigid base member forming a compartment for receiving the food product and a rigid lid sealed to the compartment. The base member includes a bottom wall and side wall portions that are configured to engage the food product. Preferably, one or more tapered side wall portions hold the food product upwardly toward the lid and inwardly toward a center of the package. In preferred embodiments, the base member and lid provide a rigid-rigid construction of the food package. In preferred embodiments, the food package does not require the food product be contained within a sealed pouch within the compartment.

Abstract: Mineral complexes, especially calcium complexes, of lactobionic acid which are especially useful for mineral fortification of food and beverage products are provided. The preferred calcium complex of lactobionic acid provided in the present invention delivers a soluble, stable, clean tasting calcium source suitable for calcium fortification of a wide variety of food and beverage products. The mineral complexes are prepared by mixing lactobionic acid, a mineral source, (e.g., mineral hydroxide), and an edible acid (e.g., citric acid) in an aqueous solution.

Abstract: Whey protein materials such as whey from cheese making processes, whey protein concentrates, and whey protein isolates, are deflavored by adjusting the pH of an aqueous composition of such whey protein materials to about 8 to about 12 to solubilize the whey proteins and to release the flavoring compounds and thereafter passing the pH-adjusted composition to an ultrafiltration membrane having a molecular weight cutoff up to about 50,000 Daltons under conditions at which the flavoring compounds pass through the membrane, leaving the retained whey protein material with improved flavor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed bacterial isolates that produce proteinacious antimicrobial agents effective against a variety of food borne pathogens. The invention includes the bacteria, bacteriocin preparations derived from the bacteria and methods by which the preparations may be used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to superior dairy products which have firmness qualities and textural qualities not observed in conventional dairy products. The dairy products of this invention have average fat particle sizes of less than about 0.8 microns, preferably of about 0.1 to about 0.8 microns, and more preferably about 0.2 to about 0.6 microns. The dairy products which may be manufactured using this process are cream cheese, sour cream, and dairy products containing at least 4 percent fat. The present invention also provides a process for making a cream cheese product without the removal of whey and having average fat particle sizes of less than about 0.8 microns, preferably of about 0.1 to about 0.8 microns, and more preferably about 0.2 to about 0.6 microns.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for preparing a processed peanut product containing high levels of peanut hearts material, with the peanut heart material being substantially stripped of bitter taste so as to provide debittered peanut hearts of comparable taste to actual peanuts or as being flavorless without adversely affecting the taste of a foodstuff end product. The processed product includes whole or fragmented peanut hearts and peanut heart powder processed using alkaline wash, neutralization, and drying for inactivating enzymes and removing bitter flavoring components. The peanut heart materials are debittered by adjusting the pH to about 8 to about 12 with an alkali material (e.g., sodium hydroxide) to solubilize the protein content and release the bitter flavor compounds making it possible to separate such compounds by ultrafiltration. The alkali treated peanut heart material is neutralized with an acidic aqueous solution.

Abstract: A food product container includes a molded tray having at least one cell for holding a food product. A removable cover, such as lidding film, seals the cell in preparation for shipment. A utensil, such as a spoon or knife or the like, is integrally molded with the container.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to nutritionally superior cheese products and their methods of manufacture. More particularly, this invention is directed to the manufacture of nutritionally superior cheese products having at least two phases wherein at least one phase is cheese (e.g., process cheese, uncured natural cheese, cured natural cheese, and the like) and at least one phase is a second edible phase (e.g., a cheese different from the first phase, vegetables, meats, mixtures of vegetables and meats, fruit, nuts, and the like). The nutritionally superior cheese products of the present invention are prepared by co-extruding the two or more phases such that the use of adhesives or heat to bind the at least two phases is not required. Nutritional supplements (e.g., vitamins, calcium, minerals, and the like) can be incorporated into one or more of the at least two phases.

Abstract: The current invention provides an improved process for making a cheese product using transglutaminase. The method comprises the steps of providing a dairy liquid, crosslinking and curding the dairy liquid by adding an acidifying agent and a transglutaminase to the dairy liquid under conditions sufficient to crosslink at least a portion of proteins in the dairy liquid to provide both a curd comprising a crosslinked dairy liquid and a liquid whey, cutting and cooking the curd, separating the curd from the liquid whey, and collecting the curd. Many specific embodiments are provided. Additionally, the current invention provides a product made by the process. The cheese products, especially soft cheeses such cream cheese and cottage cheese, exhibit less syneresis than similar cheeses prepared by conventional methods.

Abstract: A package is provided for shipping first and second food product components, and for dispensing the second food product component over the first food product component during heating. Food package includes a bowl having fluted portions cooperating with fluted portions of a cap. The cap includes a plurality of protrusions pointed toward the bowl which guide the second food product component for uniform dispersion.

Abstract: A fully baked, deep dish pizza crust is provided having a water activity in the range of about 0.9 to about 0.95. The deep dish pizza crust is ideally suited for use in a refrigerated, ready-to-eat pizza kit. The deep dish pizza crust is of a convenient size and shape (generally square and about 4 by about 4 by about 0.75 in. deep) and is especially adapted as a single serving or snack food product. Also provided is a kit for preparing ready-to-eat deep dish pizza, the kit including one or more deep dish pizza crusts, pizza sauce, cheese, and one or more pizza toppings. The deep dish pizza crusts are designed so that they can be nested so as to reduce the volume requirements in the kit. Each of the components of the pizza kit, including the deep dish pizza crusts, is hermetically sealed from the other food items to substantially retard or prevent flavor, moisture, and microbial migration from one food item to another.

Abstract: The present invention provides process cheeses comprising casein and whey protein with a ratio of casein to whey protein of from about 50:50 to about 75:25. Typically, the process cheese further comprises an emulsifier, milkfat, and may contain one or more other ingredients such as, but not limited to, whole whey, cheese, and lactic acid. The present invention provides methods for producing the process cheese of the current invention using a pre-cook or post-cook homogenization step, and/or a modified dairy protein source. The modified dairy protein source includes high viscosity whey protein, emulsified high fat whey protein powder, low calcium whey protein, and/or high solubility milk protein.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a process for hardening lipids, especially unsaturated lipids such as unsaturated fatty oils, by mixing and interacting lipids with polyamines such that the peak melting point of the resulting combination is higher than that of the lipid alone. In this way, the polyamine-treated unsaturated lipid can be converted into a solid or semi-solid state at a relatively lower temperature than the unsaturated lipid alone. The lipid and polyamine combination displays physical attributes that mimic the crystalline structures of saturated lipids and fats without the incurring the associated negative health implications of such saturated lipids and fats.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions which have reduced amounts of solids for preparing cooked leguminous food products. During preparation of the food products, the compositions have a hot viscosity sufficiently low enough to facilitate mechanical pumping and other processing of the compositions. The compositions include a starch component in an amount effective for providing the hot viscosity of the compositions as well as a final viscosity of the cooked leguminous food product such that the food product has an enhanced consistency and texture. The compositions are prepared by processing legumes for cooking, blending the starch component and water with the legumes to provide a composition having a predetermined amount of legumes, heating the composition to provide a cooked legume composition, and processing the composition further to provide a containerized cooked food product. The compositions are particularly suited for preparation of a cooked refried bean product.

Abstract: A one-dish frozen dinner product having an integral bread ring is provided. A method for making a one-dish frozen dinner product having an integral bread ring is also provided. The one-dish frozen dinner product preferably includes a receptacle containing the one-dish frozen dinner product, a baking shield upstanding above the receptacle, and a shipping carton. Even more preferably, the baking shield is placed at the bottom of the receptacle containing the one-dish frozen dinner product and is configured for a nesting fit. The baking shield may have either a frustoconical sidewall or a concave trough-like sidewall.

Abstract: Horizontal form fill seal apparatus for making flexible packages with slider fastener closures is provided. A fastener track is applied in-line with a plastic web and is bonded thereto at the same time that a peel seal is formed. All package components are brought together at a turntable-mounted point of fill. With rotation of the turntable, final sealing operations are performed.