Abstract: A method for making an encased vegetable based jerky includes the steps of: hydrating a texturized vegetable protein mixture to form a fibrous mass; hydrating a gel forming vegetable protein isolate to form a protein gel; mixing the protein gel with the fibrous mass to form a mixed mass; extruding the mixed mass into a casing to form a cased mass; and cooking and drying the cased mass to form encased vegetable based jerky. The encased vegetable based jerky includes: a three-component protein mix including a textured long fiber vegetable protein, a textured short fiber vegetable protein, and a gel forming vegetable protein isolate, the three-component protein mix forming a plurality of protein clusters dispersed in the meat analogue; psyllium husk; and a casing enclosing the three-component vegetable protein mix wherein the casing is substantially free of breaks or delaminated portions, wherein the encased vegetable based jerky is substantially free of added vegetable oil.

Abstract: A system and method for applying a reduced sugar coating to a food product is provided. The system uses separate applications (simultaneous or sequential) of a non-sucrose carbohydrate syrup from a first applicator and a sucrose syrup from a second applicator. The dual applications of the syrups are applied without an active drying step between applications. The process results in a coated food product with reduced clumping and a desired crystallized appearance even with the reduced levels of sugar.

Abstract: A system for applying a fastening material to a substrate is provided. The system may include a first material source including the substrate. The substrate may define a first length extending from a first edge to a second edge and the first material source may feed the substrate in a first direction transverse to the first length. The system may additionally include a second material source including the fastening material. The fastening material may define a second length extending from a third edge to a fourth edge, whereby the second length is substantially equal to the first length and the second material source feeds the fastening material in a second direction transverse to the second length. The system may also include an applicator system that secures the fastening material to the substrate.

Abstract: A vertical form fill and seal system supports a sheet of material having material segments and a tube sized for drawing edges of the elongated sheet of material together in an overlapping configuration to form the sheet into a substantially tube shape. The VFFS also includes a sealer that seals the edges of the material to one another and a gusseting mechanism sized for forming a gusseted tuck in each of a left panel portion of the material and a right panel portion of the material. A cutting mechanism removes a first portion and a second portion of a first segment of the material segments in order to form a first cut and a second cut in the first segment and a sealing mechanism folds and seals the first segment at the first cut and at the second cut to provide an end wall with a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped footprint.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of processing raw leguminous materials, such as pea flour, pea concentrate, or pea isolate, to reduce non-volatile flavor components and in particular bound saponin compounds. The methods includes select processing steps by steam cooking a raw slurry to form a cooked slurry and drying the cooked slurry to form a processed material. An amount of non-volatile flavor components in the processed material is less than an amount of non-volatile flavor components in the raw materials.

Abstract: A filled snack product includes a first sheet having a first surface. A plurality of filling lines are disposed upon the first surface of the first sheet. Each of the plurality of filling lines are spaced to define a void between each of the adjacent filling lines. A second sheet is disposed over the first sheet and secured to at least a portion of the first sheet to sandwich the plurality of spaced filling lines between the first and second sheets. A plurality of docking holes are disposed upon the first and second sheets. The plurality of docking holes and the plurality of spaced filling lines allow for the pinning of the first and second sheets at the voids disposed between the spaced filling lines and further for the release to steam and/or gas from the filled snack product during heating to minimize puffing of the filled snack product.