Abstract: A system and method for applying a reduced sugar coating to a food product is provided using a natural whitening system. The methods include preparing a foam and then maintaining that foam through a spray nozzle to coat a food product with a spray-applied foam that mimics the appearance of a high sucrose frosting or icing.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a high-protein, powdered food composition that can be reconstituted into a creamy, yogurt-like, or smoothie-style food having optional inclusions and that delivers the taste, organoleptic characteristics, mouthfeel, and nutritional benefits of conventional ready-to-eat cereal products. In one approach, the food composition or powdered food composition includes a synergistic combination of two or three distinct whey protein powders.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a product metering device, first and second container preparation systems, and a controller. The product metering device is configured to dispense a product. The first and second container preparation systems are configured to dispense first and second containers, respectively, for receiving the product from the product metering device. The first and second container preparation systems include first and second severed container material transporting devices, respectively, operable to transport the first and second containers, respectively, from the first and second container preparation systems, respectively, to the product metering device. The controller simultaneously controls (i) one of the first container preparation system and the second container preparation system to prepare one of the first container and the second container, and (ii) the product metering device to dispense the product into the other of the first container and the second container.

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 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: 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: An apparatus and method for producing flake-like cereal without the use of a flaking mill.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a food product includes depositing a first foodstuff; transporting the first foodstuff in a first driven direction; depositing a second foodstuff upon a portion of an upper surface of the first foodstuff; transporting the first foodstuff with the second foodstuff deposited thereupon in the first driven direction; separating the first foodstuff with the second foodstuff metered thereupon into a plurality of sheet segments; serially transporting each sheet segment of the plurality of sheet segments from the first driven direction to a second driven direction that is transverse to the first driven direction; compressing the serially transported sheet segments for forming a plurality of thickness segments including the first foodstuff and the second foodstuff that define an elongated, food product body; separating the elongated, food product body into a plurality of food product body units; and finishing the plurality of food product body units.

Abstract: A method for product compliance includes receiving, at data processing hardware, a planogram defining a representative placement of a product on a display shelf and receiving at least one image from an imaging device having a field of view arranged to capture a top surface of the display shelf. The method also includes determining whether the product is disposed on the display shelf based on the at least one image. When the product is disposed on the display shelf, the method includes determining an actual placement of the product on the display shelf and comparing the actual placement of the product to the representative placement of the product defined by the planogram. The method further includes determining a planogram compliance based on the comparison of the actual placement of the product to the representative placement of the product and communicating the planogram compliance to a network.

Abstract: A system and method for applying a reduced sugar coating to a food product is provided using a natural whitening system. The methods include preparing a foam and then maintaining that foam through a spray nozzle to coat a food product with a spray-applied foam that mimics the appearance of a high sucrose frosting or icing.

Abstract: Snack bars incorporating a prebiotic, probiotic and natural fibers, and methods of making such snack bars are described herein. The snack bar may incorporate waxy grains held together by a binder comprising inulin and may be enrobed with a yogurt coating. The methods may include mixing inulin into a binder syrup at low temperature and a slab-bake process for reducing water activity.

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 method includes receiving a user identifier and instructing display systems to display media content based on the user identifier. Each display system has a corresponding screen. The method also includes receiving image data from an imaging system configured to have a field of view arranged to capture images of a user. The method further includes determining gaze characteristics of the user including a gaze target of the user. The method further includes determining whether the gaze target corresponds to one of the screens. When the gaze target corresponds to one of the screens, the method includes determining a time period of gaze engagement with the corresponding screen. The method also includes storing at least one of the gaze characteristics and the media content or an identifier of the media content displayed on the screen corresponding to the gaze target.

Abstract: A method for transmitting a campaign notification message to a shopper mobile computing device includes receiving a condition set from a computing device corresponding to a user for generating the campaign notification message. The condition set includes a defined campaign type, at least one proximity detection device activated by the user and at least one proximity-based delivery parameter indicating campaign content related to the defined campaign type, wherein the campaign content is associated with a corresponding range of proximities in relation to the activated proximity detection device. The method also includes receiving proximity information from the shopper mobile computing device indicating a proximity of the shopper mobile computing device in relation to the activated proximity detection device.