Abstract: The present invention includes a stabilized food flavoring composition for imparting the flavor of egg to foods that includes egg yolk treated at elevated temperature or that contains an aqueous extract of hard cooked egg yolk. The invention also includes a food flavoring composition for imparting the flavor of egg that has substantially reduced levels of fat and cholesterol. The invention also provides methods of preparing an egg-flavored food composition. In these methods, a food preparation to be flavored with egg flavoring is combined with a stabilized flavoring composition for imparting the flavor of egg that includes either egg yolk treated at an elevated temperature or an aqueous extract of hard cooked egg yolk, or both.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cheese curd that contains protein products originating from a dairy liquid containing casein and whey protein. In order to obtain the cheese curd, the dairy liquid is acted upon by a transglutaminase and a non-rennet protease, resulting in a substantial proportion of whey protein products being retained in the cheese curd. The invention also discloses a method of making the cheese curd that retains a substantial proportion of whey protein products. This invention further provides a cheese product, such as a soft cheese, a semi-soft cheese, or a hard cheese, that contains protein products originating from a dairy liquid containing casein and whey protein, and a method of making the cheese product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low moisture cheesecake product having extended shelf life stability. It includes a crust whose water activity ranges from about 0.40 to about 0.86, and a cheesecake filling whose water activity ranges from about 0.76 to about 0.86. The water activity of the finished cheesecake product ranges from about 0.60 to about 0.86. The shelf life stability of the cheesecake product is at least about 3 months at refrigerated temperature. In favorable embodiments of the cheesecake product, its size and shape are appropriate for an individual serving as a snack or a dessert. The filling comprises less than about 60% by weight cream cheese, and includes ingredients that contribute to a lowering of the water activity of the cheesecake product.

Abstract: An improved cottage cheese product have increased shelf life is provided. A relatively small amount of calcium carbonate is added to the dressing. The calcium carbonate-containing dressing is then blended with cottage cheese curd to form the improved cottage cheese product which is then packed into individual containers. At the pH of the cottage cheese product, the calcium carbonate is converted to carbonic acid which is then converted to carbon dioxide, normally over about a two week period at refrigeration temperatures within the package. Conventional cold pack cottage cheese has an average shelf life of about 20 to about 30 days at refrigeration temperatures. The improved cottage cheese described herein has an average shelf life of about 30 to 40 days or longer at refrigeration temperatures. The increased stability is obtained without loss of organoleptic properties and without extensive process modifications.

Abstract: An improved chocolate manufacturing and/or refining process is provided. This process allows chocolate refining at a significantly increased throughput rate while maintaining the particle size distribution at the desired level. Thus, the production rates of existing or newly designed chocolate-making processes can be increased significantly. High shear is applied to the chocolate mass during the later stages of refining and before conching. Generally, this high shear is in the range of about 200,000 to about 1,000,000 sec−1. By significantly increasing the shear rate in the later stages of the refining process, the throughput of refining process, and thus the overall chocolate manufacturing process, can be significantly increased without significantly increasing the particle size of the chocolate mass entering the conching step.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to egg yolk compositions with improved functionality as well as methods of preparing such egg yolk compositions. Such egg yolk compositions confer improved functionality to the food products into which they are incorporated. The egg yolk compositions are prepared by a process comprising: (1) forming an aqueous egg yolk mixture; (2) adding an alkaline material to the aqueous egg yolk mixture in an amount sufficient to adjust the pH of the aqueous egg yolk mixture to about 7.5 or above; (3) heating the pH-adjusted aqueous egg yolk mixture to about 40 to about 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides oil-in-water emulsion food product dressings and a method for preparing oil-in-water emulsion food product dressings. The method achieves an increase in the viscosity and, hence, the stability, of the food product dressings, which permits the food product dressings to achieve a desired level of viscosity with the use of smaller quantities of oil. This advantageously permits the production of reduced calorie oil-in-water emulsion food product dressings at a reduced cost.

Abstract: Bacon chips, bacon patties and bacon pizza topping products are provided from meat sources which include ends and pieces of cured bacon bellies which are bound together by an uncooked meat trimmings binder which has the brine flavor of the bacon ends and pieces and which is preferably porcine. These coarsely ground meat components are shaped and placed into condition for slicing. When sliced to between about 12 and about 16 slices per inch and suitably cooked to a cooking yield of about 25 to about 30 weight percent, cooked bacon chips are provided. When sliced to about 6 to about 10 slices per inch and cooked to a suitable cook yield of between about 35 weight percent and less than about 40 weight percent, bacon patties are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cheese curd containing a substantial proportion of whey protein products and curded proteins originating from a dairy liquid containing casein, as well as a process for making the cheese curd. The process includes the significant step that a dairy liquid fortified with whey protein is contacted with a transglutaminase to provide a modified dairy liquid containing whey protein products. The modified dairy liquid is then blended with a second dairy liquid and renneted to provide the curd, whereby a high proportion of whey protein products is retained in the curd. The curd can be used to prepare cheese products, including soft, semi-soft, and hard cheeses, where the cheese products contain a substantial proportion of whey protein products and curded proteins originating from dairy liquids.

Abstract: A food container and its method of use are disclosed. The food container includes a top panel, bottom panel and plurality of sidewalls. A movable panel is hingedly connected to one of the sidewalls, allowing a consumer to open the container. Attached to the lower edge of the movable panel is a shelf supporting a food item. A consumer can access the food item by opening the movable panel, which causes the shelf to carry the food item outside the container into a position that permits the consumer to easily manipulate it. The food item or a portion thereof can then be replaced in the container by simply closing the movable panel. The shelf may engage one or more sidewalls of the bottom panel to assist in maintaining the container in a closed position after initial opening and reclosing. The container is suitable for packaging food items that include both microwaveable and non-microwaveable ingredients. A foldable blank for manufacturing the container is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sliced food product such as a cheese product or meat product having a design or figure cut or otherwise formed therein. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the design or figure is cut entirely or substantially through the slice so that the design or figure may be removed from a surrounding peripheral portion of the slice. A method and apparatus for forming the figure or design are also disclosed. The preferred method and apparatus employ a rotary figure cutter which cuts entirely through the slice to outline a pattern or figure, and which cuts or penetrates partially through the slice to form details of the figure by embossing or indenting design components on the slice. The slice is preferably wrapped in film prior to the figure cutting operation, and the figure cutter performs its function without cutting or tearing the film wrap. The rotary figure cutter preferably comprises a pair of rotary dies between which each slice passes as the design is formed thereon.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of preparing a process cheese containing lactose wherein the cheese remains free of lactose crystals. The method includes a step in which a dairy liquid is heated at a temperature, and for a duration in time, that are sufficient to inhibit or prevent crystallization of the lactose after formation of the process cheese. The ratio of dairy liquid to cheese is from about 1:1 to about 3:1 by weight. The invention additionally discloses the lactose-containing process cheese stabilized against the formation of lactose crystals, prepared by the process of the invention.

Abstract: A baked food product comprised of a yeast-leavened, bread-like crust completely enrobing a cheese filling. The product may be shaped for reheating in a toaster or toaster oven or on a grill. The filling may have particulate food particulates added, such as diced meat and/or vegetables.

Abstract: A two stage coffee roasting process includes a first stage, green coffee beans are roasted for 5-15 minutes to a roast color of 30-50 Lu. In a second stage, the beans are further roasted for ½-3½ minutes to a roast color of 4-19 Lu. The roasted beans have a reduced density in the range of 0.27-0.38, and a roast color of 4-19 Lu. Analysis of sulfur compounds in the coffee aroma reveals a high level of methylmercaptan, a key compound for the pleasant aroma of freshly roasted and ground coffee. Coffee beans roasted in accordance with the present invention have a generally high titratable acidity at a given density and roast color.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a food product having a plurality of sections having different characteristics, such as different colors and/or flavors. The method and apparatus has a first nozzle extruding a first stream of a liquid food product having a first characteristic onto a moving platform. The first stream has a height and a width with respect to the platform. A second nozzle extrudes a second stream of a liquid food product having a second characteristic onto the platform. The second stream has a height and a width with respect to the platform. The second nozzle is adjacent to the first nozzle providing adjacent first and second streams on the moving platform. The first stream and second stream spread out such that their heights decrease and their widths increase.

Abstract: A two stage, on-demand, commercially-viable method for producing process cheese or process cheese-type products by the direct conversion of milk is provided. This method does not require fermentation, enzymatic treatment, and/or intermediate steps of forming and separating curds and whey. In the first stage, a powdered milk protein concentrate is form by ultrafiltering liquid milk, preferably skim milk, and then spray drying the concentrated ultrafiltered milk. The powdered milk protein concentrate, which is storage-stable, may be converted to process cheese or process cheese-type product immediately or may be stored for later conversion. The powdered milk protein concentrate can be used to produce fat-free, reduced-or low-fat, and/or full-fat cheeses having similar organoleptic properties to cheeses prepared from conventional curds and whey processes. The present two stage process is especially adapted for semi-continuous or continuous manufacture of process cheese-type products.

Abstract: A method for producing a cheese product directly from milk in a short period of time is provided. In the method, pasteurized milk is treated with lactic acid to provide an acidified milk product. The resulting acidified milk is then subjected to ultrafiltration (UF), and optionally diafiltration (DF), to form a UF retentate (or UF/DF retentate if diafiltration is used) which is concentrated by about a factor of about 4 to about 7 and which has a lactose concentration of about 2.5 to about 4.0 percent (UF retentate) or about 0.5 to about 2.5 percent (UF/DF retentate). After adding lactic acid and salt, the UF or UF/DF retentate is subject to an evaporation step to form a precheese. The resulting precheese has a total solid content of about 30 to about 70 percent. The precheese, with added flavorants and other additives (including, for example, emulsifying salts) is then subject to conventional cheese processing conditions in, for example, a laydown cooker.