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: 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 method for preparing a food product and a food product thereof including a grain-based binder and being essentially free of added sugar. The method includes preparing a cooked grain flour and then hydrating the cooked grain flour either during or after cooking with a liquid to form a binder composition. The binder composition and one or more food ingredients are combined to form an agglomerate, and the agglomerate is thermally processed to obtain the food product.

Abstract: A multi-piece food product (10) comprising a plurality of strands (12A-12K) that are extruded and aggregated to form an aesthetically pleasing food product is provided. A formulation used to make each of the strands (12A-12K) includes a mixture comprising at least 20% sweetener, at least 15% starchy material, and at least 1% fruit by weight based a total dry weight of the mixture to yield a starch-based confectionary food product. One process for forming the multi-piece food product (10) includes extruding a food stream from a slurry, dividing the food stream into three separate food streams (24A, 24B), injecting color, flavor, and ascorbic acid into the food streams (24A, 24B), conveying the food streams (24A, 24B) into a former (26) and extruding the strands (12A-12K) therefrom, forming the strands (12A, 12B) into an aggregate food mass (31), cooling the food mass (31), and cutting the food mass (31) into individual portions.

Abstract: The invention provides a fruit bar and a method for making a fruit bar. The fruit bar includes primary fruit pieces having a taste and a texture. The texture of the primary fruit pieces is defined at least in part by a hardness and a chewiness and a roughness. The fruit bar also includes secondary fruit pieces combined with the primary fruit pieces. The secondary fruit pieces are of different fruit than the primary fruit pieces. The secondary fruit pieces have a taste and a texture defined at least in part by a hardness and a chewiness and a roughness. In the fruit bar, the taste and the roughness of the first and secondary fruit pieces are different from one another to provide a varied taste and mouthfeel to the consumer. The chewiness and the hardness of the first and secondary fruit pieces are substantially the same to provide a substantial uniformity of bite and chew to the consumer.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying an oil mixture containing marine oils to food products in a manner that permits the marine oils to remain stable for extended periods of time. The marine oils of particular interest include the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (20:5w-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (22:6w-3). Using the disclosed method these fatty acids can be applied to a wide variety of food products with no change in the organoleptic properties after extended storage. The disclosed method makes it possible to bring the health benefits of these fatty acids to a wider variety of food products than previously possible.

Abstract: A multi-piece food product (10) comprising a plurality of strands (12A-12K) that are extruded and aggregated to form an aesthetically pleasing food product is provided. A formulation used to make each of the strands (12A-12K) includes a mixture comprising at least 20% sweetener, at least 15% starchy material, and at least 1% fruit by weight based a total dry weight of the mixture to yield a starch-based confectionary food product. One process for forming the multi-piece food product (10) includes extruding a food stream from a slurry, dividing the food stream into three separate food streams (24A, 24B), injecting color, flavor, and ascorbic acid into the food streams (24A, 24B), conveying the food streams (24A, 24B) into a former (26) and extruding the strands (12A-12K) therefrom, forming the strands (12A, 12B) into an aggregate food mass (31), cooling the food mass (31), and cutting the food mass (31) into individual portions.