Abstract: Baked, wheat-based, chip-like snacks having a plurality of surface bubbles comprising air pockets extending both above and below the substantially unleavened, adjacent portions of the snack are obtained with a pregelatinized waxy starch, pregelatinized potato starch, and optional modified potato starch. The pregelatinized potato starch produces a crisp, crunchy texture in the baked snack. The pregelatinized waxy starch is at least substantially uniformly hydrated prior to baking for producing bubbles during baking and for retaining the bubbles. The pregelatinized potato starch is at least substantially uniformly hydrated prior to baking for controlling bubbling caused by the pregelatinized waxy starch and for controlling texture of the bubbled and unbubbled portions of the snack chips. Use of the gluten-containing wheat flour and bubble-forming amounts of the pregelatinized waxy starch provides for the production of a cohesive, non-sticky, extensible, continuously machinable dough.

Abstract: Amyloid aggregation in animals is inhibited by administering a 9-acridinone compound of formula I, defined herein. The compounds are especially useful in preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: Amyloid aggregation in animals is inhibited by administering a naphthylazo compound of formula (I), wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, or complete a heterocyclic ring, R3 is hydrogen or alkyl, R4, R5, R6, and R7 are substitutent groups. The compounds are especially useful in preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: Baked, wheat-based, chip-like snacks having a plurality of surface bubbles comprising air pockets extending both above and below the substantially unleavened, adjacent portions of the snack are obtained with a pregelatinized waxy starch, pregelatinized potato starch, and optional modified potato starch. The pregelatinized potato starch produces a crisp, crunchy texture in the baked snack. The pregelatinized waxy starch is at least substantially uniformly hydrated prior to baking for producing bubbles during baking and for retaining the bubbles. The pregelatinized potato starch is at least substantially uniformly hydrated prior to baking for controlling bubbling caused by the pregelatinized waxy starch and for controlling texture of the bubbled and unbubbled portions of the snack chips. Use of the gluten-containing wheat flour and bubble-forming amounts of the pregelatinized waxy starch provides for the production of a cohesive, non-sticky, extensible, continuously machinable dough.

Abstract: A durum wheat-based ingredient, preferably durum wheat flour, is used in the production of chip-like snacks having a very crunchy, fracturable, non-mealy texture. A machinable dough is formed from at least one durum wheat ingredient, such as durum flour, a no-gluten or low-gluten content starchy material, such as dehydrated potato flakes, water, and a reducing agent, such as sodium metabisulfite. The amount of the durum wheat ingredient may be from about 45% by weight to about 75% by weight, and the amount of reducing agent may be from about 50 ppm to about 300 ppm, based upon the total weight of the durum wheat ingredient and no-gluten or low-gluten content starchy material used to form the machinable dough. The dough may be sheeted, cut into pieces, and baked to a moisture content of less than about 4% by weight. The doughs may be used to produce reduced-fat, low-fat, or zero-fat chip-like products which provide a snapping or cracking sound upon breaking.

Abstract: A shelf-stable, crispy snack is produced from a fruit or vegetable juice or juice concentrate. The juice or juice concentrate is admixed with ingredients comprising a starch hydrolysis product and a pregelatinized starch to form a dough or dough-like mixture, which forms a cellular or crumb-like structure upon vacuum drying to a shelf stable moisture content. The glass transition temperature of the snack food product is at least about 30.degree. C. The dough-like mixture may be formed into pieces before, during, or after expansion to obtain products having a cracker-like or cookie-like texture and appearance. The dough-like mixture is heated to temperatures above its glass transition temperature to expand it by evaporation of water. However, the dough temperature is kept below temperatures which would result in substantial decomposition or loss of nutritive, color, or flavoring components of the juice or juice concentrate.

Abstract: The calcium content of crackers and other baked goods is substantially increased without adversely affecting texture by the use of an emulsifier composition to reduce hardness and dry mouthfeel caused by increased levels of calcium. Exemplary amounts of the emulsifier composition for achieving tenderization of the calcium fortified crackers and other baked goods may be from about 3% by weight to about 45% by weight, based upon the weight of the calcium component. Calcium carbonate is the preferred calcium enrichment component. The amount of the calcium enrichment component for providing more than 10% of the U.S. R.D.A. of 1000 mg of calcium per 15 gram serving may be from about 3% by weight to about 30% by weight, preferably from about 5% by weight to about 15% by weight, based upon the total weight of the flour.

Abstract: Reduced fat, low fat and no-fat baked goods having a substantial amount of ungelatinized starch are produced by replacing a substantial portion of the shortening or fat of the dough with an emulsifier composition. The emulsifier composition increases the tenderness and softness of the baked good, and increases the air-holding capacity, the lubricity, lay time, and machinability of the dough, which would otherwise be diminished by the lower levels of oleaginous composition and higher levels of water. The emulsifier composition comprises: a) at least about 15% by weight, preferably from about 20% by weight to about 40% by weight of at least one polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, b) at least about 5% by weight, preferably from about 10% by weight to about 25% by weight of at least one lecithin, and c) at least about 20% by weight, preferably from about 35% by weight to about 70% by weight of at least one stearoyl lactylate.

Abstract: A chip-like snack is prepared by admixing wheat flour, a no or low gluten content starchy material, e.g. potato starch, pregelatinized waxy starch and water to form a dough. The dough is then sheeted and cut into pieces and the pieces are heated to reduce their moisture content to obtain chip-like products having a blistered appearance and a crisp texture.

Abstract: A pregelatinized waxy starch provides for the production of cohesive, continuously machineable doughs from starchy materials or ingredients having starch with no- or low-gluten contents. The pregelatinized waxy starch is admixed with only a portion of the at least one starchy material and only a portion of the water needed to form a machineable dough. This mixing procedure results in uniform hydration of the pregelatinized waxy starch and avoids tearing of the dough sheet during machining. The moisture content of the dough sheets is reduced substantially from above about 25% by weight by heating in air, preferably in a gas-fired oven, to obtain chip-like snacks, such as potato chips and corn chips, having a low oil content, a blistered appearance, and a crisp texture.

Abstract: Low moisture content comestibles having reduced water regain or increased tolerance to moisture are produced by enzymatically treating a farinaceous material with an enzyme composition comprising pentosanase or beta-glucanase, or mixtures thereof to reduce its net-work forming swellable water-soluble hemicellulose content. The hydrolysis of the water-soluble pentosans, beta-glucans or mixtures thereof is conducted so that a substantial portion of the hydrolysis product has a linear or backbone degree of polymerization of less than about 100, more suitably less than about 75, preferably less than about 50, most preferably less than 17. In addition, the hydrolysis is conducted so as to minimize the production of mono and/or di-saccharides. The low moisture content comestible products include low moisture content baked good such as cookies, crackers, and biscuits, farinaceous pet snacks, plant protein extracts, hot cereals, ready-to-eat cereals, low calorie flours and low calorie flour fractions.

Abstract: Low moisture content comestibles having reduced water regain or increased tolerance to moisture are produced by enzymatically treating a farinaceous material with an enzyme composition comprising pentosanase or beta-glucanase, or mixtures thereof to reduce its net-work forming swellable water-soluble hemicellulose content. The hydrolysis of the water-soluble pentosans, beta-glucans or mixtures thereof is conducted so that a substantial portion of the hydrolysis product has a linear or backbone degree of polymerization of less than about 100, more suitably less than about 75, preferably less than about 50, most preferably less than 17. In addition, the hydrolysis is conducted so as to minimize the production of mono and/or di-saccharides. The low moisture content comestible products include low moisture content baked good such as cookies, crackers, and biscuits, farinaceous pet snacks, plant protein extracts, hot cereals, ready-to-eat cereals, low calorie flours and low calorie flour fractions.

Abstract: A stable, food-compatible liposome is prepared by dissolving a lipophilic material in a phospholipid followed by the addition of water or an aqueous solution and mixing by sonicating to produce a liposome having the lipophilic material encapsulated in the lipid bilayer. The preferred lipophilic materials include any readily oxidizable lipid and in particular the omega-3 fatty acid containing fish oils. Other lipophilic materials which can be encapsulated in the lipidic bilayer include flavorants, acidulants, preservatives and antioxidants. The resulting liposomes provide a stabilizing vehicle for the lipophilic materials to reduce the occurrence of oxidation and rancidity. Liposomes prepared according to the disclosed method exhibit none of the unpleasant odor and flavor characteristics normally associated with oxidized or rancid oils.

Abstract: The added fat or shortening content of baked goods such as fermented and chemically leavened crackers is reduced while retaining: 1) a tender, non-brittle shelf stable texture, and 2) dough machinability. The fat or shortening is replaced by water and an enzyme composition having activities for hydrolyzing non-cellulosic cell wall polysaccharides. The amount of water and the enzymatic treatment are such so as to avoid excessive starch gelatinization which is deleterious to texture.

Abstract: A heat- or microwave-activated browning composition is prepared for coating a food product to produce surface browning on exposure to heat or microwave energy. A method of browning a food product includes the steps of coating a food product with a microwaveable browning composition and subjecting the coated product to heat or microwave energy. The microwaveable browning composition includes at least one liposome-encapsulated Maillard browning reagent. A basic amino acid is encapsulated in the aqueous interior of the liposome. A reducing sugar is dissolved in the external aqueous phase of the liposome. The external aqueous phase may also contain a film-forming material. The Maillard browning reaction is triggered by heat or microwave energy. This heat or microwave energy causes the liposomes to rupture, releasing amino acid to react with reducing sugar, producing Maillard browning products.

Abstract: A spray-dried composition comprising a volatile and/or labile component in a carrier, is further encapsulated in an extruded glassy matrix comprising:(a) from about 40 to about 80 percent by weight of a water-soluble, chemically-modified starch having a dextrose equivalent not greater than about 2;(b) from about 10 to about 40 percent by weight of a maltodextrin having a dextrose equivalent in the range of from about 5 to about 15;(c) from about 5 to about 20 percent by weight of corn syrup solids or a polydextrose having a dextrose equivalent in the range of from about 21 to about 42; and(d) from about 5 to about 20 percent by weight of a mono- or disaccharide.The resultant glassy matrices are useful for introducing and/or retaining and/or stabilizing the volatile and/or labile components in cooked and uncooked food products.

Abstract: A stable, food-compatible liposome is prepared by dissolving a lipophilic material in a phospholipid followed by the addition of water or an aqueous solution and mixing by sonicating to producing a liposome having the lipophilic material encapsulated in the lipid bilayer. The preferred lipophilic materials include any readily oxidizable lipid and in particular the omega-3 fatty acid containing fish oils. Other lipophilic materials which can be encapsulated in the lipidic bilayer include flavorants, acidulants, preservatives and antioxidants. The resulting liposomes provide a stabilizing vehicle for the lipophilic materials to reduce the occurrence of oxidation and rancidity. Liposomes prepared according to the disclosed method exhibit none of the unpleasant odor and flavor characteristics normally associated with oxidized or rancid oils.

Abstract: Volatile and/or labile components, especially flavoring components, are encapsulated in extruded glassy matrices comprising:(a) from about 40 to about 80 percent by weight of a water-soluble, chemically-modified starch having a dextrose equivalent not greater than about 2;(b) from about 10 to about 40 percent by weight of a maltodextrin having a dextrose equivalent in the range of from about 5 to about 15;(c) from about 5 to about 20 percent by weight of corn syrup solids or a polydextrose having a dextrose equivalent in the range of from about 21 to about 42; and(d) from about 5 to about 20 percent by weight of a mono- or disaccharide.These glassy matrices are useful for introducing and/or retaining and/or stabilizing the volatile and/or labile components in cooked and uncooked food products.

Abstract: A cookie product is prepared having a liposome-encapsulated component dispersed therein and leavened to a crumb-like structure. The liposomes substantially retain their structural integrity during the processing, mixing, and post extrusion baking and thus remain intact in the finished cookie. The liposomes may encapsulate flavorings, fragrances, preservatives, anti-staling agents, and other labile food additives. The liposomes may provide a sustained release of the encapsulant to the cookie during storage and prior to consumption. The encapsulant may be released when the cookie is baked or eaten by the consumer. The cookies are prepared by feeding the cookie ingredients to a blending zone of a cooker-extruder and heated to form a heat treated mass. A liposome-encapsulated component is added to the cooled heat treated mass and mixed at low pressure and temperature to prevent rupture of the liposomes. An optional source of water may also be admixed to form a dough-like mixture.

Abstract: An optical waveguide dosimeter for personnel dosimetry is provided including a liquid solution of leuko dye hermetically sealed in plastic tubing. Optical transport is improved by dipping the ends of the plastic tubing into clear epoxy, thus forming beads that serve as optical lenses. A layer of clear ultraviolet absorbing varnish coated on these beads and an opaque outer layer over the plastic tubing provides protection against ambient UV.