Abstract: A particulate extruded clumping agent additive containing clumping agent that is shaken or sprinkled onto granules of (a) preexisting non-clumping litter to transform it into clumping litter clump, and (b) preexisting clumping litter to improve clumping. Its particles are smaller than the litter granules distributing them into voids between adjacent granules plugging the voids pooling urine on top so scoopable clumps form on top. The clumping agent is composed of one constituent that is an at least partially water-soluble water reactivatable, water re-curable binder and can also be composed of another constituent that is an at least partially soluble one-time water activated, one time water cured binder preferably composed of a pregelatinized starch. The clumping agent is formed of starch in an admixture modified thereinto by subjecting it to extrusion pressures of at least 2000 PSI during extrusion. Litter tracking effectiveness can also be improved with the clumping agent additive.

Abstract: A low tracking clumping litter is provided that has larger non-clumping litter particles with particle sizes sufficiently large enough relative to smaller clumping litter particles thereby disposing substantially all the smaller particles of litter in a litter box below the surface of the litter packing them into in voids between adjacent non-clumping particles. This reduces tracking because the surface is made up of the larger particles, which are not readily picked up by a cat, minimizing the number of smaller more readily tracked particles on top because they are packed in the voids. This causes urine to rapidly wet and swell the clumping particles trapping the urine forming the clump on top. The litter has a tracking effectiveness of less than 100 particles/in2 and clumping particles preferably composed of extrusion modified starch-based water-soluble binder produce shed-resistant clumps having clump retention rates preferably greater than 97%.

Abstract: Litter formed of extruded pellets containing water soluble binder sufficient to self-clump when wetted producing pellet clumps having a clump retention rate of at least 90% and which shrink after clump formation during drying producing a clump pulls away from any contacting solid surface minimizing adhesion therebetween. Such clumps preferably also have a crush strength of at least 15 PSI when dry. Pellets preferably contain water-soluble binder formed of starch physically modified during extrusion that solubilizes when wetted to facilitate clumping while opening the interior of the pellet improving absorption capacity. A preferred litter is formed of a mixture of extruded pellets of different sizes producing litter composed of extruded pellets falling within a plurality of different size ranges with the smaller sized pellets being fines that cause horizontally extending clumps to form on top of the litter.

Abstract: A gelling food product constituent extrudate that forms a gel when water is added that is used as an ingredient of a food product in place of a gelling gum, like guar gum, xanthan gum, or carrageenan. The gelling extrudate is composed of cold-water soluble gelling pregelatinized starch formed of starch in a cereal grain and/or legume containing admixture modified by extrusion at pressures greater than 2000 PSI that causes the extrudate to gel when mixed with water. The gelling extrudate preferably also is composed of other starch in the admixture extrusion modified into different molecular weight polymers of a cold-water soluble gellant that also polymerizes and forms a gel, preferably a hydrocolloid gel, more preferably a self-gelling gel, even more preferably a thermo-reversible gel, when mixed with water. When mixed with water, a gelling extrudate of the present invention forms a thicker gel whose viscosity increases over time.

Abstract: A method, system and machine for cold processing extruded starch-containing pellets by cold particle size reducing pellets of a size greater than a particle size reduction setting size enabling particle size reduction to be performed without compacting or compression any size reduced particle while doing so without heating them during particle size reduction thereby preserving their pores, internal liquid absorbing voids and starch matrix optimizing granular sorbent performance. Such a method, system and machine is selectively controllable enabling not only control of how many and a ratio of fines produced relative to the final product providing real time control of fines production but also is able to provide particle size distribution control as well.

Abstract: A multicomponent granular absorbent blend formed of at least a plurality of components with at least one of the components formed of smectite-containing, preferably bentonite-containing, absorbent granules, and at least one other of its components formed of absorbent granules comprised of an extrudate. Such an extruded-containing absorbent granule component can be a component formed of extruded pellets covered with an outer absorbent coating preferably composed of smectite, more preferably bentonite, and/or can be a component formed of extruded pellets used without any such smectite, preferably bentonite, outer coating producing uncoated absorbent granules which also are dust-adhering thereby reducing airborne dust in the multicomponent blend. Such a component composed of uncoated dust-adhering absorbent granules can be formed of extruded splayed pellets having at least one lobe and/or fibrillated tendrils enhancing both absorption and dust pickup in the multicomponent blend.

Abstract: An extruded product composed of a gelling extrudate and method of extruding gelling extrudate. The extrudate is composed of cold-water soluble pregelatinized starch formed of starch in a starch-containing admixture modified by extrusion at extrusion pressures greater than 2000 PSI that gels when mixed with water, which preferably also modifies additional starch/starches in the admixture into different molecular weight polymers of cold-water soluble gellant that polymerize forming a gel when mixed with water, preferably forming a hydrocolloid gel, which more preferably is a self-gelling gel, which even more preferably is a thermoreversible gel crosslinked by one or more proteins freed by or modified during extrusion.

Abstract: A functionally enhanced flour provided by a manufacturing process that subjects a grain precursor to extrusion under low water, high pressure, and low heat dynamic conditions, and methods of using the resulting flour as an ingredient in food products for human and animal consumption.

Abstract: A low tracking clumping litter is provided that has larger non-clumping litter particles with particle sizes sufficiently large enough relative to smaller clumping litter particles thereby disposing substantially all the smaller particles of litter in a litter box below the surface of the litter packing them into in voids between adjacent non-clumping particles. This reduces tracking because the surface is made up of the larger particles, which are not readily picked up by a cat, minimizing the number of smaller more readily tracked particles on top because they are packed in the voids. This causes urine to rapidly wet and swell the clumping particles trapping the urine forming the clump on top. The litter has a tracking effectiveness of less than 100 particles/in2 and clumping particles preferably composed of extrusion modified starch-based water-soluble binder produce shed-resistant clumps having clump retention rates preferably greater than 97%.

Abstract: An air treatment system, e.g., used in a PPE mask, contains media with an infectious agent attenuator that attenuates or inactivates infectious agents in air flowing through passages in a media, the attenuator composed of moisture-activated biocide, e.g., organic acid like citric acid, and a humectant, e.g., gelling humectant like sorbitol, which captures moisture from the air to maintain biocide activation. A surfactant, such as a rhamnolipid surfactant, which attracts and encapsulates infectious agents in the air can be included. The attenuator has a pH?5, preferably ?4, more preferably ?3.5, is kept activated at or below the desired pH by humectant capturing moisture in the breath of a person wearing a mask with the media. A preferred biocide is composed of a solution containing about 88% water and 12% of a mixture that is at least 80% citric acid and no more than 20% sorbitol.

Abstract: A multicomponent granular absorbent blend formed of at least a plurality of components with at least one of the components formed of smectite-containing, preferably bentonite-containing, absorbent granules, and at least one other of its components formed of absorbent granules comprised of an extrudate. Such an extruded-containing absorbent granule component can be a component formed of extruded pellets covered with an outer absorbent coating preferably composed of smectite, more preferably bentonite, and/or can be a component formed of extruded pellets used without any such smectite, preferably bentonite, outer coating producing uncoated absorbent granules which also are dust-adhering thereby reducing airborne dust in the multicomponent blend. Such a component composed of uncoated dust-adhering absorbent granules can be formed of extruded splayed pellets having at least one lobe and/or fibrillated tendrils enhancing both absorption and dust pickup in the multicomponent blend.

Abstract: A system and method for treating or processing granular absorbent while the granular absorbent is being transported in a fluid stream that preferably is a stream of air. The system includes a pneumatic conveyor with a conduit that draws pellets exiting an extruder into the conduit drying the pellets as they are transported through the conduit. Material can be introduced that dries, coats or otherwise treats the pellets while the pellets are transported through the conduit. Coating material, e.g., powdered bentonite can coat and also dry pellets during transport. A conduit can have inner pellet treating surface that abrades pellets transported through the conduit producing smaller fines that can be packaged with pellets forming a granular absorbent product that forms clumps on top that extend generally horizontally.

Abstract: A method of making an extruded granular absorbent is provided where the method includes providing an extruder and a starch-containing admixture, and pressurizing the starch containing admixture in the extruder under relatively high extrusion pressures to extrude the pressurized starch-containing admixture from the extruder, and producing a water absorbent and oil absorbent extrudate. The present invention further provides that the extruded granular absorbent may be combined with a non-extruded granular material with relatively high inert or cellulose content where there may be a greater proportion of extruded granular absorbent, and the extruded granular absorbent and non-extruded granular material agglutinate into a clump when wetted with water or urine.

Abstract: A self-clumping coated substrate litter composed of self-clumping coated substrate litter granules each made of an inner substrate around which is agglomerated a particulate modified starch clumping agent forming an outer coating of the modified starch clumping agent around the substrate. The coating has an inner self-adhering region adhered to the substrate and an outer region of the clumping agent surrounding the inner region defining an outer surface of each granule that has absorption-enhancing microcracks and microscopic upraised projections, including spikes, formed in and on the surface. The coating has a first single time moisture activated moisture cured adhesive and a second moisture reactivated moisture recured adhesive which are both formed of starch modified during ultrahigh pressure extrusion using a single screw extruder.

Abstract: An extruded product composed of a gelling extrudate and method of extruding gelling extrudate. The extrudate is composed of cold-water soluble pregelatinized starch formed of starch in a starch-containing admixture modified by extrusion at extrusion pressures greater than 2000 PSI that gels when mixed with water, which preferably also modifies additional starch/starches in the admixture into different molecular weight polymers of cold-water soluble gellant that polymerize forming a gel when mixed with water, preferably forming a hydrocolloid gel, which more preferably is a self-gelling gel, which even more preferably is a thermoreversible gel crosslinked by one or more proteins freed by or modified during extrusion.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an extruded food product constituent composed of a gelling food product constituent extrudate and method of extruding a gelling food product constituent extrudate used as an ingredient of a food product normally using a gelling gum, like guar gum, xanthan gum or carrageenan as an ingredient. The gelling food product extrudate is composed of cold-water soluble gelling pregelatinized starch formed of starch in a starch-containing admixture modified by extrusion at extrusion pressures greater than 2000 PSI that gels when mixed with water, which preferably also modifies additional starch or starches in the admixture into a plurality of different molecular weight polymers of a cold-water soluble gellant that polymerize forming a gel when mixed with water, preferably forming a hydrocolloid gel, which more preferably is a self-gelling gel, which even more preferably is a thermo-reversible gel crosslinked by one or more proteins freed by or modified during extrusion.

Abstract: A method of making granular extrudate by extruding a starch-containing admixture from an extruder into an extrudate discharge chamber in gas flow communication with a discharge conduit that transports the granular extrudate away therefrom in gas turbulently flowing therethrough. During transport of the granular extrudate from the discharge chamber and through the conduit in the flowing gas, the gas quenches the granular extrudate cooling and drying the granular extrudate without heating it. Quenching reduces the granular extrudate temperature by at least 15° Celsius and moisture content to no greater than 13%. Quenching prevents shrinkage and densification of the extrudate including when cut into pellets. Quenching also prevents retrogradation, crystallization/recrystallization and solubilization of cold-water soluble binder formed in each pellet during extrusion.

Abstract: An edible filling formed of protein-containing solid particles in a fat-containing carrier having lecithin during wet particle size reduction to emulsify before enough starch is added to absorb excess or free fat-containing carrier when mixed together. One preferred particle size reduction method step employs wet grinding of proteins in a ball mill disposed in a fat containing oil or shortening carrier until substantially all of the proteins have been reduced in size to a particle size of less than 40 microns enabling the reduced size protein particles to remain in suspension in the resultant filling for an extended period of time increasing filling storage or shelf life while also producing a filling of more uniform appearance, texture and taste. Lecithin in excess of what is needed for emulsification is added during filling making to protect proteins and absorb excess water in the filling.

Abstract: Method and coated lightweight granular absorbent formed of lightweight inner cores made of extruded pellets coated with powdered smectite, preferably bentonite, to form an outer sorbent smectite shell around each pellet producing lightweight sorbent granules where the pellets have sufficient water soluble binder to facilitate shell formation and clumping during sorbent use. When lightweight sorbent granules are wetted, clumps are formed that shrink during drying producing a clean, generally non-sticking clump having a high clump retention rate of at least 92% and/or a crush strength of at least 15 PSI. In a preferred method, the pellets are dried coated with dry powdered smectite before wetting using an atomizer or mister while turbulently directing air towards the pellets and powdered smectite to coat the pellets with the powdered smectite forming the outer sorbent shell while minimizing pellet shrinkage and densification. Such lightweight granular sorbent is well suited for use as litter.

Abstract: A flour made using an admixture composed of starch-containing grain, seed or fruit of a cereal grain or grain legume of low water content extruded in a single screw extruder at an ultra-high extrusion pressure producing an extruded functionally enhanced flour usable as an instantized flour by only adding water. When water is added, the flour forms a paste or dough that is three dimensionally formed or shaped into food products that can be cooked or baked in an oven into human or animal edible food products. The extruded functionally enhanced instantized flour also can be used as an ingredient in other edible food products. A preferred extruded functionally enhanced instant flour is extruded at ultra-high pressure from an admixture composed substantially completely of one or more cereal grains and/or legumes using only the moisture present in the cereal grains and/or legumes.