Abstract: A fermented or yeast leavened dough is continuously fed to a plurality of nozzles and extruded and twisted into a plurality of continuous twisted dough ropes without substantially increasing the density of the dough. The dough is fed to the nozzles by an extruder or pump which supplies the dough at a substantially constant pressure without substantial surging of the dough. Each nozzle may produce a plurality of dough ropes which are twisted together to form a continuous twisted dough rope. By avoiding a substantial increase in dough density during extrusion and twisting, a hard, glassy texture in the baked product is avoided and a crispy, non-vitreous texture is achieved. The dough twisting apparatus includes a manifold having a plurality of dough passageways and extruder pipes which extend from the downstream ends of the dough passageways. A rotary die cup is mounted on each of the stationary extruder pipes. Each die cup contains one or more die orifices.

Abstract: The triple coextrusion of snack food products having highly uniform and integral individual layers is achieved by the use of a compact, precisely toleranced coextrusion die which may be mounted at the outlet end of a cooker extruder. The coextrusion die includes a die block with smooth, unobstructed flow passages for each material. The outer passages for the casing material are substantially coaxial with the central axis of the die block and extend from end to end. A central bore and an annular passage having their central axes aligned with the central axis of the die block at its outlet end extend upstream to filler feed ports. The feed port entrances are at the outer surface of the die block between its ends. The side ports and filler feed lines connected to them do not interfere with a substantially straight flow path of casing material directly from a cooker extruder. A protruding tip formed at the outlet end of the die block by the bore and annular passage extends into a converging block or cone.

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.