Abstract: Cooked cereal dough products are provided that are fortified with at least a 0.65% calcium (dry weight basis) at least a major portion of which is supplied by calcium phosphate salts having an median particle size of 2 to 15 ?m. Dried cereal finished products such as Ready-To-Eat breakfast cereals are fabricated from cooked cereal doughs that can comprise even lightly colored cereal materials such as rice and/or corn (maize) and minor levels of other conventional cereal ingredients and calcium phosphate. Methods for preparing such calcium fortified cooked cereal compositions and dried cereal finished food products essentially comprise: A. providing a calcium fortified cooked cereal dough or mass containing at least 0.65% calcium (dry weight basis) at least a portion of which is supplied by calcium phosphate; B. forming the lightly colored calcium fortified cereal dough into pieces; and, C. drying the pieces to form the present rice based finished food products fortified with high levels of calcium.

Abstract: Disclosed are simulated, puffed dried fruit pieces and methods for their preparation. The dried fruit pieces are useful for incorporation into ready-to-eat cereals of low water activity, e.g., A.sub.w of 0.1 to 0.3, such as puffed cereals. The dried fruit pieces are characterized by a low density ranging from 0.15 to 0.40 g./cc. due in part to a hollow center and thus do not settle during distribution and storage, and do not sink in milk. The dried fruit pieces are prepared by drying in prescribed manner pieces comprising encapsulated solutions containing hydrophilic colloids set with gelling agents.