Abstract: Whole kernel corn is ground and sifted to separate a coarse particle fraction which is then heated with lime and water to a temperature of at least 71.degree. C. and below 100.degree. C., preferably about 99.degree. C. or less, for up to about 15 minutes. A fine particle fraction from the sifting step can be combined with the heat treated coarse fraction. The resulting heat treated mixture is then dried under a vacuum while continuously mixing for at least about 20 minutes to obtain a dried masa flour having a moisture content of about 7% to about 12% by weight. Thereafter, the dried masa flour can be ground while maintaining the temperature below the gelatinization temperature to reduce the particle size of the masa flour without further gelatinization.

Abstract: A method for producing a breakfast cereal from half products comprising the steps of: extruding pellet half products of a gelatinized, starch-containing material; drying the pellet half products to a moisture content of from about 9.5 to about 17.0 percent by weight under conditions which inhibit case hardening to form dried half products suitable for extended storage; rehydrating the dried half products to a moisture content of from about 18.0 to about 23.0 percent to form rehydrated half products; optionally treating the rehydrated half products with a moisture-absorbing compound to reduce the stickiness of the outer surface of the rehydrated half products; flaking the rehydrated half products into flakes; optionally circulating air about the flakes to reduce the moisture content of the flakes to from about 15.0 to about 18.0 percent; and toasting the flakes to a final moisture content of from about 2.0 to about 5.0 percent.

Abstract: Puffable food half products, particularly snack food half products, are made from finely particulate corn materials, especially corn reduction flour, in which the gelatinizable starch content is at least predominantly from the horny endosperm of the corn, starch from the soft or floury endosperm being at least minimized. The invention makes it possible to produce a half product in which the starch content is predominantly or entirely from corn and which will expand, at least by frying and advantageously also by baking and, in some cases, microwaving and which will puff to a final product in which the maximum dimension is twice that of the half product.This is a continuation of Ser. No. 037,054 filed Apr. 13, 1987, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 836,704 filed Mar. 6, 1986.