Abstract: The present invention resides in food products and in their methods of preparation. More particularly, the present invention provides food products, especially shelf stable to ready-to-eat (“R-T-E”) or breakfast cereals mixes in the form of loose blends of individual pieces with the pieces including shaped and sized pieces having a portion of an image on a major surface that collectively, can be used to form image puzzles for enhanced play value such as for children. The present methods of preparation involve preparing pieces having a portion of an image on a major surface and blending those shaped pieces to provide loose blends of individual pieces whereby a food product blend can be provided having enhanced play value.

Abstract: A food product and food intermediate, and method of creating a food product and food intermediate having beneficial hypocholesterolemic activity, wherein a source of beta glucan is added to the food compositions after at least some of the other ingredients of the food composition have already been combined and mixed for a first period of time to form an intermediate composition. The addition of the source of beta glucan later in the production of the food composition has been found to increase the processability of such food compositions while maintaining the healthy benefits associated with such additions.