Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of reducing the formation of acrylamide in a thermally processed food product and to cooked food products with reduced acrylamide. The method comprises providing a food product or food intermediate in need of reduction of formation of acrylamide during thermal processing and applying a bran composition to the food product or food intermediate in an amount effective to reduce formation of acrylamide during thermal processing to a level that is lower than if the composition had not been applied.

Abstract: The invention is relating to device for the controlled heating and cooling and conservation of eggs (18) that is provided with an oven space (13) with a carrier plate (7) with holders for the positioning of the eggs (18) substantially upright and a spray device (12) for the cooling of same with a coolant, and which is further provided with a heating element (11) for the generation of steam, whereby means (14) are provided that allow said steam to be subjected to a forced flow whereby this steam flows over the eggs (18) in order to heat the eggs, whereby said carrier plate (7) has openings (16) such that at least part of said steam is guided along the side of the eggs (18) to the underside of the carrier plate (7) so that the underside of the eggs (18) is heated.

Abstract: A doughnut making method comprises: pulverizing beans to bean powder using an airflow crushing technique; mixing flour, baking powder and whole milk powder to the bean powder to form a first mixture; mixing the first mixture to a second mixture to form a third mixture, wherein the second mixture is formed of refined sugar, salt and margarine; sieving the third mixture to form a premix; admixing water and egg mix to the premix and pasting the admixture to a dough; and frying the dough in oil to form doughnuts.

Abstract: Uniformly shaped snack chips, preferably tortilla-type chips, having raised surface features and a method for preparing the same. The chips can be made from a dough composition comprising pre-cooked starch-based material and pregelatinized starch. Preferably, the snack chips have raised surface features comprising from about 12% to about 40% large surface features; from about 20% to about 40% medium surface features; and from about 25% to about 60% small surface features. In one embodiment, the average thickness of the snack chip is from about 1 mm to about 3 mm; the average thickness of raised surface features is from about 2.3 mm to about 3.2 mm; the maximum thickness of the chip is less than about 5.5 mm; and the coefficient of variation of the chip thickness is greater than about 15%.

Abstract: Methods for preparing puffed snack products from cooked cereal doughs, especially corn based, comprise deep fat frying cornucopia shaped pellets or half products. Methods for preparing such snack products include a steeping step of cut grain particles having a particle size of 0.5 to 2.5 mm with warm water to have a moisture content of at least 18%, short residence time cooking to form a cooked cereal dough such as in a twin screw extruder, second long residence time cooking step, extruding the cooked cereal dough into extrudate ropes, tempering while cooling the extrudate ropes, forming into pellets, drying the pellets, and puffing to form the finished snack products such as by deep fat frying. The present methods provide finished puffed pieces of equivalent texture and eating qualities to those prepared by traditional low shear extended cooking of grains in batch cookers.

Abstract: Expanded edible products having a porous, foamed, or cellular interior and self-sealing surface or skin are provided. The texture and structure of the expanded products are controlled by manipulating a pre-expanded food formulation comprising hydrocolloid and moisture.

Abstract: The method for producing extruded, farinaceous pellets includes extruding a mixture so that it expands upon exiting an extruder. This prepuffed ribbon is then subjected to stretching and cutting steps to produce pellets. The prepuffing reduces the moisture content of the ribbon so that cut pellets made from the ribbon can be immediately processed without the need for a moisture conditioning and/or dehydration step. In stretching, the extrudate ribbon is passed through a set of rollers to increase the extrudate ribbon's velocity thereby causing the ribbon to stretch. Stretching the extrudate ribbon causes a reduction in thickness along with an increase in density. After cutting, the pellets can then be expanded in a puffing stage to produce a product that has a desirable light and crunchy texture.

Abstract: There are provided a stick type expanded starch confectionery with a wave-like configuration on its surface and a process for easily manufacturing the same, which uses an extruder method. According to the process, the stick type expanded starch confectionery is obtained by adjusting amounts of water and calcium salt to an amount of starch raw material to prepare a dough, whereby fluidity of thermally treated dough extruded from a double-staged die which belongs to an extruder is controlled.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fried snack, a fried snack dough, and a process for preparing the same. The snack is prepared from a dough comprising starch-based flour, pregelled modified starch, and added water. The dough is extruded to form a snack piece, then fried to form a snack with a light, crispy, crunchy texture.

Abstract: The present invention includes an expanded cereal-type product and a method for making such a product wherein the cereal-type product has a high protein content. A starch derived from a tuber is used to aid in expanding the extrudate to form cereal-type pieces. The amount of denatured protein relative to functional protein is adjusted to obtain selected textured characteristics.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a polyphenol-containing composition derived from grapes, the method including: preparing a liquid grape extract which includes polyphenols; contacting the liquid extract with a separation medium which fractionates the components of the extract; and recovering that fraction in which the polyphenols are present. Also disclosed is a method of enriching the composition with added flavonol.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved snack and the process for preparing the same. The snack is prepared from a dough comprising starch based flour, pregelled modified starch, emulsifier, added water, and leavening. The dough is extruded to form a snack piece, then fried to form a snack with a light, crispy, crunchy texture.

Abstract: A method for making bowl-shaped snack food products, e.g. tortilla chips. The method features placing chip preforms in open bowl-shaped cavities and partially frying the chip preforms by filling them with hot oil from above. Additionally, the preforms are partially fried from below by immersing the lower portions of the preforms in a vat of hot oil and transporting them through the hot oil. After cooking the preforms to a desired moisture content, at which point the preforms retain their bowl shapes outside of or independent of the mold cavities, the preforms are removed from the mold cavities and subsequently cooked to completion in a secondary frying operation.

Abstract: Using a metal mold (8) having an insulating section provided with vapor release sections, pressure outside the metal mold (8) is reduced, and heating is performed while releasing vapor produced thereby through the vapor release sections. This can prevent insulation breakdown caused by condensation of large amounts of vapor produced by ingredients during molding and heating of molded baked snacks by means of resistance heating, dielectric heating, etc.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a snack, in which a starchy-food based mixture is extrusion-cooked, the extrusion being carried out in ambient atmosphere through a slot-shaped orifice, so as to obtain an expanded strip, the thickness of the strip is reduced by laminating and the strip is cut into pieces of various shapes.

Abstract: A fried snack product which is extruded and shaped into a design. The dough is formed by combining (1) starch-based flour having a specific ratio of gelatinized to ungelatinized starch and an amount of protein, (2) a pregelled modified starch (3) water, (4) shortening or oil, (5) leavening, and (6) an emulsifier. The emulsifier keeps the integrity of the starch structure or dough rheology through the extrusion process.

Abstract: A process for making a shaped snack product having a light, crispy, crunchy texture. The process comprises the steps of extruding a dough mixture comprising a source of starch based flour, pregelled modified starch and emulsifier blend selected from the group consisting of diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride, mono- and diglyceride, polyglycerol esters and mixtures thereof, water, shortening or oil, and leavening, and then frying the snack piece.

Abstract: Reduced calorie fried snacks are prepared by replacing some or all of the oil conventionally used in frying with a fat replacement composition containing a fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin composition which exhibits a sharp melt before about 92.degree. F. Potato chips, corn chips and similar fried snacks prepared according to the invention exhibit a unique cooling sensation when placed in the mouth.

Abstract: A process for preparing coating particles for a fried food, which has a good taste and soft texture, by mixing raw materials including one of flour, starch, cereal powder, and seasoning, together with water, thereby forming a mixture in a slurry form, and then frying the mixture with the use of an edible oil contained in a frying apparatus, in which the process includes: pouring the mixture through a feeder onto a surface of an edible oil which is retained in a pouring portion away from a flowing portion of the frying apparatus, so as to admit a deep penetration of the mixture into the edible oil, thereby forming a prefried coating; and, frying the prefried coating at a secondary stage by an application thereto of a movement with a simultaneous agitation on the surface of the edible oil of the frying apparatus, thereby forming prefried coating particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a biodegradable thermoplastic composition made of soy protein, a plasticizing agent, a foaming agent, and water, that can be molded into biodegradable articles that have a foamed structure and are water-resistant with a high level of physical strength and/or thermal insulating properties.

Abstract: A product densification method for producing sinking aquatic feed, densified cattle "range cubes" or the like includes a conventional cooking extruder into which feed ingredients, including cereal grains and additives, are introduced. The feed ingredients are cooked, gelatinized and expanded in the cooking extruder to form an intermediate feed product. The intermediate feed product is then loaded onto a cooling conveyor where it is transported to a product densification unit or PDU. The PDU is a specially designed high speed, low shear extruder which is adapted to densify and shape the intermediate feed product into a final feed product which is dense enough to sink in water and stable enough to stay together for a considerable period of time while submerged or exposed to weather. The density of the sinking feed, and therefore, the sink rate thereof, can be controlled by controlling the shaft speed of the high speed screw in the PDU.

Abstract: Food products and methods of making having a high dietary fiber content and unexpected organoleptic characteristics, the invention takes the form of a substantially solid or semi-solid substrate formed primarily of dietary fiber soaked in or permeated by a flavorful material such as a natural juice, liquefied or pureed fruit or the like, the combination then being at least partially lyophilized to a solid or semi-solid consistency. The concentration of the natural juice or other flavorful material within a framework or lattice provided by the dietary fiber causes a burst of flavor to be experienced when eaten. While the lyophilized substrate can preferably be consumed as a bar-like comestible with or without the addition of other materials such as coatings, fillers and the like, the invention contemplates the formation of the substrate as flakes, as a cookie, as a candy such as a semi-soft roll or sheet consumed flat or as a rolled sheet among other forms.

Abstract: A puffed food dough and method for producing a puffed food product from the dough. The dough contains soybean protein, starch and dietary fiber in a ratio by weight of from 1:0.2 to 0.8:0.01 to 0.4, respectively, and from 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of a vegetable foaming agent and from 150 to 300 parts by weight of water per 100 parts by weight in total of the soybean protein, starch, and dietary fiber. The dough does not contain a chemical leavening agent or yeast.

Abstract: Fried food products are produced by feeding a dough to a nip between a pair of contrarotating rollers arranged with their curved surfaces in contact with each other, and each of the rollers has grooves indented into its curved surface. The rollers push the dough into the grooves and form the dough into a lattice comprising an array of ridges imparted to the dough by one of the rollers, which ridges are spaced apart from and extend in substantially the same direction as each other, and an array of ridges imparted to the dough by the other roller, which ridges are spaced apart from and extend in substantially the same direction as each other. The direction in which the ridges of one array extend are at an angle to that of the other array so that the ridges of one array intersect the ridges of the other, and the contacting portions of the curved surfaces of the rollers form apertures in the dough between the intersecting ridges.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making from dough a reduced-fat fried snack which has a more expanded, lighter structure than conventional fried snacks. A dough is formed which contains from 50% to 70% flour (preferably potato flour), at least 3% hydrolyzed starches, from 1% to 10% calcium carbonate, and a relatively low level of added water (20% to 40%). The dough is formed into a sheet from which snack pieces are cut and fried. The fried snack pieces contain only 18% to 38% fat. The fried snack pieces are from 1% to 14% larger by volume as compared to conventional fried snack pieces of equal weight.

Abstract: An improved fried snack product is provided which is fabricated by a two step process including initial extrusion followed by frying, preferably in a wet condition wherein the extrudate has a moisture content of from about 16-40% by weight. The starting mixture fed to the extruder preferably includes an amount of low protein flour (e.g., cake flour) in order to increase the expansion of the product upon frying. Fried snacks in accordance with the invention exhibit a smooth, even appearance, and have excellent organoleptic properties. Extrusion is advantageously carried out using an initial preconditioner and a co-rotating twin screw extruder equipped with a venting apparatus along the length thereof.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a fiber fortified foodstuff that includes preparing the foodstuff and then topically applying supplemental fiber. In particular, puffed snack products are prepared by mixing cereal with a fiber premix and sufficient moisture to form an extrudable dough base. The dough base is cooked in a cooking extruder and then extruded to form a wet puff which is dried and then coated with an oil slurry. A flavor premix which includes supplemental dietary fiber, particularly a soluble fiber, is topically applied to the oil coated dry puff to form a fiber fortified, puffed snack product.

Abstract: A healthful snack food containing wheat flour is made by frying a readily hydrated pasta product made by an extrusion process using low shear cooking conditions and moisture venting before extrusion.

Abstract: In the method of making expanded foodstuffs in which a dough emerges from the nozzle of an extruder and the extrudate is subjected to an after-treatment in a hot medium, the extrudate is kept after emergence from the nozzle at a temperature which corresponds substantially to the emergence temperature of the dough and the after-treatment takes place directly after the extrusion. In particular the dough can be extruded directly into hot oil or fat. Since after the extrusion no cooling of the extrudate takes place, in particular by water evaporation, the extrudate can be further expanded in the a after-treatment and a foodstuff is obtained with a texture which is identical to the texture of foodstuffs which after the extrusion and prior to the treatment in a hot medium have been subjected to a drying process.

Abstract: A process for making a shelf-stable food product comprises blending a high moisture material that provides flavor and substantially all of the moisture to the stack food product with one or more low moisture farinaceous base ingredients to produce a dough, extruding the dough into the desired shape, drying the extruded dough and ultimately cooking the dried product to produce a shelf-stable food product. The high moisture material can comprise a cellular fruit or vegetable material which has been vigorously macerated, a liquid per se, such as a beverage, or a dairy product such as yogurt.

Abstract: A healthful snack food of durum semolina wheat flour made by frying a readily hydrated pasta product such as from an extrusion process using low shear cooking conditions and moisture venting before extrusion.

Abstract: A taco shell with improved texture and resistance to fracture while eating is provided. A taco shell is formed from a cereal grain, for example, wheat or corn. During cooking, the shell develops a delaminated structure and is cooked sufficiently to make a rigid friable shell in the desired shape. By controlling the delaminated structure and final plasticizer content, collapse while being baked is reduced and a light, crisp, tender and reduced fracture taco shell is obtained.

Abstract: The invention provides cereal snackfoods of the expanded variety such as crisps and the like. The snackfoods of the invention comprise discrete cooked portions of a dough composition comprising gelatinized starch and added cereal bran other than rice bran, in which the amylolytic activity of the bran is controlled, and contain at least about 5% by weight and generally no more than about 35% by weight of oil or fat. The snackfoods may be produced from a half product comprising at least some gelatinized starch and added cereal bran by frying or by immersion in a bed of hot particulate material followed by spraying with fat or oil. Even when fried the snackfoods have a lower energy value than comparable known products; moreover they are highly palatable, and the bran content provides a useful source of fibre in any diet.

Abstract: Process for preparing a foodstuff product such as croutons, characterized in that pieces of dough are at least partially baked and thereby expanded, whereafter the expanded pieces of foodstuff obtained are possibly further reduced in size and subsequently provided with a thermosetting coating layer, which coating layer comprises a film-forming material.Preferably, the coated pieces of foodstuff are subjected to a heat treatment. Preferably, a film-forming material rich in protein is used.

Abstract: The invention comprises a dough preform which when fried, produces a snack chip product having a predetermined level of surface bubbling. The dough preform has outer dough portions having substantially less moisture than inner dough portion. The dough preform is made by a process that includes sheeting a dough having from about 30% to about 55% moisture, removing a portion of the moisture from the dough sheet, at a greater rate from the outer dough portions than from the inner dough portion and then frying the partially dried dough prior to any significant equilibration of moisture between the outer and inner dough portions. The moisture can be removed from the dough sheet or preform by heat, air movement or a combination of the two.

Abstract: A process for preparing a yeast raised doughnut comprising fermenting a dough, degassing the same, cutting and forming the dough and then frying the same in oil.

Abstract: A deep-fat fried expanded snack product is made from a moist dough according to a technique which prevents undue distortion of the snack during frying. The dough can include cooked potato solids, masa, and/or one or more cereal flours, with a moisture content of about 35% to 60% at the time of frying. An amount of ungelatinized starch can be present in the dough when fried. In one embodiment, the dough is extruded as a pair of separate long, thin strands which are formed into a composite dough piece by adhering the strands by surface contact along the long dimension of the strands. The two adherent strands can be straight solid dough pieces in side-by-side contact, or the strands can be twisted together to form a braid. In another embodiment, a sheeted dough piece can be slit lengthwise along its center and partially through the depth of the dough piece to form the equivalent of a pair of adhering strands.

Abstract: A food shell with improved distribution quality, eating texture and resistance to breakage or fracture is provided. A food shell is formed from a cereal grain, for example, wheat or corn, and is processed to form a blistered texture during a cook step. During cooking, the shell develops a controlled delaminated texture and is cooked adequately to make an integral shell in the desired shape. After cooking a softening agent is added to the shell to soften it for delivery to consumer without breakage. By controlling the delaminated structure, the degree of cooking and the final plasticizer content, the cooked shell, if cooked further, will produce a light, crisp and tender shell.

Abstract: An expanded fried cereal-based snack product is prepared from a dough consisting essentially of (1) a low water-absorbing component (LOWAC) comprising one or more raw or partially gelatinized cereal flours comprising about 20% to about 80%, by weight, of the total dry solids; (2) a high water-absorbing component (HIWAC) comprising one or more pregelatinized cereal starches of flours comprising from about 10% to about 35%, by weight, of the total dry solids; and (3) a starch component comprising one or more ungelatinized starches comprising from about 10% to about 45%, by weight, of the total dry solids. The dry solids are mixed with water to form a dough having a moisture content from about 35% to about 50% by weight of the dough. The dough is then sheeted and cut into a dough piece which is fried in hot cooking oil to form a fried snack that expands about 1.4 to about 2.5 times during frying, producing a snack of uniform expansion and low fat content.

Abstract: An expanded fried cereal-based snack product is prepared from a dough consisting essentially of (1) a low water-absorbing component (LOWAC) comprising one or more raw or partially gelatinized cereal flours comprising about 15% to about 80%, by weight, of the total dry solids; (2) a high water-absorbing component (HIWAC) comprising one or more pregelatinized cereal starches or flours comprising from about 3% to about 40%, by weight, of the total dry solids; and (3) a starch component comprising one or more ungelatinized starches comprising from about 10% to about 45%, by weight, of the total dry solids. The dry solids are mixed with water to form a dough having a moisture content from about 40% to about 50%, by weight of the dough, and a dough piece is then extruded from the dough and fried in hot cooking oil to form a fried snack that expands about 1.2 to about 3.0 times during frying, producing a snack of uniform expansion and low fat content.

Abstract: A method for producing fried snack products of controlled shape comprises introducing dough pieces into a shallow depth of frying oil and allowing the dough pieces to travel unsupported through the oil while frying to a set shape. The shallow depth of the oil prevents the pieces from overturning in the oil while frying, so they form a controlled shape. In one embodiment, a two-layer sheeted dough is formed from dissimilar potato-based dough layers adhered and cut into layered dough pieces introduced into the shallow oil depth. The first layer is on the bottom and the second layer is at the top of each dough piece. The layered dough pieces maintain their original orientation in the shallow oil depth as they fry to form a fried potato skin product having a convexly curved upper layer and a concavely curved bottom layer. The dough pieces are partially fried in the shallow oil depth to set the curved shape, after which the partially fried pieces are finish-fried in a greater depth of frying oil.

Abstract: A food chip process that involves subjecting a comminuted starch-containing food composition having a controlled moisture content, illustratively, about 25 percent to about 40 percent by weight where a corn masa constitutes the food composition, to compression at a pressure of at least 1000 psig and at a temperature of no more than 110.degree. F., and sequentially, and without drying, frying the compressed composition in an edible oil. The process relates, as well, where a corn masa is employed, to partial gelatinization of the corn used in preparation of the masa.

Abstract: An expanded fried cereal-based snack product is prepared from a dough consisting essentially of (1) a low water-absorbing component (LOWAC) comprising one or more raw or partially gelatinized cereal flours comprising about 15% to about 80%, by weight, of the total dry solids; (2) a high water-absorbing component (HIWAC) comprising one or more pregelatinized cereal starches or flours comprising from about 3% to about 40%, by weight, of the total dry solids; and (3) a starch component comprising one or more ungelatinized starches comprising from about 10% to about 45%, by weight, of the total dry solids. The dry solids are mixed with water to form a dough having a moisture content from about 40% to about 50%, by weight of the dough, and a dough piece is then extruded from the dough and fried in hot cooking oil to form a fried snack that expands about 1.2 to about 3.0 times during frying, producing a snack of uniform expansion and low fat content.

Abstract: An expanded fried cereal-based snack product is prepared from a dough consisting essentially of (1) a low water-absorbing component (LOWAC) comprising one or more raw or partially gelatinized cereal flours comprising about 20% to about 80%, by weight, of the total dry solids; (2) a high water-absorbing component (HIWAC) comprising one or more pregelatinized cereal starches or flours comprising from about 10% to about 35%, by weight, of the total dry solids; and (3) a starch component comprising one or more ungelatinized starches comprising from about 10% to about 45%, by weight, of the total dry solids. The dry solids are mixed with water to form a dough having a moisture content from about 35% to about 50% by weight of the dough. The dough is then sheeted and cut into a dough piece which is fried in hot cooking oil to form a fried snack that expands about 1.4 to about 2.5 times during frying, producing a snack of uniform expansion and low fat content.

Abstract: The invention provides cereal snackfoods of the expanded variety such as crisps and the like. The snackfoods of the invention comprise discrete cooked portions of a dough composition comprising gelatinized starch and added cereal bran other than rice bran, in which the amylolytic activity of the bran is controlled, and contain at least about 5% by weight and generally no more than about 35% by weight of oil or fat. The snackfoods may be produced from a half product comprising at least some gelatinized starch and added cereal bran by frying or by immersion in a bed of hot particulate material followed by spraying with fat or oil. Even when fried the snackfoods have a lower energy value than comparable known products; moreover they are highly palatable, and the bran content provides a useful source of fibre in any diet.

Abstract: A highly portable Mexican-type food item is provided and more specifically a burrito-type product on a stick. Burritos consist essentially of a highly pliable, soft tortilla wrapped around a burrito food filler. The new burrito includes a self-sustaining tortilla with an edge portion thereof wrapped around a stick or other suitable elongate member which is grasped by the customer, with food filler being enclosed within the remaining portion of the tortilla and with the ends thereof turned in. The portability of the burrito product thus approaches that of an ice cream bar or a coated hot dog having a stick impaled in one end thereof, for example.

Abstract: A squeeze bottle contains a dry funnel cake mix, an opening and a selectively removable and replaceable cover for the opening. A funnel integral with the cover extends from the remainder of the bottle. With the cover removed from the opening, water is poured through the opening. The liquid and mix in the bottle are mixed by shaking the bottle to form a funnel cake batter while the cover and funnel are closed so the contents of the bottle can not escape during mixing. Then, while the funnel is open, the batter is dispensed through the funnel into a cooking vessel having heated cooking oil therein. The batter is dispensed by holding the bottle so an open end of the funnel remote from the remainder of the bottle is in a generally downward direction while the bottle is squeezed to exert pressure on the batter. A cap for the open end of the funnel is placed on the funnel open end to close the funnel after the batter has been dispensed to enable remaining batter in the bottle to be stored.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a novel potato snack product comprising mixing together a starch containing component, an active yeast, preferably baker's yeast, water and a sugar fermentable by the said yeast to form a dough mass, optionally dividing the dough into pieces, fermenting the dough mass or pieces for a period of time and temperature sufficient to form a light structure and frying in hot edible oil or fat or baking at ordinary oven temperatures the fermented dough or pieces to obtain a potato snack and the novel potato snacks formed thereby as well as a premix for said potato products.

Abstract: A delamination resistant fried dough product such as a pizza shell having a unique structure is described. It is composed of a flat at least partially fried body of soft porous dough and crispable outer crust with a plurality of blisters having generally hemispherical upwardly extending domed upper surfaces. The blisters usually contain one or more cavities substantially larger in size than the pores of the dough. The blisters are spaced apart from one another laterally and ligaments of dough are located between the blisters to connect the upper and lower surfaces of the crust for the purpose of unifying the crust and preventing the top portion of the crust from becoming delaminated from the lower portion during the frying process. After the crust has cooled, a topping, such as a pizza topping, sugar or glaze, fruit, cheese, egg, custard, etc. is applied to the top surface of the crust which is then usually frozen.

Abstract: A fried, starch containing snack product is produced wherein tempeh is included as an essential ingredient.