Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the energy efficiency of biorefinery drying operations through integration of a dryer that utilizes the heat of condensation of process vapors to dry material whose emissions are captured with energy recovery. The dryer separates clean process vapors (e.g., ethanol) and steam from vapors containing volatile organic compounds and entrained materials, to minimize the need for vapor cleanup. An indirect dryer condenses vapors in a tube dryer similar to a steam tube dryer, but utilizing compressed process vapors, transferring the heat to wet material undergoing drying. The resulting exhaust vapors are either directed to a process stage that requires heat (e.g., distillation) and minimizes the need for vapor cleanup or to an out-of-contact heat exchanger that produces vapors for process use, or to another dryer as an additional effect. Mechanical-vapor recompression or thermal-vapor recompression are employed to produce vapors that optimize overall energy recovery.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the energy efficiency of biorefinery drying operations through integration of a dryer that utilizes the heat of condensation of process vapors to dry material whose emissions are captured with energy recovery. The dryer separates clean process vapors (e.g., ethanol) and steam from vapors containing volatile organic compounds and entrained materials, to minimize the need for vapor cleanup. An indirect dryer condenses vapors in a tube dryer similar to a steam tube dryer, but utilizing compressed process vapors, transferring the heat to wet material undergoing drying. The resulting exhaust vapors are either directed to a process stage that requires heat (e.g., distillation) and minimizes the need for vapor cleanup or to an out-of-contact heat exchanger that produces vapors for process use, or to another dryer as an additional effect. Mechanical-vapor recompression or thermal-vapor recompression are employed to produce vapors that optimize overall energy recovery.

Abstract: The animal feed of the present invention is a soft extruded nugget with a chewy, moist interior. These nuggets have a high moisture content and preservatives. The animal feed also has a long shelf life given the high moisture content. The animal feed of this invention is provided to young animals after weaning from a liquid diet.

Abstract: Shredded or flaked whole grain-containing composite food products, such as ready-to-eat cereals, and sweet and savory snacks, are continuously produced by pelletizing cooked, tempered, whole cereal grain particles in the presence of vegetables, fruit, or dairy cheese. In another aspect, an enrobing coating containing chocolate is applied to a baked shredded laminate product of the pelletization, wherein the shredded product may further optionally include fruit added and present during pelletization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to animal feed and processes for manufacturing the same. In particular, this invention relates to a high fibre, low density, mono-component (monoforage) product with high concentrations of long fibre particles derived from forage material, for feeding to pets and other animals and methods for producing the same.

Abstract: Shredded or flaked whole grain-containing composite food products, such as ready-to-eat cereals, and sweet and savory snacks, are continuously produced by pelletizing cooked, tempered, whole cereal grain particles in the presence of vegetables, fruit, or dairy cheese. In another aspect, an enrobing coating containing chocolate is applied to a baked shredded laminate product of the pelletization, wherein the shredded product may further optionally include fruit added and present during pelletization.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a composition of fiber and the composition of fiber from corn are provided. Raw fiber is washed with de-starched water at between about 60 and 200° F. for between approximately 5 and 20 minutes. The washed fiber is dewatered and rewashed, under similar conditions, with process water. The second wash fiber is dewatered, dried, and milled to generate processed fiber. The processed fiber may have a composition of less than about 10% moisture, at least about 85% fiber on a dry weight basis, less than about 2-4% fat on a dry weight basis, less than about 1.5% ash on a dry weight basis, less than about 9% starch on a dry weight basis, a low sulfite content, and less than about 2% starch. Additionally, the fiber may contain less than about 0.1 ppb Aflatoxin, 0.1 ppm Fumonison, 0.2 ppm Deoxynivalenol, and 75 ppb Zearalenone.

Abstract: To provide a method for producing alpharized rice in which a soaking process does not need to be provided and a shape of rice grains is maintained. Means of Solution Such technical measure is taken that pressurized steam-boiling step in which raw material rice grains are steam-boiled with pressurized steam, a cooking step in which the rice grains after the pressurized steam-boiling step is alpharized, a high temperature drying step in which the rice grains after the alpharizing step are dried at high temperature, and a low temperature drying step in which the drying is performed at temperature lower than the high temperature drying step are sequentially provided without providing a soaking step, and an alpharized layer is formed on a surface of the rice grains by pressurized steam-boiling before the cooking step.

Abstract: This invention is a process to modify the physical and chemical characteristics of powder or flour obtained from rice by-products from the rice peeling and polishing process, generating reconfigured grains, similar in appearance, shape, consistency, and uses, to normal peeled and polished rice grains. Also, the invention allows adding additives to give different flavors and colors, as well as nutritional additives and modifiers, during this reconfiguration process. The process uses rice by-products as raw materials, and the resulting product is reconfigured rice. To obtain this product, raw materials are ground, water is added and, eventually additives are added in order to produce a liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is placed in a double-screw extruder at 60° C. and 70° C. temperatures, and humidity between 34% and 40%; then, the mixture is put through a matrix to generate continuous, flexible, and humid filaments.

Abstract: Shredded whole grain products, such as ready-to-eat cereals, and sweet and savory snacks, such as whole grain shredded corn chips are continuously produced by pelletizing agglomerates of cooked, tempered, whole cereal grain particles. Cooked whole grains, such as corn and other non-gluten or low-gluten containing grains have a tendency to become hard and rubbery after cooking during the cooling and tempering process. The pelletization results in the production of whole grain pellets having a soft, pliable texture, which are shreddable into continuous net-like sheets on a mass production basis. The pelletizing may be at a pressure of about 200 psig to about 600 psig, preferably from about 400 psig to about 500 psig. The pelletizing temperature may be controlled to provide a pellet temperature of about 80° F. to about 120° F., preferably from about 90° F. to about 110° F., upon exiting the pelletizer.

Abstract: A compound coating has a very high level of dietary fiber from about 35% to about 75% by weight, and a particle size of about 35 microns or less. The compound coating is formed by mixing a fat portion and the dietary fiber, and then micro-grinding the compound coating to the fine particle size. The compound coating can include soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, or combinations thereof, such as polydextrose and short chain fructo-oligosaccharides. The compound coating can be applied to a wide variety of food forms including wafers, cereals, crackers, and other foods. The compound coating can be applied by spraying the coating onto the food form or pumping the coating through depositing spindles and onto the food form.

Abstract: A bubble drink as a health food, which is produced by imparting a catalytic function for gas escaping to an adsorptive fine food powder to allow the fine food powder to be dispersed in a colloidal solution reverse vessel, and reacting the dispersion with a gas-saturated solution to generate foam (a bubbling engineering process), whereby the food is converted into foam having a three-state composite structure of gas, liquid and solid states suitable to be ingested within a digestive system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to isolating the valuable components of cereal grains and allowing the benefits to be more fully exploited. The concept of the present invention initially involves selection of cultivars of cereal grains such as wheat, barley, oats and rye having desired bioactive components including antioxidants, complex phenolics, lignans, flavonoids, vitamins, fiber, protein and other nutrients concentrated in one or more of the outer bran layers. Then separating the outer bran layer into three fractions, according to the desired bioactive components contained in the bran layers including antioxidants, complex phenolics, lignans, flavonoids, vitamins, fiber, protein and other nutrients. This allows the maximum benefit and value to be obtained from the bran fractions as dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, or as enriched food products.

Abstract: A Method for producing triploid corn seeds and plants is described. The method comprises combining two parent inbreds of different ploidy levels, wherein one parent inbred is a tetraploid (4N) and the other parent is a diploid (2N) so as to produce a triploid hybrid corn seed; and cultivating the triploid hybrid corn seed to form a triploid corn plant. Usage of triploid corn plants as an economic source of sugar and ethanol is described, as is the production of molasses, rum and fodder from plant material of the low sterility triploid corn plants.

Abstract: A method of producing cooked cereal grains containing a high level of whole oats for a shredded ready-to-eat cereal. The method begins by disposing a whole grain oat into a mixer. The whole grain oat has an exposed first starch. Next, a second whole grain is disposed into the mixer. The second whole grain has an exposed second starch that is different from the first starch. A third starch is disposed into the mixer to act as a binder of the whole grain oat and second whole grain. Water is added to the mixer to form a mixture that is cooked to form cooked cereal grains containing high levels of whole oats. The cooked grains are shredded and layered to form a shredded wheat-like biscuit.

Abstract: Biodegradable and edible composites for use as feed packaging containers are provided. Broadly, the composites are formed from a mixture comprising fiber mixed with a non-petroleum based, biodegradable adhesive formed by modifying a starch, protein, or protein-rich flour. The mixture has a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight, based upon the total weight of the mixture taken as 100% by weight. The mixture is then molded at pressures of from about 150-600 psi and temperatures of from about 150-500° F. to yield a final composite having a compressive strength of at least about 5 MPa. Preferred fibers include those derived from straw, corn stalks, sorghum stalks, soybean hulls, and peanut hulls. Preferred modifiers include NaOH, urea sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, and guanidine hydrochloride.

Abstract: A food product comprising continuous aligned bundles of formed fibers extending between faces of the food product is provided. The fibers in this food product are newly formed and fixed during its preparation. This novel food product may be prepared by forcing dough to move along an axis extending through a passageway toward an axial opening at a far end of the passageway, while transferring heat to at least that portion of the moving dough proximal said second end and controlling the heat transfer and speed of movement of the dough such that fibrous food product with essentially aligned axial fibers egresses through said opening.

Abstract: Pasta-type paste containing ingredients (5, 7) in the form of heteroelements or occlusions, comprising a base layer (3) formed from wheat semolina and/or various cereal flours and water. The invention is characterized in that it comprises at least one additional heterogeneous layer (2, 4) consisting of a paste mixture (6) with the inclusion of ingredients (5, 7) superimposed on the essentially homogeneous base layer (3) which is free from incorporated ingredients (5, 7).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a barley fraction which has an increased amount of beta-glucan, at least 25% more than the barley flour used to form the barley fraction, an improved mouthfeel, and a viscosity higher than the barley flour used to form the barley fraction, and the barley fraction itself. The method includes the steps of cooking an amount of barley flour and separating the high beta-glucan barley fraction from the remainder of the cooked barley flour.

Abstract: The subject of this invention is a method for producing a product with an enriched content of soluble dietary fiber, such as .beta.-glucan and/or pentosans from a raw material deriving from cereal grains, by using thermal, enzymatic or osmotic treatments or combinations of these. As a first step, suspending of milled cereal or a fraction of cereal in water and when needed, a limited proteolysis is performed in order to improve the solubility of the fiber. Temperature of the mixture is elevated, and the soluble fiber is precipitated with a polar organic solvent on solid carrier particles, which can derive from the raw material or are added in the suspension. A fine fraction, consisting primarily of starch, is separated from the more coarse fraction containing the precipitated fiber, by using methods based on the particle size or density.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making shelf stable, shaped grain products, whose textures are comprised of visible, fully-cooked cereal grains joined together, and having said grains filled with a water solution containing soluble solids and an antimycotic agent. In the process of the present invention, whole cereal grains such as rice, oats, wheat, or other cereal grains are modified by either flattening the grains with cereal flaking rolls, creating small internal cracks in the grain structure, or cutting the grains into smaller pieces. The cereal grains are then cooked in a water solution with soluble solids and an antimycotic agent at temperatures over 190 F. Binders, such as starch, gums, or pectin are added to either gel the mixture or develop cohesive surfaced grains that become joined together. The cooked cereal grains which are now joined together, are formed into shapes with low shear forming equipment and heated and dried with an oven or hot air until their water activity falls below 0.85.

Abstract: Food product fibers containing moisture, particularly fiber residues obtained from extraction procedures or from a hydrolysis procedure, are milled, dehydrated and deodorized by projecting fiber residues towards a wall surface for attrition milling and simultaneously, propelling air heated to a temperature of from 200.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. towards the projected fiber residues so that the projected fiber residues are projected against the wall surface for obtaining attrited fiber and the heated air is propelled towards the projected fiber residues and attrited fiber for dehydrating and deodorizing the projected fiber residues and for entraining dehydrated, deodorized attrited fiber for collection. In a case of treating fiber residues resultant from hydrolysis of a plant substance, the dehydrated, deodorized attrited fiber is mixed with ingredients to obtain a mixture for preparing a breadcrumb product, and then, the mixture is extrusion-cooked.

Abstract: A process of making an enriched artificial rice product comprising by dry weight 50% to 98% of at least one starch or starch derivative, 2% to 45% of at least one enriching material, and 0.1% to 10% of at least one gelling hydrocolloid whereby the enriched artificial rice product can be prepared with the cooking water being at least twice the volume of the rice.

Abstract: Food grade protein and dietary fibre concentrates are prepared from wheat millfeed. The process utilizes an efficient alkali extraction to obtain in excess of 75% w/w of the protein present in the millfeed in a solution which is further treated to separate the suspended starch and fat. The clarified liquid containing the protein is passed over a semipermeable membrane during which it is further purified and concentrated. Hydrogen peroxide and heat are introduced to the liquid thereby reducing its color prior to spray drying. The resulting residue from the extraction is dried or further treated with hydrogen peroxide and heat to produce a light colored dietary fibre concentrate.

Abstract: A cereal product is produced continuously from bran using a twin screw extruder which blends and cooks the dry bran with syrup. The cooked mixture is then passed through a headspace between the tips of the extruder screws and the extrusion die, and extruded through a die head having a plurality of bores. The extrudate strands expand only slightly, have a roughened outer surface that is visible to the eye, and spontaneously break into strands almost entirely in the range of 0.1 inch to 2 inches. The strands are then dried and toasted to form bran cereal nuggets.

Abstract: The invention provides a shelf-stable paste-filled shredded cereal biscuits having an extended shelf-stable plurality of textures. A first plurality of net-like sheets of cereal dough are continuously laminated, followed by continuous depositing of at least one extrudate rope filling upon the first plurality of net-like sheets. A second plurality of net-like sheets is continuously laminated upon the at least one extrudate rope to obtain a filled laminate. Each of the net-like sheets has a plurality of generally parallel longitudinal strands and a plurality of crosshatchings which are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal strands. The filled laminate is cut to enrobe the filling and the product is baked. The number of crosshatchings of the net-like sheets adjacent to the filling is greater than the number of crosshatchings of the net-like sheets which are further removed from the filling.

Abstract: This invention is a method for distributing a dry, multi-vitamin premix into a cereal grain which is, used for making a milled cereal product. In the preferred embodiment the milled cereal product is shredded wheat. The product of the method is also included in this invention.

Abstract: A process for the continuous production of microbially shelf-stable paste-filled shredded cereal biscuits having an extended shelf-stable plurality of textures. A first plurality of net-like sheets of cereal dough are continuously laminated, followed by continuous depositing of at least one extrudate rope filling upon the first plurality of net-like sheets. A second plurality of net-like sheets is continuously laminated upon the at least one extrudate rope to obtain a filled laminate. Each of the net-like sheets has a plurality of generally parallel longitudinal strands and a plurality of crosshatchings which are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal strands. The filled laminate is cut to enrobe the filling and the product is baked. The number of crosshatchings of the net-like sheets adjacent to the filling is greater than the number of crosshatchings of the net-like sheets which are further removed from the filling.

Abstract: Ready-to-eat shredded potato products having a pleasant texture, and a substantially uniform off-white to golden tan color, are obtained by the process of the present invention. A potato dough is formed under low temperature and low shear mixing conditions so as to avoid overgelatinization of the potato starch and tackiness which would impede flowability and the continuous production of long continuous shred layers. Individual discrete dough pieces having a moisture content of from about 29% to about 50% by weight are tempered to distribute the water substantially uniformly throughout the dough pieces, the tempered dough pieces are shredded and the shredded dough is cooked.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for improving the consistency of a reconstituted instant puree. In this process, crude vegetable fibres, such as fibres of tubers, cereals or fruits are incorporated in an instant puree, for example a potato, carrot or split pea puree, in quantities of at most 10% by dry weight of fibres, based on the dry matter content of the puree.

Abstract: A shredded food article in the form of a biscuit is produced by depositing a web of longitudinally shredded food transversely across a moving bed in a uniform overlapping zigzag configuration to produce a wider, continuous, multiple layer sheet. The sheet is first cut longitudinally and is then cut transversely to produce a plurality of files and rows of lapped shredded biscuits on the moving bed. The process may include two separate lapping operations in which a flavorful filling is deposited between laps to produce a composite biscuit having an interior filling.