Abstract: The aim of the present invention is to provide a novel food material which comprises cereal bran containing plenty of dietary fiber, does not harm the volume of bakery products and cakes, and gives good taste to them, even when it is added to the dough of bakery products such as bread and cakes. Another aim of the present invention is to provide a food, such as bakery products, i.e. bread and cakes, which is prepared by using the novel food material of the present invention. The aims are attained by providing cereal bran granule obtained by granulating powdery composition which comprises powder of cereal bran, and a food prepared by using the cereal bran granule.

Abstract: A foodstuff particulate lipid composition comprises a particulate solid non-lipid carrier and an oil-in-water emulsion on the carrier capable of being released from the carrier on contact with aqueous media to form an oil-in-water emulsion in said aqueous media. Also disclosed is the use of the composition and a process for its manufacture.

Abstract: An improved taco shell support device has a frame having a top wall and at least one taco shell support structure mounted on the frame. The at least one taco shell support structure includes a taco-receiving slot formed in the top wall and first and second taco shell support walls extending downwards from opposite sides of the taco-receiving slot, each of the first and second taco shell support walls including upper and lower edges, the upper edges of the first and second taco shell support walls being spaced apart a greater distance than the lower edges of the first and second taco shell support walls whereas the first and second taco shell support walls are generally upwardly divergent from one another.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing an intermediary product in the form of a nut-based pellet that is capable of being stored for up to about six months. To form the nut pellets, a nut dough is passed through an extruder. The extrudate produced is then cut into pellets and dried. Starch pellets can then optionally be mixed with the nut pellets or small nut pieces and cooked to form a snack chip. The snack chip is formed by compressing and cooking the pellet mixture, expanding the pellet mixture, and compressing the pellet mixture again.

Abstract: A snack chip comprising from about 15% to about 60% of vegetable material; from about 40% to about 65% of starch material made from materials selected from the group consisting of tapioca, rice and mixtures thereof; from about 0.1% to about 3.0% water; and from about 1% to about 20% of optional ingredients. At least about 40% of the starch material is pre-gelatinized. The snack chip can be made by combining the vegetable material and dry ingredients with water to form a dough which is then sheeted, dried without the use of a heated extruder to form a half product, which is cooked to form the snack chip.

Abstract: A dry blend containing from about 3% to about 50%, by weight, dehydrated fruit materials, and from about 20% to about 97%, by weight, rice based material. Doughs made by adding water to the dry blend are also provided. The doughs are especially suit for sheeting and cutting to make fabricated snack products, which are then cooked to make a fruit based chip.

Abstract: A rice-based snack chip made from a dough including the dry ingredients of bumped rice kernels, long-grain pregelatinized rice flour, medium-grain course white rice flour and in which the bumped rice kernels are partially hydrated, bumped, partially dehydrated and fried as the chip is made.

Abstract: The present invention provides shortenings having little to no trans-fatty acids and low saturates. Such shortenings can be used to make various food products.

Abstract: A snack chip comprising from about 10% to about 50% of dehydrated fruit material; optionally oatmeal; from about 30% to about 90% of starch material made from materials selected from the group consisting of tapioca, rice and mixtures thereof; from about 0.1% to about 5.0% water; and from about 1% to about 20% of optional ingredients. At least about 40% of the starch material can be pre-gelatinized. The snack chip is made by combining dry ingredients with water to form a dough which is then sheeted, dried without the use of a heated extruder to form a half product, which is cooked to form the snack chip.

Abstract: The present invention discloses formulations for sheeted, baked fruit and vegetable chips that have a light, crispy texture similar to a potato chip. The ingredients are combined with water and oil to make a dough, which is then sheeted and cut into pieces. The pieces are baked to produce vegetable and fruit snack chips.

Abstract: A description is given of a whitish whole flour and a process for producing said flour, whereby said process involves: (a) supplying a quantity of conditioned wheat grain; (b) fractionating the wheat grain to obtain endosperm, bran, and germ; (c) separating and distributing the endosperm, bran, and germ to allow them to be treated; (d) milling the endosperm that is obtained in step (c) in order to homogenize the particle size to approximately 150-180 microns; (e) treating the germ in order to reduce the reactivity of the lipids contained therein; (f) treating the bran obtained in step (c) by: (f-i) separating the stream of bran coming from step (c) in order to produce a fine bran and a coarse bran, and (f-ii) milling the coarse bran from step (f-i) in order to obtain a pulverized bran with a particle diameter of approximately 180 microns; (g) mixing the endosperm from step (d), the germ from step (e), the fine bran from step (f-i), and the pulverized bran from step (f-ii) in a measurable and controlled manner

Abstract: A multi-grain chip having buckwheat hull inclusion of a specific particle size. The buckwheat hull component of the chip provides a visual indication of the multi-grain characteristics of the chip. The particle size of the buckwheat hulls is specified in order to compliment production of the chip on existing corn chip lines and to enhance product visual attributes.

Abstract: Thin snack chips having a curved or wave shape are obtained by forming, shaping or curling baked chips into a curved or wave configuration before they become too cold and rigid so as to result in breakage during forming. The essentially flat, malleable baked chips, still hot from baking in an oven may be continuously transported on a conveyer belt into a nip or gap formed between the conveyer belt and a rotating forming roller to curve or curl the malleable baked chips around the roller. The malleable baked chips are subjected to a guided curtain of air to cool and set the chips in a curved or wave configuration and to remove or blow the curved or wave chips off of the rotating forming roller onto the conveyor belt.

Abstract: The present invention discloses novel methods of using Phleum spp. seeds, especially Timothy grass (P. pratense L.) seeds, for making gluten-free food products and the food products produced using such methods.

Abstract: A frying medium consisting essentially of unmodified low-linolenic-acid soybean oil that contains relatively little saturated fat, and essentially no trans fatty acid, is disclosed. Food fried in this medium has properties comparable to those of food fried in partially hydrogenated higher trans oils. The frying medium can comprise a minor proportion of another type of low linolenic oil, such as cottonseed oil or palm oil, blended with the soybean oil as from 1 to 49 wt. %, alternatively 1 to 25 wt. %, alternatively 1 to 10 wt. %, alternatively 1 to 5 wt. % of the frying medium. The soybean oil of the frying medium can have from 5 wt. % to 15 wt. % palmitic acid; from 2 wt. % to 10 wt. % stearic acid; from 20 wt. % to 50 wt. % oleic acid; from 30 wt. % to 60 wt. % linoleic acid; and from 0.2 wt. % to 3.5 wt. % linolenic acid.

Abstract: Described is an improved emulsifier system suitable for use in making dehydrated starch ingredients. Also disclosed are a process for making the dehydrated ingredients using the improved emulsifier systems, doughs made using the dehydrated ingredients and the process for making those doughs, and food products containing the dehydrated ingredients.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flour/starch blend for preparing stuffed rolls wrappers, said blend comprising: from 48% to 52% of high amylose rice starch; from 31% to 36% of high amylose rice flour; from 8% to 12% of potato starch; from 4% to 7% of modified tapioca starch; from 0.2 to 2% of pregelatinized wheat flour. Stuffed rolls wrappers obtained from said blend can withstand freezing/thawing without loss of their qualities.

Abstract: A plurality of rolling rollers move sequentially upstream from downstream or downstream from upstream along the food dough belt, while each rolling roller rotates on its own axis. The moving direction of the rolling roller is changed according to technical requirements. The number of beats is regulated by changing the moving speed V1 of the rolling roller. Further, the peripheral speed of the rolling roller is made to be equal to or almost equal to the surface speed of the food dough belt by changing the rotating speed V2 of the rolling roller.

Abstract: A rice-based snack chip made from a dough including the dry ingredients of bumped rice kernels, long-grain pregelatinized rice flour, medium-grain course white rice flour and in which the bumped rice kernels are partially hydrated, bumped, partially dehydrated and fried as the chip is made.

Abstract: Food components including a triacylglycerol component and a bulking agent are provided. The triacylglycerol component typically has a melting point of about 100 to 120° F. and constitutes about 20 to 35 wt. % of the food components. The food component can be formed by heating a composition which includes the triacylglycerol component and bulking agent under conditions sufficient to form an outer layer having certain desired physical characteristics. Food products incorporating the food components are also provided.

Abstract: A method for making a composite dough by preparing a wheat dough by mixing wheat flour, fat and water in a manner effective to form an homogeneous and cohesive gluten structure followed by sheeting the dough into a sheet; separately preparing a non-wheat dough by mixing a non-wheat flour and water to form a homogeneous mass of dough that is sufficiently cohesive to be subsequently handled; assembling the wheat dough with the non-wheat dough; and laminating the wheat and non-wheat doughs to form a composite dough.

Abstract: The present invention includes puffed food starch material snack, in particular starch material from grains, having an improved crispy texture and a more aesthetic appearance and methods for preparing them. In general terms, the products are snack chips, cakes, crackers or the like, made from food starch material. Preferably, the starch material is provided primarily in the form of individual kernels or pellets of a cereal grain, such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, or mixtures thereof. Quantities of other food starch materials may also be employed as a co-mixed constituent, or the primary source of bulk starch material, for example potato starch material. A quantity of the grain is puffed (expanded) in a manner which forms a snack product of considerable crispiness, lightness, and unique texture to both the mouth and eye.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of making a puffed-food starch material snack, in particular starch material from grains, having an improved crispy texture and a more aesthetic appearance. The products may be snack chips, cakes, crackers or the like, made from food starch material. Preferably, the starch material is provided primarily in the form of individual kernels or pellets of a cereal grain, such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, or mixtures thereof. According to one method, a puffing chamber is provided having inner surfaces and a chamber volume. A bulk amount of the food starch material is placed into the puffing chamber. The bulk amount of food starch material is caused to volumetrically expand. The expanding food starch material is constrained in its expansion in at least a first dimension, while permitting unconstrained expansion of the bulk amount in at least a second dimension.

Abstract: An improved method for maintaining a designed functional shape in fabricated, expanded snack products by utilizing discrete, solid lipid particles. These lipids must be solid at room temperature with a melting point above 100° F. such that they remain discrete and solid when mixed with the dough and are subsequently sheeted or extruded. During the toasting, frying, or baking step, the solid lipid particles melt and soften and disrupt the starch matrix, thus allowing steam to escape and preventing undesirable defects such as excessive blistering, pillowing, and other shape defects that prevent the intended functionality. The addition of solid lipid particles, however, prevents steam accumulation only in the localized area where a solid lipid particle exists. Thus, by changing the level of solid lipid particles in the dough, the degree of shape deformities can be controlled.

Abstract: In the production of edible products which includes a holding period for starch retrogra-dation, the addition of a xylanase to cereal-based raw materials accelerates the retrogradation and thus allows a shortening of the holding period.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making a puffed food starch material product. A food starch material capable of volumetric expansion in three dimensions is placed into a puffing chamber. Expansion of the food starch material includes constraining expansion of the food starch material in at least a first dimension while permitting unconstrained expansion of the food starch material in a second dimension to produce a unitary, puffed food starch material product with at least one surface having a wavy contour. In a method of making a puffed food starch material product of the present invention, a puffing chamber is provided having inner surfaces and a chamber volume. A bulk amount of the food starch material is placed into the puffing chamber. The bulk amount of food starch material is caused to volumetrically expand. The expanding food starch material is constrained in its expansion in at least a first dimension, while permitting expansion of the bulk amount in at least a second dimension.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of puffing a food starch material capable of becoming amorphous into a food starch material product. The method includes forming food starch material pellets by extruding gelatinized food starch flour in an extruder. The pellets are then placed in a puffing chamber and heated under pressure until the pellets become amorphous. The amorphous food starch material product is then expanded to form a puffed, unitary product composed of all the pellets placed in the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that offer an alternative to appealing but unhealthy foods. More particularly, tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that provide a balanced mix of amino acids, fat, and carbohydrates are disclosed. Processes for making, and methods of using said tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods are also disclosed. The nutritious foods of the present invention are formulated and processed such that they resolve the dilemma that consumers have always been faced with—healthy eating or enjoying what they eat.

Abstract: An improved method for controlling blister formation in fabricated, expanded snack products by utilizing discrete, solid lipid particles. These lipids must be solid at room temperature with a melting point above 100° F. such that they remain discrete and solid when mixed with the dough and are subsequently sheeted or extruded. During the toasting, frying, or baking step, the solid, lipid particles melt and soften and disrupt the starch matrix, thus allowing steam to escape and preventing blisters. The blisters are only prevented, however, in the localized area where a solid, lipid particle exists. Thus, by changing the level of solid, lipid particles in the dough, the size of resulting blisters can be controlled.

Abstract: Appealing traditional nutritious snacks and mixes from which consumers can prepare appealing traditional nutritious snacks are disclosed. These snacks and mixes offer an alternative to appealing but unhealthy snacks. The nutritious snacks of the present invention are traditional in form, provide a balanced mix of an amino acid source, fat, and carbohydrates and typically have an appeal similar to that of unhealthy snacks of similar form. Thus, the snacks and snack mixes of the present invention resolve the dilemma that consumers are currently faced with—healthy eating or enjoying what you eat. Processes for making and methods of using appealing traditional nutritious snacks and mixes from which consumers can prepare appealing traditional nutritious snacks are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for production of an appetizer is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of: a) adding between about 1.0 percent to 1.5 weight percent lime to a combination of water and corn to form a mixture; b) boiling the mixture until the mixture contains between about 34 to 38 weight percent moisture; d) soaking the mixture for between about 12 to 16 hours to achieve between about 46 to 52 percent moisture; d) grinding said mixture into a dough; and e) rolling and cooking said dough to produce the appetizer. This process has the quality of permitting a new product from the nixtamalized corn dough, which is acceptable to the public, and a technology that allows for the accomplishment of the above objective.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing a cooked-extruded-expanded dietetically valuable snack product mainly comprising an amylaceous material and milk solids, and which has a fine, porous, crunchy, smooth and melt-in-the-mouth texture while being rich in protein and calcium

Abstract: The present invention relates to tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that offer an alternative to appealing but unhealthy foods. More particularly, tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that provide a balanced mix of amino acids, fat, and carbohydrates are disclosed. Processes for making, and methods of using said tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods are also disclosed. The nutritious foods of the present invention are formulated and processed such that they resolve the dilemma that consumers have always been faced with—healthy eating or enjoying what they eat.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a continuous process for the production of flour and dough using ground corn kernels where before grinding the hull and tip cap are removed from the corn kernels which ground corn produces an endosperm/germ flour. The endosperm/germ flour then is moisturized and cooked with direct and indirect heat to gelatinize about 10 to about 50 weight percent of the starch in the flour.

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: Appealing traditional nutritious snacks and mixes from which consumers can prepare appealing traditional nutritious snacks are disclosed. These snacks and mixes offer an alternative to appealing but unhealthy snacks. The nutritious snacks of the present invention are traditional in form, provide a balanced mix of an amino acid source, fat, and carbohydrates and typically have an appeal similar to that of unhealthy snacks of similar form. Thus, the snacks and snack mixes of the present invention resolve the dilemma that consumers are currently faced with—healthy eating or enjoying what you eat. Processes for making and methods of using appealing traditional nutritious snacks and mixes from which consumers can prepare appealing traditional nutritious snacks are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that offer an alternative to appealing but unhealthy foods. More particularly, tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that provide a balanced mix of amino acids, fat, and carbohydrates are disclosed. Processes for making, and methods of using said tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods are also disclosed. The nutritious foods of the present invention are formulated and processed such that they resolve the dilemma that consumers have always been faced with—healthy eating or enjoying what they eat.

Abstract: Appealing traditional nutritious snacks and mixes from which consumers can prepare appealing traditional nutritious snacks are disclosed. These snacks and mixes offer an alternative to appealing but unhealthy snacks. The nutritious snacks of the present invention are traditional in form, provide a balanced mix of an amino acid source, fat, and carbohydrates and typically have an appeal similar to that of unhealthy snacks of similar form. Thus, the snacks and snack mixes of the present invention resolve the dilemma that consumers are currently faced with—healthy eating or enjoying what you eat. Processes for making and methods of using appealing traditional nutritious snacks and mixes from which consumers can prepare appealing traditional nutritious snacks are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved method for controlling blister formation in fabricated, expanded snack products by utilizing discrete, solid lipid particles. These lipids must be solid at room temperature with a melting point above 100° F. such that they remain discrete and solid when mixed with the dough and are subsequently sheeted or extruded. During the toasting, frying, or baking step, the solid, lipid particles melt and soften and disrupt the starch matrix, thus allowing steam to escape and preventing blisters. The blisters are only prevented, however, in the localized area where a solid, lipid particle exists. Thus, by changing the level of solid, lipid particles in the dough, the size of resulting blisters can be controlled.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of making a puffed food starch material snack, in particular starch material from grains, having an improved crispy texture and a more aesthetic appearance. The products may be snack chips, cakes, crackers or the like, made from food starch material. Preferably, the starch material is provided primarily in the form of individual kernels or pellets of a cereal grain, such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, or mixtures thereof. Quantities of other food starch materials may also be employed as a co-mixed constituent, or the primary source of bulk starch material, for example potato starch material. A quantity of the grain is puffed (expanded) in a manner which forms a snack product of considerable crispiness, lightness, and unique texture to both the mouth and eye.

Abstract: Bread products derived from a dough having a continuous network of developable protein having levels of reducing sugar sufficiently low such that browning under frying conditions is substantially reduced.

Abstract: A rice-based snack chip made from a dough including the dry ingredients of bumped rice kernels, long-grain pregelatinized rice flour, medium-grain course white rice flour and in which the bumped rice kernels are partially hydrated, bumped, partially dehydrated and fried as the chip is made.

Abstract: A gelatinized cereal product which contains a plant material which is a source of inulin: for example chicory. Sufficient of the plant material is included to provide at least about 0.25% by weight of inulin on a dry basis. The cereal product may be used as a pet food or breakfast cereal.

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: The present invention includes a method of making a puffed food starch material snack, in particular starch material from grains, having an improved crispy texture and a more aesthetic appearance. The products may be snack chips, cakes, crackers or the like, made from food starch material. Preferably, the starch material is provided primarily in the form of individual kernels or pellets of a cereal grain, such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, or mixtures thereof. According to one method, a puffing chamber is provided having inner surfaces and a chamber volume. A bulk amount of the food starch material is placed into the puffing chamber. The bulk amount of food starch material is caused to volumetrically expand. The expanding food starch material is constrained in its expansion in at least a first dimension, while permitting unconstrained expansion of the bulk amount in at least a second dimension.

Abstract: Fabricated snacks produced from doughs comprising (1) a potato-based flour component, (2) one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of non-potato-based flour, starch, gum, or mixtures thereof, and (3) water are disclosed. The doughs are cohesive, non-adhesive, and sheetable, and the fabricated snacks produced therefrom have desired expansion, crispness, and mouthmelt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for separating and delivering, orderly positioned, stiff folded baked products, such as taco shells, from a first conveyor (1), the baked products on said first conveyor resting on carrier means (6), which are preferably adapted to the shape of the baked products, a relative motion being imparted to the respective baked products (12) in relation to the associated carrier means (6) by a separating means (13) being brought into contact with the baked product, preferably from below, to separate the baked product from the carrier means before it is delivered to a delivery station. According to the invention, the respective baked products (12) are separated from the associated carrier means (6) by the baked product being caused to slide, during its transport motion (7), towards a surface portion (14) of the separating means (13), which surface portion is inclined relative to the transport motion of the carrier means.

Abstract: Disclosed is a potato mash and the method for making the same. The potato mash can be used to produce food products such as mashed potatoes, potato patties, potato pancakes, and potato snacks. The potato mash can also be used to form dehydrated potato products such as flakes, flanules, granules, agglomerates, sheets, pieces, bits, flour, and particulates. The dehydrated potato products are suitable for use in a wide variety of food products, such as mashed potatoes, potato patties, potato pancakes, potato snacks, breads, gravies, and sauces. The food products made from the mash and/or from the dehydrated products produced therefrom have improved potato flavor and improved texture. Especially preferred is an improved fabricated chip.

Abstract: Baked, corn-based, chip-like snacks having a plurality of surface bubbles comprising air pockets extending both above and below the substantially unleavened, adjacent portions of the snack are obtained with a pregelatinized waxy starch, a pregelatinized corn flour and baker's bran. The pregelatinized waxy starch forms the skin of the bubble. The pregelatinized corn flour aids in production of bubbles during baking and enhances corn flavor in the baked snacks. The baker's bran provides the baked corn-based chip-like snack with a rough appearance characteristic of tortilla chips. The pregelatinized waxy maize starch may be used in an amount of from about 5% by weight to about 25% by weight, the pregelatinized corn flour may be used in an amount of from about 5% by weight to about 20% by weight, and the baker's bran may be used in an amount of from about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight each based upon the weight of a corn flour having a degree of gelatinization of less than about 60%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to snack pieces having an improved dip containment region for providing improved dip holding containment region. More particularly, the present invention relates to snack pieces having an improved dip containment region for providing improved dip holding containment region with a separate grip region that avoids messy finger contact with the dip by a user. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to snack pieces having an improved dip holding containment region with a grip region that avoids messy finger contact with the dip that is readily communicated and discernible to the user by the shape of the snack piece and a method to make such a snack piece.