Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC

Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

Allan R Olson

Louise Slade

Harry Levine

Lynn C Haynes

Vijay Kumar Arora

Jeanny E Zimeri

Meera Kweon

Thomas P Johnson

Dennis W Charles

Harold I Levine

Extruded, directly expanded, high fiber reduced calorie food products, such as a ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal or sweet or savory snack, are produced at high production rates without substantial loss of extrusion functionality and extrudability by replacing a substantial portion of at least one flour with a gelatinized, enzyme-resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent as a reduced-calorie, high fiber flour replacer. The resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent contains an enzyme-resistant starch type III having a melting point with an endothermic peak temperature of at least about 140&#xb0; C., and may have a water-holding capacity of less than 3 grams water per gram of the starch-based bulking agent. The total dietary fiber retention of the gelatinized, starch-based bulking agent may be at least about 90% by weight after extrusion using a die temperature of least about 100&#xb0; C., and a die pressure of at least about 150 psig.

Production of low calorie, extruded, expanded foods having a high fiber content

An extruded, directly expanded, high fiber reduced calorie food product, such as a ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal or sweet or savory snack, is produced at high production rates without substantial loss of extrusion functionality and extrudability by replacing a substantial portion of at least one flour with a gelatinized, enzyme-resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent as a reduced-calorie, high fiber flour replacer. The resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent contains an enzyme-resistant starch type III having a melting point with an endothermic peak temperature of at least about 140&#xb0; C., and may have a water-holding capacity of less than 3 grams water per gram of the starch-based bulking agent. The total dietary fiber retention of the gelatinized, starch-based bulking agent may be at least about 90% by weight after the extrusion using a die temperature of least about 100&#xb0; C., and a die pressure of at least about 150 psig.

Ready-to-eat cereal is prepared in modified sequence utilizing an apparatus to efficiently apply antioxidant or other useful minor ingredients for ready-to-eat cereal products as they are being conveyed through a conduit, preferably by gravity. The apparatus includes a conduit having an inlet and an outlet, and an external wall defining a passage between the inlet and outlet. The passage has a central zone and a radially displaced application zone adjacent the external wall. A baffle is suspended within the passage to deflect a downward flow of particulate cereal material toward the application zone. A spray applies the minor ingredient onto the particulate cereal in the application zone. Efficiencies in equipment and processing are achieved. Storage life of cereal products awaiting further processing and, thus, final product quality, is enhanced.

Cereal ingredient application process

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Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America

Allan R Olson