Other

Camile A Louis

Patrick S Lee

A process for preparing a cohesive, retort-stable, shaped food piece. The process comprises: (a) preparing a premixture comprising, by weight, (1) from about 20% to about 80% by weight gluten, (2) from about 20% to about 80% by weight flour, (3) from 0% to about 50% by weight meat and bone meal, (4) from 0% to about 9% by weight fat, (5) from 0% to about 0.7% by weight added sulfur, and (6) from 0% to about 2% by weight dicalcium phosphate; (b) combining the premixture with water to form a secondary mixture, wherein the ratio of premixture to water is in the range of from about 1.6:1 to about 4:1; (c) mixing the secondary mixture for a period of time sufficient to obtain a substantially uniformly mixed dough and under conditions such that the temperature of the secondary mixture and uniformly mixed dough in the mixing operation are maintained in the range of from about 15.degree. C. to about 45.degree. C.; and (d) forming the uniformly mixed dough into a desired shaped piece. The forming operation is carried out in conjunction with low specific mechanical energy and high pressure conditions, and under conditions such that the temperature of the uniformly mixed dough in the forming operation is in the range of from about 40.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. The present invention further relates to a piece prepared by the above-described process.

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Arlington Heights, IL, United States of America

Camile A Louis