Kellogg Company

Graceland Fruit, Inc.

The Eggo Company

Chris L Willoughby

Charles Aden Smith

Norbert Gimmler

Nirmal K Sinha

Michael N Bauman

Meena Sinha

Terry L Engle

Neal Sylvester Francisco

Maria Ruhlman

Gary A Larrivee

A shaping assembly for producing a discrete spiral shaped food product includes a die that defines at least one aperture that is centered on an aperture axis. The at least one aperture extends to an aperture exit and allows for the movement of a stream of food mass through the aperture and out the aperture exit. A shaping tool includes at least one slicing blade that is disposed over at least a portion of the aperture exit to slice the stream of food mass into a plurality of food mass portions. A coupling arrangement engages the shaping tool to facilitate rotation of the slicing blade to spin the plurality of food mass portions into a spiral shaped stream of food mass. The slicing blade simultaneously slices and spins the stream of food mass to create the spiral shaped stream of food mass. A crimper is used to cut the spiral shaped stream of food mass into the discrete spiral shaped food products.

Apparatus and method for curled extrudate

An apparatus and method for producing a substantially spiral shaped food product is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a die defining a plurality of apertures disposed in a circle about a center. The apparatus also includes at least one cutting blade disposed for rotation about the center and operable to intermittently pass fully across each of the apertures during rotation. The apparatus also includes a plurality of slicing blades arranged for individual rotation about one of the plurality of apertures. The plurality of slicing blades are also arranged for continuous extension less than fully across the one aperture. The apparatus also includes a planetary coupling arrangement operably disposed to facilitate reciprocating rotation between the at least one cutting blade and the plurality of slicing blades.

Disclosed is a scarified, whole, dried, infused, buoyant cranberry. Further a process for preparing the cranberry is disclosed. The process includes sizing individually quick frozen cranberries by collecting those that pass through a mesh screen with 16 millimeter openings and that are retained on a mesh screen with openings of 9 millimeters. The sized cranberries are then scarified and infused in an infusion solution having a Brix of from 40 to 80 at a temperature of from 29 to 44&#xb0; C.&#xb1;5&#xb0; C. until the cranberries have a Brix of at least about 40. The cranberries are removed from the infusion solution and dried at a temperature of from 73 to 85&#xb0; C. until they have a water activity level of from 0.25 to 0.6 and a buoyancy of at least 30%.

Scarified infused dried buoyant cranberries and method for making same

Disclosed is a peeled whole dried infused buoyant cranberry. Further a process for preparing the cranberry is disclosed. The process includes sizing individually quick frozen cranberries by collecting those that pass through a mesh screen with 16 millimeter openings and that are retained on a mesh screen with openings of 9 millimeters. The sized cranberries are then peeled and infused in an infusion solution having a Brix of from 40 to 80 at a temperature of from 29 to 44&#xb0; C.&#xb1;5&#xb0; C. until the cranberries have a Brix of at least about 40. The cranberries are removed from the infusion solution and dried at a temperature of from 73 to 85&#xb0; C. until they have a water activity level of from 0.25 to 0.6 and a buoyancy of at least 30%. The final dried infused cranberry preferably has a Brix of 76 to 84.

Peeled infused dried buoyant cranberries and method for making same

Grid shaped cereal piece

Two-colored swirled cereal piece

Food products are prepared using co-injection molding apparatus. The food products are layered or enrobed. Preferred products expand upon cooking.

Food products and co-injection processes for preparing same

Disclosed is an expandable half-product comprising a starchy farinaceous material, wherein the starch molecules of the farinaceous material are unidirectionally aligned and form a matrix of randomly aligned starch molecules upon exposure to microwave radiation to form a puffed half-product having at least twice the dimensions of the unmicrowaved half-product. Methods of preparing the products are also disclosed.

Expandable food products and methods of preparing same

A method for providing an expandable half-product is described comprising a starchy farinaceous material, wherein the starch molecules of the farinaceous material are unidirectionally aligned and form a matrix of randomly aligned starch molecules upon exposure to microwave radiation to form a puffed half-product having at least twice the dimensions of the unmicrowaved half-product.

Disclosed is a food product having at least one distinct phase and a process and apparatus for producing such a product wherein a blend of ingredients, having a moisture content, is extruded in separate streams, and a coloring, flavoring or texturizing agent is added to the extruded streams at a pre-determined point. The streams are re-combined and then passed through a static mixer which produces minimal mixing while allowing a smooth separation and a proper flow into a die insert such as a shaping die.

Growing community of inventors

Battle Creek, MI, United States of America

Chris L Willoughby