General Mills, Inc.

General Mills IP Holdings Ii, LLC

Huang, Victor T.

Nowakowski, Christine M.

Christine M Nowakowski

Daniel R Green

Victor T Huang

Christopher J Barrett

Douglas L Goedeken

Danielle M Wojdyla Christensen

Bernhard H Van Lengerich

Philip K Zietlow

Joachim Hans

Daniel J Winderl

Karsten Siems

Troy D Bierbaum

Andreas Hochheimer

Olaf Gruess

Christine M Dosch

Mark A Arlinghaus

Pamela J Pederson

James David Nelson

Lia Scarabottolo

Candace Michelle Rathjen-Nowak

Kyle Raney

Suzanne Denise Pecore

Jens-Peter Muller

Lauren A Jacobson

John J Fenske

Barrie R Froseth

Michael Krohn

James R Borek

Alan A Oppenheimer

Fern Alane Panda

Terry R Harrington

Scott K Whitman

Lars Ole Haustedt

Michael A Staeger

Patrick C Dreese

Noel R Pollen

Jason Herzog

Thomas J Nack

Anthony J Larson

Micheal Krohn

Lauren A Jacobson Greevers

Lauren A Greevers

Berhard H Van Lengerich

Todd Harper

Goeran Walther

A taco shell is produced by applying a plasticizing agent to a targeted region including a base or spine portion of a hard taco shell and lower sections of taco shell sidewalls, thereby softening the targeted region, preferably across a strip width between 16 mm-20 mm, and enabling the sidewalls of the hard taco shell to engage each other without cracking or otherwise breaking the taco shell. As a further result, when the taco shell is bitten, the softened targeted region has some hinging flexibility or pliability which reduces the potential for any crack propagation. Therefore, the structural integrity of the hard taco shell can be better maintained during packaging and while be eaten, resulting in retention of the fillings and less mess. If desired, an anti-migration agent can also be applied to assure containment of the plasticizing agent in the targeted region.

Hard taco shell and method for producing the hard taco shell

A taco shell is produced by applying a plasticizing agent to a base or spine portion of a hard taco shell, such as by targeted spraying, rolling, brushing or dipping of the taco shells, thereby softening the base or spine portion, preferably across a strip width between 4 mm-20 mm. As a result, when the taco shell is bitten, the softened base portion has some hinging flexibility or pliability which reduces the potential for any crack propagation. Therefore, the structural integrity of the hard taco shell can be better maintained while be eaten, resulting in retention of the fillings and less mess. If desired, an anti-migration agent can also be applied to assure containment of the plasticizing agent in the targeted region.

Cocoa or cinnamon is mixed at least one enzyme to form a mixture, and the mixture is combined with a cereal food composition. In one embodiment, the cereal food composition is extruded or otherwise formed into a plurality of cereal pieces after the mixture is combined with the food composition. In another embodiment, the mixture is coated onto cereal pieces formed from the food composition. Preferably, the at least one enzyme includes at least two carbohydrases, and can also include soluble fiber enzymes, and even one or more fat soluble enzymes. In each case, the at least one enzyme is deactivated, either during working of the cocoa or cinnamon after combining with the cereal food composition or prior to the mixture being combined with the cereal food composition.

Cereal food product and method of making the same

Described are coated food products having a sugar (sucrose) coating, the coating exhibiting desirable levels of sucrose crystallinity and a desired sucrose ratio (total sucrose per total soluble solids), as well as methods or preparing such coated food products and coating.

Sweetened food product and methods of preparation

Naturally-derived compounds having various structures elicit the perception of salty taste or enhance the perception of salty taste of a salt. Food products may include such salty compounds, which may be used to reduce the sodium content, while parting a similar level of saltiness.

Reduced sodium food products

Disclosed are improved sugar coatings for topically pre-sweetened food products that are sugar reduced whether in the form of a syrup or in the form of a dried coating. The syrup form is useful as an intermediate product in the preparation of pre-sweetened food products. In dry form, the present formulations can be a component part of a composite food product especially in the form of a topical coating or filling. The present invention is particularly suited for the preparation of R-T-E pre-sweetened cereals. The coating formulations comprise less than 70% sucrose, corn syrup and 1-20% non-hydrated integrated starch and preferably about 5-10% insoluble mineral salts each of particle size of about 50 microns.

Reduced sucrose sugar coatings for cereals and methods of preparation

Sweetened food product and method of preparation

The separation of oats from a combination of grains is performed by obtaining optical data includes both reflectance data and visual data and then analyzing the data in multiple ways, including analyzing information obtained based on ratios of wavelengths and grain imagery. The reflectance data relies on near infrared spectroscopy at requisite ratios of wavelengths in the range of 1100 nm to 2200 nm, while the grain imagery encompasses images of both sides of each of the combination of grains and can also take into account grain size and shape differentiations. The results is an oats separation process wherein at least 99% of foreign grains are rejected with only about 3% of the oats being rejected, while enabling volume processing of grains and establishing a supply of oats with a gluten level well below 20 ppm.

Method of producing gluten free oats

Described are food products such as ready to eat cereal having a base and a coating; examples include a base, a slurry layer over the base produced by applying a slurry coating to the base, the slurry layer having less than about 80% sucrose on a dry weight basis, and a particulate layer on the slurry layer. The particulate layer can be produced by dry charging particulates onto the slurry coated base. Particulates include be one or more of pregel starch, high molecular weight dextrin, high molecular weight soluble fiber, partially soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, protein, low solubility non-sugar compound, or sucrose, for example.

Coated food product and methods

A reduced sugar presweetened ready to eat breakfast cereal is prepared by coating dried cereal base pieces or food pieces with a reduced-sugar composition comprising maltotriose, maltotetrose in full or partial substitution for sucrose, and a high potency sweetener. The reduced-sugar coating can have a sucrose content of less than 70%, yet provides taste, texture, appearance, and bowl life that mimics presweetened R-T-E cereals having a coating with more sucrose.

Reduced sugar pre-sweetened breakfast cereals comprising tri- and tetra saccharides and methods of preparation

Naturally-derived compounds having various structures elicit the perception of salty taste, enhance the perception of salty taste of a salt, or act at one or more sodium channels. Food products may include such naturally-derived compounds, which may be used to reduce the sodium content, while imparting a similar level of saltiness.

Coated snack products are provided whose coating are reminiscent of high fat compound fat coating, resistant to rub-off of a powdery or fat based topping as well as methods for preparing such coated snack products. The present invention provides methods for preparing such coated food product including providing a hot (about 60-85&#xb0; C.), oil-in-water emulsion coating slurry containing a hydrated film forming hydrophilic colloid. The slurry comprises about 5%-30% of the emulsion of flavor solids in powder form. The methods include applying the hot emulsion to a food base to provide a wet emulsion coated food base. The methods include drying the wet slurry emulsion coated food product to a moisture content of about 1-4% at a temperature of less than the sugar melting point to provide a finished dried food product having non-powdered coating.

Coated food product and method of preparation

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Plymouth, MN, United States of America

Christine M Nowakowski