General Mills, Inc.

John G Roufs

Gary C Veenhuis

Ronald D Hurd

Gregory L Godsey

Derek D Dawes

Ronald J Behnke

Steven J Leusner

Lloyd E Metzger

Mayur Valanju

Aruna Prakash

Adelmo Monsalve-Gonzalez

Richard Kuffel

Rita Nordness

Kirby D Hayes

Glenn M Jackson

A method of bleaching bran, comprising treating bran with a hydrogen peroxide solution to produce lightened bran having fewer native flavor components is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bleached bran product suitable for admixing with whole wheat flour to produce white whole wheat flour having an 'L' value on the Hunter scale of at least about 75 is disclosed. In one embodiment, cleaned bran is treated with a solution of chelating agents to remove or inactivate transition metals. Thereafter, exposure to oxidant substances, such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and so forth, in the presence of an alkaline compound produces bleached bran, which can be washed and dried for use in products such as flours, pastas, and so forth.

Bleach bran and bran products

A method of milling grain, comprising, prior to milling, heating a quantity of grain kernels to at least a glass transition onset temperature to form heated softened grain kernels is disclosed. With this method, it has surprisingly been found that moisture tempering, in most instances, is no longer required as a conditioning step for milling. Depending on the temperature to which the grain is heated, the texture of the grain kernel can be moved to a variety of textures, including, but not limited to, a more leathery or rubbery texture. In an alternative embodiment, the heat tempering step is preceded by a moisture tempering step. The method increases overall yield and improves control of the milling process.

Process for tempering and milling grain

A brown sugar substitute is disclosed. The brown sugar substitute comprises sucrose crystals, a fat and molasses. In one embodiment, the sucrose crystals are coated with the fat and the fat coated sucrose crystals are coated with molasses.

Dry mix containing brown sugar substitute

An improved sugar slurry spray discharge nozzle (10) is shown for co-spraying steam into the sugar slurry spray. The nozzle (10) finds particular suitability for use in the applying of a sugar coating solution or slurry to a Ready-To-Eat breakfast cereal base in an enrober. By virtue of providing a steam assist to the spraying of the sticky sugar coating solution, desirable reductions in downtime for cleaning of the enrober are achieved. The improved nozzle includes a cylindrical steam chamber (14), an axially extending slurry supply tube (22) disposed therein having a discharge port (25) and orifice for discharging steam into the slurry discharge such as opposed pair of arcuate steam discharge slits (66, 68) proximate the slurry tube discharge port (25). The steam discharge atomizes the slurry discharge spray and provides heat energy to the spray with the result that the slurry is applied to the cereal base with reduced sugar build-up on the enrober.

Steam assisted sugar coating discharge nozzle

An enrober (100) for applying a topical coating to an exterior surface of multiple pieces of a food base is disclosed having a marked decrease in the amount of build-up upon the internal surface of the drum (102) allowing for reductions in cleaning service requirements and its concomitant losses in production capacity and for reductions in undesirable product agglomerates. In the preferred form, the drum (102) is formed by a thin wall in a generally cylindrical shape and formed of hydrophobic material in the form of high-density polyethylene having low-stick characteristics with the topically coated food base. Moisture, in addition to any present in the topical coating, is added to the drum (102) to prevent or practically eliminate build-up on the drum (102). The topical coating in the form of a slurry can be co-sprayed with steam in an atomized intermixed spray onto the food base by a nozzle (10, 80). Also, a renewable barrier between the continuous inner surface of the drum (102) and the food base can be formed by spraying water or steam by nozzles (116) as a thin film of water onto the inner surface of the drum (102) above the food base.

Topical coating applying apparatus and methods

A sugar slurry spray discharge nozzle (10) for co-spraying steam into the sugar slurry spray. The nozzle (10) finds particular suitability for use in the applying of a sugar coating solution or slurry to a Ready-To-Eat breakfast cereal base in an enrober. By virtue of providing a steam assist to the spraying of the sticky sugar coating solution, desirable reductions in downtime for cleaning of the enrober are achieved. The improved nozzle includes a cylindrical steam chamber (14), an axially extending slurry supply tube (22) disposed therein having a discharge port (25) and orifice means for discharging steam into the slurry discharge such as opposed pair of arcuate steam discharge slits (66, 68) proximate the slurry tube discharge port (25). The steam discharge atomizes the slurry discharge spray and provides heat energy to the spray with the result that the slurry is applied to the cereal base with reduced sugar build-up on the enrober. In its method aspect, the present invention provides co-spraying methods for sugar coating food products, especially R-T-E cereals.

Method of applying sugar coating by using steam assisted discharge nozzle

Disclosed are dry culinary mixes for use in preparing baked goods, especially microwave layer cakes. The dry mixes employ high levels of a defined nucleating agent(s). The dry mixes enable the consumer to bake a cake using microwave radiant energy comparable to a conventionally oven baked cake in quality, structure, volume, and texture. The nucleating agent can be any water insoluble minute material having a particle size of 20-200 microns. Preferred nucleating agents are particularly sized microcrystalline cellulose particles.

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Maple Grove, MN, United States of America

John G Roufs