Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC

Wm Wrigley Jr Company

Kenneth Maas

Mihaelos N Mihalos

Jan Karwowski

Vani Vemulapalli

C Y (Eric) Wang

Gerald Brian Cotten

Brian C Hallacker

Alexander Gong

Alex Gong

John M Cahill

C Y Wang

Shredded whole grain products, such as ready-to-eat cereals, and sweet and savory snacks, such as whole grain shredded corn chips are continuously produced by pelletizing agglomerates of cooked, tempered, whole cereal grain particles. Cooked whole grains, such as corn and other non-gluten or low-gluten containing grains have a tendency to become hard and rubbery after cooking during the cooling and tempering process. The pelletization results in the production of whole grain pellets having a soft, pliable texture, which are shreddable into continuous net-like sheets on a mass production basis. The pelletizing may be at a pressure of about 200 psig to about 600 psig, preferably from about 400 psig to about 500 psig. The pelletizing temperature may be controlled to provide a pellet temperature of about 80&#xb0; F. to about 120&#xb0; F., preferably from about 90&#xb0; F. to about 110&#xb0; F., upon exiting the pelletizer.

Production of whole grain shredded products

An efficient method for the continuous production of a dairy-based confection prevents protein burning and precipitation during processing. The method comprises heating an aqueous sugar composition to at least its boiling point in a first heat exchanger, admixing a dairy component with the boiling, aqueous sugar composition after it exits the first heat exchanger to form a dairy-based mass, and cooking the dairy-based mass to a desired final temperature in a second heat exchanger, without substantial separation or precipitation of the protein within the second heat exchanger. The first and second heat exchangers are preferably plate and frame heat exchangers. The solids content of the dairy-based mass is preferably increased prior to entering the second heat exchanger and again after leaving the second heat exchanger. The solids content of the cooked, dairy-based mass is increased to at least about 88% by weight, preferably at least about 90% by weight. An apparatus for practicing the method of the present invention is also disclosed.

Dairy-based candy production utilizing plate and frame assembly

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Pattenburg, NJ, United States of America

Kenneth Maas