Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC

Laura Gail Hill

Dalip Kumar Nayyar

Uraiwan Tangprasertchai

Lisa Jane Apel

Maluwa Ursula Behringer

Guillermo Haro

Jimbay Peter Loh

Andrew Edward McPherson

Ricardo Villota

K Rajinder Nauth

Zohar M Merchant

Robert Vogt

Keith Daniel Forneck

Lynell Morales

John Dewalt

David Carl Richards

Trevor A Sweeney

Dhruba Jyoti Das

The invention provides for the use of a texture modifying agent added to nutritionally enhanced pasta dough, such as pasta dough with high levels of protein, so that a pasta product can be produced with a quality similar to that of conventional pasta. The texture modifying agent, which preferably includes an enzyme, permits the nutritionally enhanced pasta dough to be extruded in conventional pasta manufacturing equipment and to form a pasta product with a texture similar to typical semolina-based pasta.

Nutritionally enhanced pasta

A fully baked bread product is provided which can be stored for extended periods of time and which retains its desirable soft texture for the shelf life (e.g., at least about 3 months) of the product if maintained under a modified atmosphere (i.e., low oxygen and preferably inert gas) at refrigerated conditions (i.e., about 35 to about 45&#xb0; F.). The fully baked bread is prepared from dough comprising, in baker's percentages, about 100 pounds flour, about 0.75 to about 3.5 pounds salt, about 0.2 to about 1 pounds microbial inhibitor, about 0 to about 3 pounds gluten, about 1 to about 5 pounds leavening agent, about 0.1 to about 1 pound enzyme, about 9 to 18 pounds high fructose corn syrup, about 3 to about 10 pounds shortening, about 0.1 to about 3 pounds mono- and diglycerides, and about 45 to about 60 pounds of water.

Refrigerated extended shelf-life bread products

Improved cereal-based food products suitable for cooking in a low temperature (i.e., generally about 120 to 212&deg; F.) and high moisture (i.e., steam) environment are provided. The improved cereal-based food products, when cooked in a low temperature and high moisture environment, provide aroma and surface appearance characteristics similar to that of oven-baked goods. An aroma-enhancement component is obtained by micro encapsulating flavorants and/or aroma components in a hard fat. The aroma-enhancement component is incorporated into the dough or cereal-based substrate. The flavorants and/or aroma components are released during the low temperature cooking process. The surface appearance is obtain by coating the dough or cereal-based substrate with a crust-enhancement component containing potato flakes, hydrophobic starch, crust flavorants, colorants, and anti-caking agents. The crust-enhancement component, when cooked in a low temperature and high moisture environment, provide a crust which is comparable to that of oven-baked goods.

Low temperature cooking cereal-based products

Premium quality intermediate moisture vegetables and methods for preparing such vegetables are provided. The premium quality intermediate moisture vegetables are prepared by (a) infusing vegetables with an antimicrobial infusion cocktail at a temperature of greater than about 50&deg; F. for about 15 to about 180 minutes, wherein the antimicrobial infusion cocktail comprises an aqueous solution of (1) a water-soluble, predominantly lower molecular weight, low sweetness carbohydrate, (2) a polyhydric alcohol, (3) salt, (4) a non-inorganic sweetness depressant agent, and (5) nisin-containing whey derived from a nisin-producing culture; (b) collecting the vegetables and removing excess antimicrobial infusion cocktail; (c) drying the collected vegetables to a water activity of about 0.5 to about 0.9 to form the intermediate moisture vegetables; and (d) packaging the intermediate moisture vegetables. After drying to a water activity of about 0.5 to about 0.9, the intermediate moisture vegetables of the present invention are shelf stable. For example, such intermediate moisture vegetables having a water activity of about 0.55 to about 0.65 are expected to be shelf stable for about twelve months under ambient conditions; intermediate moisture vegetables having a water activity of about 0.75 to about 0.85 are expected to be shelf stable for about 90 days under refrigeration conditions. When cooked, these intermediate moisture vegetables provide appearance, texture, and taste similar to that provided by high quality cooked frozen vegetables.

Premium quality intermediate moisture vegetables and method of making

Growing community of inventors

Prospect Heights, IL, United States of America

Laura Gail Hill