General Mills, Inc.

Michael A Helser

Philip K Zietlow

Gerald L Wilson

Bernhard H Van Lengerich

Mathew F Langenfeld

James L Stinson

Todd Walter Gusek

Myron M Uecker

Terry G Reishus

Ganesh S Ganesan

Terry J Reishus

Diran Ajao

A method of preparing aerated food products, especially marshmallows, having a nutritionally fortified ingredient is provided. In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the method includes the steps of: providing a liquid sugar confection blend comprising: a saccharide component; about 1 to 30% moisture; and a foam structuring agent; adding a dry particulate including a nutritional fortifying ingredient to the liquid confection blend; aerating the liquid confection blend to form an aerated confection plastic foam; extruding the aerated foam at a heated temperature to form an aerated confection extrudate; cooling the extrudate to solidify the confection to form a set aerated confection extrudate; forming the set aerated confection extrudate into pieces; and drying the pieces. The invention also concerns preparing a liquid confection blend seeded with a sweetener and a nutritional fortifying ingredient that can be used in making the aerated food products.

Food product and method of preparation

The present invention describes methods of cooling dried aerated confectionery pieces to increase bowl life, comprising the steps of: A. cooling a hot dried aerated confectionery piece in a soft plastic state having (1) a moisture content of less than 3.5% by weight, (2) an initial temperature of at least 80&deg; C., and (3) a glass transition temperature (&ldquo;Tg&rdquo;) of at least 15&deg; C., to a temperature within a tempering temperature range, said tempering temperature range being Tg&plus;5&deg; C. to about Tg&plus;30&deg; C. to form a partially cooled, dried aerated confectionery piece; B. maintaining the cooled dried marshmallow piece within the tempering temperature range for about 1 to 15 minutes to form a tempered partially cooled, dried marshmallow piece; and C. further cooling the tempered partially cooled, dried marshmallow piece to below its Tg to form a cooled, dried marshmallow piece in solid form that exhibits an increased bowl life.

Dried marshmallow methods of preparation for increasing bowl life

Aerated confections that dissolve quickly in water or in a dairy beverage are disclosed. The aerated food products preferably include 50 to 98% of a saccharide component; about 0.5 to 30% of a structuring agent; about 1 to 6% moisture; and about 1% to 5% of a whipping agent. The aerated food products have a density of about 0.1 to 1.0 g/cc. The compositions can be formed into pieces ranging from about 0.1 to 5 g each. Preparation methods for the pieces are also disclosed. The confectionery food products find particular suitability for use as ingredients for children's RTE cereals.

Quickly dissolving aerated confection and method of preparation

An apparatus (,) for forming popcorn bars utilizing methods according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is disclosed where popcorn popped in an air popper (,) and coated with a molten binder in the form of a caramel syrup in an auger mixer (,) is compressed into a sheet by a device (,). In the sheeting device (,), the coated popped popcorn is drawn into and passes between an input conveyor (,) and a compressing conveyor (,) arranged at a non-parallel angle thereto. An air manifold (,) directs cooled air to the upper surface of the compressing conveyor (,) to cool the belting (,) thereof, with the cooled air being deflected to cool a spreader box (,) which receives the coated popcorn from the auger mixer (,) and distributes it on the input conveyor (,). The coated popcorn is cooled while being transported by a transport conveyor (,) including belting in the form of a mesh by a multiplicity of fans (,) located above and below the transport conveyor (,) and mounted on a movable support. The sheet is cut into strips which can then be separated and cut into the desired lengths.

Coated popcorn bars and methods for forming

Growing community of inventors

Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Michael A Helser