General Mills, Inc.

Robert C Dechaine

Craig E Zimmermann

Timothy J Gluszak

Richard O Benham

Sheryl S Brunken

Rene K Smethers

John D Efstathiou

Robert A Zoss

James E Langler

Albert L Saari

James P Bergstrom

Willis P Kusske

Eugene R Monroe

Apparatus ( ) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers ( ) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller ( ). The forming rollers ( ) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves ( ) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food ( ) is simultaneously fed between a continuous strip of support material ( ) and a continuous ribbon of film material ( ) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller ( ) and the anvil roller ( ). After extending partially around the periphery of the first forming roller ( ), the materials ( ) and the food therebetween pass around an adjustable idler roller ( ) to between a second abutment nip of the second forming roller ( ) and the anvil roller ( ). The food ( ) compressed upon the support material ( ) by the first abutment nip is in phase with the grooves ( ) of the second abutment nip. The film material ( ) removes the food ( ) from the grooves ( ) and can be discarded after passing through the second abutment nip and prior to the support material ( ) being cut to longitudinal lengths and widths between the embossed shapes of food ( ).

Food item fabricating methods

Apparatus (,) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers (,) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (,). The forming rollers (,) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (,) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (,) is simultaneously fed between a continuous strip of support material (,) and a continuous ribbon of film material (,) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (,) and the anvil roller (,). After extending partially around the periphery of the first forming roller (,), the materials (,) and the food therebetween pass around an adjustable idler roller (,) to between a second abutment nip of the second forming roller (,) and the anvil roller (,). The food (,) compressed upon the support material (,) by the first abutment nip is in phase with the grooves (,) of the second abutment nip. The film material (,) removes the food (,) from the grooves (,) and can be discarded after passing through the second abutment nip and prior to the support material (,) being cut to longitudinal lengths and widths between the embossed shapes of food (,).

Food item fabricating method

Apparatus (10) is disclosed including first and second forming rollers (18, 21) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (20). The forming rollers (18, 21) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (24) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (14) is simultaneously fed between a continuous strip of support material (16) and a continuous ribbon of film material (66) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20). After extending partially around the periphery of the first forming roller (18), the materials (16, 66) and the food therebetween pass around an adjustable idler roller (70) to between a second abutment nip of the second forming roller (21) and the anvil roller (20). The food (14) compressed upon the support material (16) by the first abutment nip is in phase with the grooves (24) of the second abutment nip. The film material (66) removes the food (14) from the grooves (24) and can be discarded after passing through the second abutment nip and prior to the support material (16) being cut to longitudinal lengths and widths between the embossed shapes of food (14).

Rotary molding apparatus for molding food

Food item fabricating apparatus and methods

Combined food product and support board therefor

Disclosed are fresh, baked bread products having extended shelf lives which are prepared specifically to be reheated/refreshed in a microwave oven employing a metallized film susceptor sleeve. Upon this microwave refreshening, the preheated loaves are characterized by a soft interior crumb and a crispy crust. The products have a shelf life of about 7-14 days. Also disclosed are methods for preparing such baked bread products as well as full formulation dry mixes and partial formulation pre-dry mixes for their commercial scale production by both the sponge dough and straight dough methods. The preparation methods involve first prehydrating a defined dough conditioner system and pregelatinized starch to form an emulsion, combining the emulsion with the other ingredients to form a dough and finish preparing the dough to produce a finished microwave baked bread loaf.

Method of preparing microwave bread

Disclosed are juice-milk beverages exhibiting minimal curdling and/or precipitation; new juice components and milk components for such beverages; and ion exchange methods of preparing such components and beverages. The milk component is prepared by first decationizing milk by contacting with a cation exchanging resin to a pH of below 3.2 to 1.5, and then anion exchanging to a pH of 3.5 to 4.5. The juice component is decationized to a pH of 2.5 to 1.3, deanionized to a pH of 8-11.5, and then acidulated by cation exchange to a pH of 3.0 to 4.5. Blends of the juice and milk are then essentially homogenized and then optionally pasteurized or sterilized and/or carbonated to prepare the new beverages.

Low-acid juice-milk beverages, juice and milk components therefor and

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Crystal, MN, United States of America

Robert C Dechaine