Nabisco Brands, Inc.

Nabisco Technology Company

Nabisco, Inc.

Robert J Cordera

Henry M Andreski

Diane L Hnat

Guy Scappatura

Richard Sonberg

Duane C Runge, Jr

Thin, crisp, baked snacks having a chip-like appearance are continuously produced from a cooked, shredded laminate by substantially compressing the laminate without deleteriously affecting the attainment of a substantially uniform, visually apparent shred or woven pattern in the final, baked product. Additionally, at least substantially all, or all of the individual shred layers maintain their integrity and may be viewed in the final, baked product. The substantial compression is achieved by supporting the laminate of cooked, net-like sheets on a conveyer belt, and passing the supported laminate and belt between at least one pair of counterrotating compression rolls. Substantial movement or slippage of the laminate relative to the belt which would substantially disrupt or distort the shred pattern of the laminate is avoided. The substantial compression of the laminate provides a thin, flat, chip-like appearance rather than a puffed or thick biscuit or cracker appearance. The compressed laminate is preferably partially cut into triangular shaped pieces having flattened, blunted or rounded corners by a rotary cutter so that the apex or point of a triangle in one row does not touch or intersect the apex or point of another triangle located in an adjacent row.

Production of shredded snacks with chip-like appearance and texture

Substantially uniform distribution of a particulate composition such as a seasoning or spice, on both the top and bottom surfaces of baked good or snack pieces is achieved by applying the composition as a curtain or sheet from within a housing as the substrate pieces are transported and tumbled by counterrotating brushes. The curtain or sheet extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal cavity through which the substrate pieces are transported. The apparatus includes a housing having a raised portion for enclosing and permitting the curtain or sheet to disperse in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing cavity as the composition descends towards the baked good or snack pieces. A lowered portion, downstream of the raised portion of the housing prevents escape of airborne particulate composition to the atmosphere through the baked good or snack piece outlet. The particulate composition dispenser preferably comprises a series of adjustable nozzle openings for providing a particulate curtain or sheet having a substantially uniform mass flow rate along its length.

Apparatus for the application of particulates to baked goods and snacks

Method of applying particulates to baked goods and snacks

The distribution of flowable material falling onto a lower surface containing goods which are in the process of being baked can be periodically determined by disposing a multi-sectioned sampling device below the device that is distributing the flowable material to collect a representative sample of the flowable material, and then to analyze the amount of flowable material in each section of the multi-sectioned sampling device. When the flowable material is a solid or a liquid the multi-sectioned device is a multi-chambered device. When the flowable material is a viscous liquid the multi-sectioned device is an array of plates held in a framing.

Flowable material distribution sampling method and device

Flowable material distribution sampling method

Growing community of inventors

East Amherst, NY, United States of America

Robert J Cordera