Nabisco, Inc.

Nabisco Technology Company

Robert M Sauer, Jr

Juan A Menjivar

Joseph A Szwerc

John M Kaiser

Lisa Alfieri

James W Kelly

Louise Slade

Lawrence P Klemann

Harry Levine

Ronald P D'Amelia

Ronald G Yarger

Norbert Gimmler

Xiaoming You

Jeffery T Galbraith

Hamed A Faridi

Denise Deming

Bradford A Burns

Haresh P Madera

Daniel Akkaway

Juan A Menijvar

Particulate cellulosic material such as microcrystalline cellulose, .alpha.-cellulose, and/or cellulose acylated with C.sub.2 to C.sub.24 aliphatic acids to a degree of substitution of about 0.05 or less, and mixtures thereof, are physically coated with an edible hydrophobic polymer to provide low calorie flour/starch replacements for edible compositions. Typical coating polymers include cellulose esters of one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.24 aliphatic acids; cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, natural waxes such as carnauba wax, candelilla wax, rice bran wax, bees wax, and mixtures of these; petroleum waxes such as polyethylene and paraffin waxes; proteins, preferably hydrophobic, such as zein, glutenin and the like, and mixtures thereof. In preferred embodiments, the low calorie flour replacements are made in a hot melt process with intense mixing in the absence of emulsifiers and gums. Some embodiments of the invention are particularly useful as low calorie flour replacements for baked products such as cookies.

Physically coated cellulose as low calorie flour replacements

The amount of oleaginous or aqueous liquid carrier used as an adhesive or binding agent for the topical application of a particulate composition to the major surfaces of baked good pieces or snack pieces is reduced by separately spraying the liquid composition and dispensing the particulate composition in substantial side-by-side relationship within a rotating drum. The liquid composition causes the particulate composition to adhere to the pieces prior to and without substantial penetration of the liquid composition into the pieces. Highly porous or absorptive products such as reduced fat, low fat, or no-fat crackers or snacks may be transferred hot to the drum. The liquid composition is sprayed substantially coextensively but separately from the dispensing of the particulate composition. The particulate curtain and the liquid spray both extend in the direction of transport of the pieces. The pieces are contacted sequentially by the liquid composition and the particulate composition several times as the pieces are driven up the side of the rotating drum and tumble downwardly as they travel through the drum. The resulting alternating layers of particulate and adhesive compositions promote strong binding of the particulates to the substrate while creating an appearance of visually apparent discrete particulate particles. The products may be dried in the drum by passing heated air through apertures in the wall of the drum. Reduced fat, low fat, and no-fat products having particulate toppings adhered to their top and bottom major surfaces may be produced.

Topical application of particulates for production of reduced fat, low

A shelf-stable, crispy snack is produced from a fruit or vegetable juice or juice concentrate. The juice or juice concentrate is admixed with ingredients comprising a starch hydrolysis product and a pregelatinized starch to form a dough or dough-like mixture, which forms a cellular or crumb-like structure upon vacuum drying to a shelf stable moisture content. The glass transition temperature of the snack food product is at least about 30.degree. C. The dough-like mixture may be formed into pieces before, during, or after expansion to obtain products having a cracker-like or cookie-like texture and appearance. The dough-like mixture is heated to temperatures above its glass transition temperature to expand it by evaporation of water. However, the dough temperature is kept below temperatures which would result in substantial decomposition or loss of nutritive, color, or flavoring components of the juice or juice concentrate.

Juice-based expanded snacks and process for preparing them

Oil-based or fat-based carriers or solvents are replaced in whole or in part by a supercritical fluid or high pressure gas as a spray medium or carrier for food additives or food enhancers. Reduced fat, low fat, and even no-fat food products may be produced by topically applying the additive or enhancer using a supercritical fluid as a fat or oil replacement. Post baking or post cooking application of the food additives or enhancers substantially reduces the loss of the additives or enhancers due to heat decomposition or a volatilization in the production of food products such as baked goods, snacks, and nuts. Food additives or enhancers which may be topically applied to the food substrates include flavorants, colorants, moisture barriers, vitamins and minerals, and odorants or fragrances.

Snack food coating using supercritical fluid spray

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West Milford, NJ, United States of America

Robert M Sauer, Jr