Kellogg Company

Process Partners, Inc.

Stephen J Kalchik

James C Breslin

James B Holder

Alicia A Perdon

Michael F Raymond

Jerald L Longman

An apparatus for preparing a shelf-stable processed grain product includes a series of heating and cooling stages performed on a processed grain product having a water activity value of about 0.65 or less. A first heating stage takes the grain pieces to a first elevated temperature, which is followed by a first cooling stage. The grain pieces are passed to a second heating stage to reach a second elevated temperature, followed by a second cooling stage. The grain pieces are then passed to a third heating stage, after which they are sufficiently soft and pliable for a final forming stage such as flaking, bumping, puffing, or the like. This allows grain pieces that are suitable for long term storage, but too brittle for final forming, to be softened for final forming without raising the moisture content to a point that is conducive to mold formation or reduced product quality.

Apparatus for processing a grain product

A method of preparing a shelf-stable processed grain product includes a series of heating and cooling steps performed on a processed grain product having a water activity value of about 0.65 or less. A first heating step takes the grain pieces to a first elevated temperature, which is followed by a first cooling step. The grain pieces are passed to a second heating step to reach a second elevated temperature, followed by a second cooling step. The grain pieces are then passed to a third heating step, after which they are sufficiently soft and pliable for a final forming step such as flaking, bumping, puffing, or the like. This allows grain pieces that are suitable for long term storage, but too brittle for final forming, to be softened for final forming without raising the moisture content to a point that is conducive to mold formation or reduced product quality.

Method of processing a grain product

Disclosed is a process and apparatus for producing a topical coating on a food product. The topical coating may be a sweetener wherein a superheated pressurized solution of the sweetener is sprayed on a heated food product to form a coating thereon. The topical coating may also contain a flavoring.

No dry coating process for coated food products

Disclosed is a process for producing a sweetener coating on a food product. A superheated pressurized solution of the sweetener is sprayed on a heated food product to form a coating thereon.

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Battle Creek, MI, United States of America

Stephen J Kalchik