General Mills, Inc.

General Mills IP Holdings Ii, LLC

Steven C Robie

James N Weinstein

Goeran Walther

Bernhard H Van Lengerich

Patrick E Allen

Barmack Rassi

Arne H Brauner

Philip K Zietlow

Susan L Kamper

Kevin H Wright

Joel R Lafavor

Jeremy Linn Johnson

Bradly A Faber

Timothy O Hansen

Thomas M Jarl

Caleb Ian Heck

Thomas G Cremers

Gregory Charles Flickinger

Jamileh Lakkis

Darryl J Ballman

Thomas L Smith

Terry T Kirihara

Aimee Mortenson

Benjamin Lee Heitke

Lily Leung

Young Kang

David J Hilgendorf

Diana Lee Kittleson

Christine S T Ng

Jeremy Johnson

A gluten-free pasta product that survives retort may be formed by preparing a dough mixture with gluten-free flour and water. The dough can be extruded at a temperature and with an amount of mechanical energy effective to form an extruded pasta product having a bi-continuous matrix of protein and starch. The extruded pasta product can be incorporated into a closed retort container and subsequently retorted. The resulting retorted food product may contain gluten-free pasta that has the structural integrity and textual firmness consistent with that exhibited by traditional wheat pasta after having undergone retort despite the absence of binding gluten molecules.

Retortable gluten-free pasta

The present disclosure relates to extruded protein products and methods for producing an extruded protein product. In particular, an extruded piece is disclosed having a high protein content and having a desirable texture and flavor. Methods for making an extruded piece include processing, under extrusion conditions, a combination of a powdered protein ingredient, a protein matrix disruptive ingredient, water, and an oil.

Extruded protein product and methods of making

The present disclosure relates to extruded protein compositions suitable for thermal processing and thermally processed protein compositions made from extruded protein compositions. In particular, a thermally processed protein composition has a particular protein content with protein fibers in a generally parallel orientation, and a particular hardness, chewiness and springiness.

Heat stable extruded protein composition and related food products

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for producing an extruded protein product. In particular, a system for making an extruded protein product using a system that includes a die including channel having a transverse cross section that is a continuous loop along at least a portion of the length of the die is disclosed.

System and method for producing an extruded protein product

Visually distinct, flaked Ready-to-Eat cereal products with varied texture and thickness are produced by forming a cereal dough and forcing the same through an extrusion die assembly including various spaced openings which establish a plurality of dough streams which are merged prior to reaching a die outlet. Directly at the die outlet, a resulting dough extrudate is sliced by a cutter unit to form dough discs which are then dried and cooled, during which the discs curl and form cereal flakes having varying textures defined, at least in part, by distinct sets of surface bumps. The number and configuration of the bumps can be altered by changing the number, shape and/or position of the various spaced openings of the die assembly, while the thickness of the resulting cereal flakes can be varied by just altering an operational speed of the cutter unit.

Method and apparatus for making cereal flakes

Cereal food piece

The invention generally provides novel no-bake grain products and methods of preparation of the same. Specifically, a no-bake food product with a toasted appearance and flavor and a method of providing a toasted appearance and flavor to a no-bake food product. The no-bake food product includes granola bars, clusters, cereal, instant hot cereal and snacks.

No bake granola product and methods of preparation

Visually distinct, flaked Ready-to-Eat ('R-T-E') cereal products with varied texture and thickness are produced by forming a cereal dough and forcing the same through an extrusion die assembly including various spaced openings which establish a plurality of dough streams which are merged prior to reaching a die outlet. Directly at the die outlet, a resulting dough extrudate is sliced by a cutter unit to form dough discs which are then dried and cooled, during which the discs curl and form cereal flakes having varying textures defined, at least in part, by distinct sets of surface bumps. The number and configuration of the bumps can be altered by changing the number, shape and/or position of the various spaced openings of the die assembly, while the thicknesses of the resulting cereal flakes can be varied by just altering an operational speed of the cutter unit.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MN, United States of America

Steven C Robie