General Mills, Inc.

Kraft Foods, Inc.

Steven J Leusner

Mark V Hembling

Bernhard H Van Lengerich

Daniel R Green

Joseph E Spradlin

Dean W Creighton

John G Roufs

Arthur J Friedman

Thomas M Jarl

Jamileh Lakkis

Donald J Smith

Robert R Cassanelli

Terence D Stevens

Xavier A Cuadrado

Christopher J Scinto

Gail S Conti

A method of milling grain, comprising, prior to milling, heating a quantity of grain kernels to at least a glass transition onset temperature to form heated softened grain kernels is disclosed. With this method, it has surprisingly been found that moisture tempering, in most instances, is no longer required as a conditioning step for milling. Depending on the temperature to which the grain is heated, the texture of the grain kernel can be moved to a variety of textures, including, but not limited to, a more leathery or rubbery texture. In an alternative embodiment, the heat tempering step is preceded by a moisture tempering step. The method increases overall yield and improves control of the milling process.

Process for tempering and milling grain

A quick-setting gel mix suitable for preparing dessert gels contains sodium and/or potassium alginate and a slowly-soluble calcium salt, with the calcium salt being incorporated in a crystalline sugar product comprised of aggregates of fondant-size sugar crystals. Preferably the mix contains an anti-oxidant, such as ascorbic acid, and a catalyst, such as copper gluconate, in amounts effective to promote clarity with the gel.

Quick-setting gel mix

A mineral or vitamin fortification ingredient which does not deleteriously affect palatability and appearance of foods is obtained by encapsulation of the mineral or vitamin in a grindable, glassy matrix composition. The glassy matrix composition includes an oligosaccharide, such as &bgr;-2-1 fructofuranose materials, preferably fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin, which not only forms a glassy matrix, but also beneficially increases the fiber content of the food. At least one edible oil is included in the encapsulating composition to prevent substantial adverse interaction between the mineral or vitamin encapsulant and the glass-forming oligosaccharide matrix material, and to achieve controlled release of the encapsulant from the glassy matrix.

Oligosaccharide encapsulated mineral and vitamin ingredients

Sodium-free iron II EDTA complexes useful for the preparation of iron-fortified processed foods are described. The complexes are prepared from water soluble ferrous salts and EDTA.Na H , EDTA.Na Ca, EDTA.Na Mg and EDTA.2(NH )H . The iron complexes can be combined with nutritional and/or non-nutritional diluents or carriers to formulate food additive iron-fortificant compositions. Iron fortified processed foods are prepared by supplementing recipes for unfortified food products with the ferrous iron EDTA complexes alone or as a component of a multicomponent food additive composition.

Sodium-free iron complex for food fortification

Lightly cooked cereal dough products are provided that are fortified with at least a 0.3% calcium at least a portion of which is supplied by CaCO,exhibiting reduced discoloration such as RTE cereals and grain based snacks. The dried cereal finished products are fabricated from cooked cereal doughs that can comprise rice and/or corn and minor levels of other conventional cereal ingredients and calcium carbonate. The cooked cereal doughs additionally contains effective amounts of calcium sequestrants. Methods for preparing such calcium fortified cooked cereal compositions and dried cereal finished food products are: A. providing a lightly colored calcium fortified cooked cereal dough or mass containing at least 0.3% calcium (dry weight basis) at least a portion of which is supplied by calcium carbonate and sequestrants; B. forming the lightly colored calcium fortified cereal dough into pieces; and, C. drying the pieces to form the present rice based finished food products fortified with high levels of calcium.

Calcium fortified cereal product and method of preparation

The present invention relates to ready-to-eat cereal flakes exhibiting higher percentages of curled flakes and reduced bulk densities as well as processes for preparing said cereal flakes. More specifically, the present invention provides ready-to-eat cereal flakes fabricated from cooked cereal dough pellets having a bulk density of 150 to 200 g/100,inch, an average flake thickness of 600 to 800 &mgr;m and at least 45% of the flakes being curled to provide a flaked width of at least five millimeters.

Flaked R-T-E cereal

A method for coating discrete food pieces with a sweet coating such as in the preparation of a presweetened R-T-E cereal and coated food products prepared by the process. The coating resists dissolution in cold milk. The coating contains a mixture of sugars, gelatin and calcium material. The method of preparation comprises the steps, in sequence of: (A) providing a base of dried food pieces; (B) blending an aqueous sugars solution with an aqueous gelatin solution and calcium material; (C) coating the base of dried food pieces with the aqueous sugar, gelatin solution and calcium material; and (D) drying the coated product to a shelf stable moisture content.

R-T-E cereals with calcium containing pre-sweetener coating and method

A quick-setting gel mix suitable for preparing dessert gels with improved clarity contains sodium and/or potassium alginate, a slowly-soluble calcium salt, an anti-oxidant, such as ascorbic acid, and a catalyst, such as copper gluconate and/or ferric sulfate, in amounts effective to promote clarity within the gel.

The present invention relates to ready-to-eat cereal flakes exhibiting higher percentages of curled flakes and reduced bulk densities as well as processes for preparing said cereal flakes. More specifically, the present invention provides ready-to-eat cereal flakes fabricated from cooked cereal dough pellets having a bulk density of 150 to 200 g/100.sup.3 inch, an average flake thickness of 600 to 800 .mu.m and at least 45% of the flakes being curled to provide a flaked width of at least five millimeters.

Flaked R-T-E cereal and method of preparation

A readily dispersible, sugar-containing food mix is prepared by applying a coating of glycerin and polysorbate onto the surface of the sugar and then blending with the remaining ingredients. The coating should contain at least 60% glycerin and at least 5% polysorbate and be applied to the sugar at a level of at least 0.6% by weight.

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Orono, MN, United States of America

Steven J Leusner