The Hershey Company

Hershey Foods Corporation

Sue Zaccano

Philip C Ward

Krista L Cessna

Julie A Emsing

A process of producing crispy pulses includes hydrating a plurality of raw pulses including cooking to produce hydrated pulses having a predetermined hydrated texture and a predetermined hydrated moisture content and crisping the hydrated pulses to produce the crispy pulses having a crispy texture and a predetermined final moisture content. A crispy pulse formed from a raw pulse has a predetermined crispy texture profile and a crispy texture.

Crispy pulse products and processes of making the same

The present invention is directed to a continuous process for making a high solids confectionery product containing agar-agar using high temperature short time processing. The process comprises (a) preparing a homogenous mixture comprising agar-agar, an agar-agar dispersing agent in an amount sufficient to disperse and suspend the agar-agar to control hydration when in contact with water and heat, a sweetening effective amount of a sweetener, and water, said homogenous mixture containing a solids content ranging from about 60% to about 80% by weight solids; (b) feeding the homogenous mixture of step (a) to a heating apparatus having an inlet and outlet with heating means interposed therebetween, and subjecting said mixture to a high temperature short time continuous process under conditions sufficient to cook and concentrate the mixture and to evaporate the water to form water vapor; (c) removing the formed water vapor formed in step (b); and (d) cooling said mixture, thereby forming a high solids confectionery product, all of said steps (a), (b) (c) and (d) being conducted in a continuous process.

Growing community of inventors

Harrisburg, PA, United States of America

Sue Zaccano