General Mills, Inc.

Terry R Harrington

George E Brown

Edward C Schwab

Kristin L Thomas

Anthony Shidla

Paula Van Beckum

Victor T Huang

Christine M Nowakowski

Alan A Oppenheimer

Michael A Staeger

Noel R Pollen

Thomas J Nack

Anthony J Larson

Michael Tophen

Coated snack products are provided whose coating are reminiscent of high fat compound fat coating, resistant to rub-off of a powdery or fat based topping as well as methods for preparing such coated snack products. The present invention provides methods for preparing such coated food product including providing a hot (about 60-85&#xb0; C.), oil-in-water emulsion coating slurry containing a hydrated film forming hydrophilic colloid. The slurry comprises about 5%-30% of the emulsion of flavor solids in powder form. The methods include applying the hot emulsion to a food base to provide a wet emulsion coated food base. The methods include drying the wet slurry emulsion coated food product to a moisture content of about 1-4% at a temperature of less than the sugar melting point to provide a finished dried food product having non-powdered coating.

Coated food product and method of preparation

Food product

Disclosed are puffed multilayered R-T-E breakfast cereal pieces and methods of preparation. In preferred embodiments, the cereal pieces have at least three cereal layers. The bulk density ranges from about 0.06 to 0.15 g/cc. The methods for fabricating the present multilayered R-T-E cereal pieces comprise: A) preparing at least three separate sheets of cooked cereal dough(s), B) layering the sheets with pressure to form a laminated sheet, C) forming individual pieces from the laminated sheet, D) drying the pieces to 9% to 13% moisture, and E) high intensity microwave puffing the pieces to form R-T-E cereals with multiple layers. The high intensity microwave field is characterized by a field strength of about 150 to 350 V/cm.

Multilayered puffed R-T-E cereal and high intensity microwave method of

A dried food foam product comprising: (A) about 5% to 70% by weight (dry basis) of the foam product of a flavor characterizing ingredient; (B) sufficient amounts of an undenatured proteinaceous whipping agent sufficient to provide the foam product to a density of 0.1 to 0.6 g/cc (dry weight basis) having a heat setting temperature; (C) about 0% to 55% by weight (dry basis) of the product of a nutritive carbohydrate sweetening agent; and (D) about 0.5% to 7% by weight moisture.

Dried food foam products

High intensity microwave heating methods for heat setting food foams are provided. The methods comprise the step of subjecting a quantity of edible foams to a brief exposure to high intensity (&gt;110 V/cm) microwave field for about 5 to 30 seconds. The high intensity microwave heating heat sets the foam to provide a stable structure. Thereafter, the heat set structures are then dried using low temperature dried to desired moisture contents ranging from about 1% to 6%. The microwave heat set foam pieces exhibit a homogeneous (i.e., without voids or irregularities) texture and a crisp, light eating quality. The edible foam products exhibit extended bowl lives and find particular suitability for use as additives to ready-to-eat cereal products. Preferred embodiments comprise high levels of fruit puree solids which by virtue of the short heat setting and low temperature drying steps exhibit high natural flavor levels.

Puffed edible foams and high intensity microwave method of preparation

Microwave methods for puffing thick ready-to-eat cereal flake pieces are provided in full or partial substitution for conventional toasting and puffing methods. The methods comprise the step of subjecting a thick (&gt;0.025 inch) cereal base piece to a brief exposure to a high intensity (&gt;125 V/cm) microwave field for about 5 to 25 seconds. The microwave puffed cereal pieces exhibit superior puffed volume and a lighter texture compared to finished products toasted and puffed by known methods. The present methods are particularly suitable for puffing thicker flakes fabricated from whole grain, e.g., whole wheat based cooked cereal doughs.

High intensity microwave puffing of thick R-T-E cereal flakes

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Albertville, MN, United States of America

Terry R Harrington