The Quaker Oats Company

Thomas E Milling

William L Keyser

Ronald K Medrow

A microwave oat cereal, a method of its manufacture, and a method of its consumer-preparation is disclosed. A one-ounce single serving of the product of this invention can be fully cooked in a microwave oven in a single serving bowl without foam-over. The cereal comprises a mixture of an oat cereal pieces, such as oat flakes, or oat bran, and a small amount of lecithin, preferably in the form of a powder and preferably in the form of discrete solid encapsulated lecithin. The lecithin is present in an amount effective to prevent foaming out of a single serving bowl when a single serving of the mixture is cooked with water in a microwave oven. Also, the lecithin may be affixed to the surface of the oat cereal such as by spraying, or by allowing encapsulated lecithin to contact the cereal while the cereal is at temperature above the melting point of the encapsulated lecithin. The mixture of oats and the lecithin powder is particularly suitable for individual serving packaging, and the mixtures in which the lecithin is bonded to the surface of the oat cereal are particularly well suited for bulk packaging, but can be used in individual serving packaging, as well. The lecithin is present in the cereal an amount of at least 0.01 gram per ounce of oat cereal. Lecithin is a natural ingredient and is GRAS.

Method of preparing hot oat cereal in a microwave oven

A microwave oat cereal, a method of its manufacture, and a method of its consumer-preparation is disclosed. A single serving of the product of this invention can be fully cooked in a microwave oven in a single serving bowl without foam-over. The cereal comprises a mixture of an oat cereal pieces, such as oat flakes, or oat bran, and a small amount of lecithin, preferably in the form of a powder and preferably in the form of discrete solid encapsulated lecithin. The lecithin is present in an amount effective to prevent foaming out of a single serving bowl when a single serving of the mixture is cooked with water in a microwave oven. Also, the lecithin may be affixed to the surface of the oat cereal such as by spraying, or by allowing encapsulated lecithin to contact the cereal while the cereal is at temperatures above the melting point of the encapsulated lecithin. Lecithin is preferably encapsulated in a triglyceride which is solid at room temperature, and liquid at microwave oat-cooking temperatures. The mixture of oats and the lecithin powder is particularly suitable for individual serving packaging, and the mixtures in which the lecithin is bonded to the surface of the oat cereal are particularly well suited for bulk packaging, but can be used in individual serving packaging, as well.

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Lake Zurich, IL, United States of America

Thomas E Milling