General Mills, Inc.

Troy D Bierbaum

Philip K Zietlow

Daniel J Winderl

Kara M Hobart

Jay Romsa

John M Hellweg

Christine M Nowakowski

Mark A Arlinghaus

The separation of oats from a combination of grains is performed by obtaining optical data includes both reflectance data and visual data and then analyzing the data in multiple ways, including analyzing information obtained based on ratios of wavelengths and grain imagery. The reflectance data relies on near infrared spectroscopy at requisite ratios of wavelengths in the range of 1100 nm to 2200 nm, while the grain imagery encompasses images of both sides of each of the combination of grains and can also take into account grain size and shape differentiations. The results is an oats separation process wherein at least 99% of foreign grains are rejected with only about 3% of the oats being rejected, while enabling volume processing of grains and establishing a supply of oats with a gluten level well below 20 ppm.

Method of producing gluten free oats

A method and system for removing foreign grains from oat grains to establish gluten-free oats, i.e., oat grains having gluten levels below 20 ppm and, more preferably, below 10 ppm relies upon performing a series of differentiation operations on a combination of grains, including oats and foreign, or gluten containing, grains, followed by a re-shaping operation to compress the oat grains but not the foreign grains. Thereafter, the compressed oat grains are separated from the foreign grains to establish the gluten-free oats. The resulting oats can be used to make a wide range of gluten-free oat food products, including cereal and granola products.

Method and system for producing gluten-free oats

A method and system for removing foreign grains from oat grains to establish gluten-free oats, i.e., oat grains having gluten levels below 20 ppm and, more preferably, below 10 ppm, relies upon performing a series of mechanical differentiation operations on a combination of grains, including oats and foreign, or gluten containing, grains. The various operations include aspiration, width grading and length grading steps, as well as a late stage density separating step. The resulting oats can be used to make a wide range of gluten-free oat food products, including cereal and granola products.

Processes and equipment for continuously making a substitute or imitation cheese by feeding a heated first liquid stream including emulsifying salt, water and cheese powder into a cooker which is a twin screw mixer, feeding a heated second liquid stream including oil and casein or a non-dairy protein into the cooker, processing the first liquid stream and the second liquid stream through the cooker to form a cheese composition, and cooling the cheese composition. The cheese composition may be continuously extruded in a desired shape such as sheets or ropes and/or may be continuously cooled and cut into pieces having a reduced size such as a size to approximate shredded cheese.

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Brooklyn Park, MN, United States of America

Troy D Bierbaum