The Pillsbury Company

General Mills Marketing, Inc.

William A Atwell

David J Domingues

Peter S Pesheck

George R Anderson

Julio Rey Panama

Madonna M Krawiecki

Victor T Huang

Ernst Graf

Patricia W Hahn

William P Pilacinski

Madonna M Krawjecki

Paul J Beckmann

Steven K Fahrenholtz

Milton S Feather

Hanny Kanafani

Bruce M Patrick

Michael R Perry

Diane R Rosenwald

Gregg J Moder

Katy Ghiasi

Andrew H Johnson

John J Yasosky

Kristin L Matson

Betty L Brooking

Robin E Conn

Joseph J Yasosky

Elayne C Winkel

Carol J Lenander

Stephanie C Hankerson

A refrigerated dough system is provided which includes a dough in a container flushed with a gas. The dough contains a leavening agent capable of generating gas in the dough after the dough is sealed in the container. The container is provided with a pressure release mechanism to release excess pressure generated within the container as the dough leavens and during storage. The dough system is capable of sustaining a leavened dough structure during storage so that upon baking the dough, the resulting baked product resembles a freshly prepared and baked dough.

Low pressure refrigerated dough product

The present invention provides refrigeratable yeast-leavened dough compositions and methods of making such doughs. In a first embodiment, a dough composition of the invention is made by rehydrating dried yeast at chilled temperatures, which causes selective lysing (a loss in the selectivity of the yeast plasma membrane). Such a dough composition exhibits a cold sensitivity in that the yeast is capable of leavening the dough at elevated temperatures, but becomes inactive at refrigeration temperatures. In another embodiment, the dough composition and the strain of yeast used therein are chosen to limit the total leavening action of the yeast by controlling the amount of substrate in the dough fermentable by the yeast. In a third embodiment, a dough comprises a mixture of flour, water and a mutant yeast which is low temperature sensitive. Such an 'lts' yeast is active at elevated temperatures, but becomes substantially inactive at refrigeration temperatures. Dough compositions made in accordance with any of these embodiments of the invention are capable of being leavened at elevated temperatures, yet stored in a sealed container at refrigeration temperatures for extended periods of time.

Yeast-leavened refrigerated dough products

A method of reducing syruping in refrigerated dough compositions is disclosed. The method includes formulating a dough composition comprising flour, preferably wheat flour, and water, and adding a xylan compound to the refrigerated dough composition at a specified concentration. Upon refrigerating and storing the dough composition, reduced syruping is noted. Also disclosed is a baked good comprising this dough product and a method of inhibiting the enzymatic degradation of arabinoxylans and syruping in refrigerated dough compositions. The method is useful for any number of doughs which are subjected to refrigerated storage, such as, for example, bread doughs, biscuit doughs, roll doughs, and the like.

Method for reducing syruping in refrigerated doughs

A process of forming a browning composition for application to a surface of a food prior to exposure to microwave radiation is disclosed. The process includes the step of forming a solution comprising water, a reducing sugar and a proteinaceous substance, the ratio of reducing sugar to proteinaceous substance being effective to produce browning when applied to a surface of the food and when exposed to microwave radiation. The process also includes the step of prereacting the solution to a point prior to substantial coloration, before applying the solution to the food. A food product formed according to the above-described process is also disclosed.

Process for forming a microwave browning composition

A mix for making a cake having at least two distinct layers in a microwave oven. The mix is formulated to form an unleavened topping and a leavened cake layer. The viscosity of the batter for the cake layer is adjusted relative to the viscosity of the batter for the topping layer so that a cake having two distinct layers is formed by baking the batters in a microwave oven.

Self-topping cake

Methods and food product structures are provided for controlling heating of multi-component foods in a microwave oven. The structures and methods include the use of a layer of edible substance with preselected properties and positioned adjacent to one or more food items to control the amount of transmitted microwave power to the adjacent food. One or more layers of edible substance has properties selected in relation to the other food substance such that effective shielding or control is achieved which will reliably control the heating of the components of the food product in the time required for heating one or more portions of the multi-component food product. With preselected values for thickness and dielectric properties of one or more layers and the thermal masses of the layers and the other components, the amount of energy transmitted to one or more of the food components and its final temperature can be effectively and reliably controlled.

Microwave food product and methods of their manufacture and heating

A food product having a browning surface area or region for developing a desired browning effect during preparation of the food product for consumption by microwave irradiation. The food product includes a starch-based component and a browning system applied to the component to provide the browning surface area or region. The browning system includes Maillard browning reactants for developing the desired browning effect during microwave irradiation, and a carrier system which contains the Maillard browning reactants. The carrier system maintains the Maillard browning reactants in a substantially reactively immobilized state on the food product prior to microwave irradiation and while the food product is at temperature of up to about 40.degree. F. for up to several days.

Process for microwave browning

A method and food product structure are provided for controlling heating of multi-component foods in a microwave oven. The structure and method include the use of a layer of edible substance with preselected properties and positioned adjacent to one or more food items to control the amount of transmitted microwave power to the adjacent food. The shield layer of edible substance has properties selected in relation to the other food substance such that effective shielding is achieved which will reliably control the heating of the shielded food in the time required for heating one or more portions of the multi-component food product. With preselected values for thickness and dielectric properties of the shield layer and the thermal masses of the shield layer and the other components, the amount of energy transmitted to the shielded food component and its final temperature can be effectively and reliably controlled.

Microwave food products and method of their manufacture and heating

A method of forming a microwaveable food product having a region of a preselected color is disclosed. The method employs the use of a programmed computer means which provides output information useful in making a microwaveable food product of a preselected color. Information is inputted into the programmed computer means, the information is processed and output information is produced. Food prepared according to the output information has a region of a selected color.

Process of forming a microwaveable food product having a selected color

A method and food product structure are provided for controlling heating of multi-component foods in a microwave oven. The structure and method include the use of a layer of edible substance with preselected properties and positioned adjacent to one or more food items to control the amount of transmitted microwave power to the adjacent food. One or more layers of edible substance has properties selected in relation to the other food substance such that effective shielding or control is achieved which will reliably control the heating of the components of the food product in the time required for heating one or more portions of the multi-component food product. With preselected values for thickness and dielectric properties of one or more layers and the thermal masses of the layers and the other components, the amount of energy transmitted to one or more of the food components and its final temperature can be effectively and reliably controlled.

Microwave food products and method of their manufacture

A method and food product structure are provided for controlling heating of multi-component foods in a microwave oven. The structure and methods include the use of a layer of edible substance with preselected properties and positioned adjacent to one or more food items to control the amont of transmitted microwave power to the adjacent food. One or more layers of edible substance has properties selected in relation to the other food substance such that effective shielding or control is achieved which will reliably control the heating of the components of the food product in the time required for heating one or more portions of the multi-component food product. With preselected values for thickness and dielectric properties of one or more layers and the thermal masses of the layers and the other components, the amount of energy transmitted to one or more of the food components and its final temperature can be effectively and reliably controlled.

The texture of high sugar, relatively low moisture, flour based products baked in a microwave oven can be controlled by regulating the steam retention capabilities of the batter. The steam retention capabilities of the batter can be affected by the use of an emulsifier in the batter.

Controlling the texture of microwave brownies

A culinary mix is provided for baking in a microwave oven wherein the amount of leavening agent is controlled to control the symmetry of the baked layer.

Growing community of inventors

Andover, MN, United States of America

William A Atwell