The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 10, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 18, 2003
Barrie R. Froseth, Plymouth, MN (US);
Sean W. Creedon, Tewksbury, MA (US);
Barrie R. Froseth, Plymouth, MN (US);
Sean W. Creedon, Tewksbury, MA (US);
General Mills, Inc., Minneapoli, MN (US);
Abstract
Dried foods infused with inulin are provided, especially whole fruit pieces. Such products are characterized as food pieces having a water activity ranging from about 0.15 to 0.5. The foods can comprise about 1% to 30% inulin. The inulin has a D.P ranging from about 2–9. The products are shelf stable and provide high levels of fiber. The inulin bearing dried products can be added to other foods such as Ready-to-eat cereals base to provide high fiber blended products without need to altering the characteristics of the cereal base or its method of manufacture. Methods of preparing dried inulin infused fruit products are described comprising the steps of providing a quantity of un-comminuted food pieces having a moisture content ranging from about 40% to about 95%; infusing the food pieces with an inulin wherein the inulin has a degree of polymerization ranging from about 2–9 to form an at least partially inulin infused food piece; and drying the inulin infused food piece to a finish water activity ranging from about 0.4 to 0.55.