摘要:
A mineral or vitamin fortification ingredient which does not deleteriously affect palatability and appearance of foods is obtained by encapsulation of the mineral or vitamin in a grindable, glassy matrix composition. The glassy matrix composition includes an oligosaccharide, such as &bgr;-2-1 fructofuranose materials, preferably fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin, which not only forms a glassy matrix, but also beneficially increases the fiber content of the food. At least one edible oil is included in the encapsulating composition to prevent substantial adverse interaction between the mineral or vitamin encapsulant and the glass-forming oligosaccharide matrix material, and to achieve controlled release of the encapsulant from the glassy matrix.
摘要:
A mineral or vitamin fortification ingredient which does not deleteriously affect palatability and appearance of foods is obtained by encapsulation of the mineral or vitamin in a grindable, glassy matrix composition. At least one edible oil is included in the encapsulating composition to prevent substantial adverse interaction between the mineral or vitamin encapsulant and the glass-forming matrix material, and to achieve controlled release of the encapsulant from the glassy matrix. The oil also reduces or eliminates the use of added water as a plasticizer thereby avoiding the need for substantial evaporation or drying to achieve a non-rubbery, grindable encapsulated ingredient. The oil assists in plasticizing the matrix material for extrudability and the prevention of undesirable browning or discoloration of the encapsulating matrix composition. The oil and the glassy matrix material provide a smooth mouthfeel and eliminate the rough, scratchy, gritty, dry, hard, or chalky mouthfeel associated with particulate or crystalline mineral sources. The fortification ingredient may be produced by melting the one or more glass-forming matrix components such as mono- or di-saccharides in the presence of optionally added water. The resulting melt may then be combined with an oil-slurried mineral and/or vitamin encapsulant and cooled to obtain a formable, pliable molten mass. The mass may be extruded and cut into pieces or pellets and cooled to obtain a grindable, glassy matrix which encapsulates the oil encapsulated mineral or vitamin. The encapsulated minerals and/or vitamins may be ground into a particulate composition such as a fine powder for direct incorporation into or for topical application onto foods such as ready-to-eat cereals, yogurt and fruit snacks.
摘要:
A liquid encapsulant component which contains an active, sensitive encapsulant, such as a live microorganism or an enzyme dissolved or dispersed in a liquid plasticizer is admixed with a plasticizable matrix material. The matrix material is plasticizable by the liquid plasticizer and the encapsulation of the active encapsulant is accomplished at a low temperature and under low shear conditions. The active component is encapsulated and/or embedded in the plasticizable matrix component or material in a continuous process to produce discrete, solid particles. The liquid content of the liquid encapsulant component provides substantially all or completely all of the liquid plasticizer needed to plasticize the matrix component to obtain a formable, extrudable, cuttable, mixture or dough. Removal of liquid plasticizer prior to extrusion is not needed to adjust the viscosity of the mixture for formability. Release of an active component from the matrix may be delayed or controlled over time so that the active component is delivered when and where it is needed to perform its intended function. Controlled release, discrete, solid particles which contain an encapsulated and/or embedded component such as a heat sensitive or readily oxidizable pharmaceutically, biologically, or nutritionally active component are continuously produced without substantial destruction of the matrix material or encapsulant.
摘要:
The present invention relates to a filled, elongate half product which can be expanded (i.e., puffed) when subjected to microwaves. The half product comprises an elongate outer casing formed from a dough containing a cereal material, water, and, optionally, starch, microwave absorptive materials (e.g., sugar or salts), and emulsifiers. Within the outer casing is a filling formed from an edible oil and flavoring. The half product of the present invention is prepared by mixing the ingredients which form the dough, cooking the dough at an elevated temperature and pressure to gelatinize the starch, venting the cooked dough to reduce its moisture content and temperature, cooling the cooked dough, coextruding the cooked dough and filling material to form a filled half product, and cutting the resulting extrudate cross-sectionally. In one preferred version of the present invention, a longitudinal slice is cut through the casing as it is extruded but prior to cross-sectional cutting to permit the half product to curl open as it puffs during microwaving. The mixing, cooking, venting, and cooling steps are conducted in a co-rotating twin screw extruder.
摘要:
An extruder operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes an added water inlet port downstream from a feed port means. A screw-type element is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through the feed port means, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients upstream from the added water inlet port during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element. A source of water is coupled to the added water inlet port to add a preselected amount of water to the ingredients to increase the water content and modify the consistency of the ingredients after heat treatment and vigorous mixing and conveying. The screw-type element downstream from the added water inlet port is arranged for a gentle mixing and conveyance of the ingredients and added water. In addition, a microwave device is coupled to the downstream end of the extruder to leaven, brown and final bake the output product.
摘要:
Inhibition of expansion of a cereal product, such as a ready-to-eat cereal, by a particulate insoluble component such as fiber and/or calcium is avoided by pelletizing the particulate insoluble component. A binder component, such as gelatinized starch, is used to bind particles of the particulate insoluble component into a coherent mass which is formed into non-expanded pellets for fortification of the cereal product. The expanded cereal products, such as extruded puffed RTE cereals which contain the pellets, exhibit a crisp, uniform texture and cell structure, improved, prolonged bowl life, a non-gritty mouthfeel, and a smooth, uniform surface appearance even though they are fortified with high amounts of the solid or particulate insoluble nutritional components.
摘要:
A liquid encapsulant component which contains an active, sensitive encapsulant, such as a live microorganism or an enzyme dissolved or dispersed in a liquid plasticizer is admixed with a plasticizable matrix material. The matrix material is plasticizable by the liquid plasticizer and the encapsulation of the active encapsulant is accomplished at a low temperature and under low shear conditions. The active component is encapsulated and/or embedded in the plasticizable matrix component or material in a continuous process to produce discrete, solid particles. The liquid content of the liquid encapsulant component provides substantially all or completely all of the liquid plasticizer needed to plasticize the matrix component to obtain a formable, extrudable, cuttable, mixture or dough. Removal of liquid plasticizer prior to extrusion is not needed to adjust the viscosity of the mixture for formability. Release of an active component from the matrix may be delayed or controlled over time so that the active component is delivered when and where it is needed to perform its intended function. Controlled release, discrete, solid particles which contain an encapsulated and/or embedded component such as a heat sensitive or readily oxidizable pharmaceutically, biologically, or nutritionally active component are continuously produced without substantial destruction of the matrix material or encapsulant.
摘要:
An extruder and continuous mixing apparatus operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes at least one screw-type element which is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through a feed port means at the upstream end of the extruder, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element. The vigorous mixing and heat treatment is applied to the ingredients for substantially the entire length of the extruder. A continuous mixing apparatus is coupled to an output of the extruder to receive the heat treated ingredients at an upstream inlet. A source of water is coupled to the upstream inlet of the continuous mixing apparatus to add a preselected amount of water to the heat treated ingredients to increase the water content and modify the consistency of the ingredients after heat treatment and vigorous mixing and conveying. The continuous mixing apparatus is arranged for a gentle mixing and conveyance of the heat treated ingredients and added water. In addition, a radio frequency device is coupled to the downstream end of the continuous mixing apparatus to leaven, brown and final bake the output products.
摘要:
A solid active, sensitive encapsulant and/or a liquid encapsulant component which contains an active, sensitive encapsulant, is admixed with at least one plasticizable matrix material, a matrix component which is substantially non-plasticizable at temperatures lower than the decomposition temperature of the encapsulant and which increases the rate of release of the encapsulant from the matrix, and a liquid plasticizer to obtain a formable, extrudable, cuttable, mixture or dough. The matrix material is plasticized by the liquid plasticizer and the encapsulation of the active encapsulant, such as a live microorganism or an enzyme, is accomplished at a low temperature and under low shear conditions. The active component is encapsulated and/or embedded in the plasticizable matrix component or material in a continuous process to produce discrete, solid particles. The formable mixture may be obtained without or substantially no cooking or gelatinizing of the matrix ingredients. A solid encapsulant may be dry-blended with the plasticizable matrix material and the substantially non-plasticizable matrix material, followed by plasticization of the plasticizable matrix material.